‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’ Cast Member Charisma Carpenter Confirms What Fans Feared About Joss Whedon Firing Her from ‘Angel’
Charisma Carpenter played Cordelia Chase on the first three seasons of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. Then, Cordelia moved to Los Angeles, California where she was on the cast of Angel for three seasons. Cordelia fell into a coma in season 4 before one final farewell episode in season 5. Fans of both shows worried that Joss Whedon had less than creative reasons for firing Carpenter from the show.
Carpenter shared a detailed post on Twitter about abuses she alleges against Whedon on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel. She confirms what fans suspected about her firing and more.
Did ‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’ creator Joss Whedon fire Charisma Carpenter from ‘Angel’ for getting pregnant?
Cordelia’s coma coincided with Carpenter’s real-life pregnancy. Her unceremonious departure from the show worried Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel fans that Whedon fired her because of her pregnancy. Carpenter confirms suspicions.
Joss intentionally refused multiple calls from my agents making it impossible to connect with him to tell him the news that I was pregnant. Finally, once Joss was apprised of the situation, he requested a meeting with me. In that closed-door meeting, he asked me if I was ‘going to keep it’ and manipulatively weaponized my womanhood and faith against me. He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth.
Charisma Carpenter on Twitter, 2/10/21
Joss Whedon made ‘Angel’ worse for Charisma Carpenter before the end
Carpenter continued to detail her final year on Angel. During her pregnancy, Carpenter said, Whedon made sure she was uncomfortable at work. She described Whedon calling her fat while 126 lbs. at four months pregnant, and further demands.
“At six months pregnant, I was asked to report to work at 1:00 AM after my doctor recommended shortening my work hours,” Carpenter wrote. “Due to long and physically demanding days and the emotional stress of having to defend my needs as a working pregnant woman, I began to experience Braxton Hicks contractions. It was clear to me the 1:00 AM call was retaliatory.”
Why now?
Carpenter described the feelings that led her to keep these events to herself.
“Back then, I felt powerless and alone,” Carpenter wrote. “With no other options, I swallowed the mistreatment and carried on. After all, I had a baby on the way and I was the primary breadwinner of my growing family. Unfortunately, all this was happening during one of the most wonderful time in new motherhood. All that promise and joy sucked right out. And Joss was the vampire.”
Carpenter said it was only her personal therapy, social movements supporting women, and Ray Fisher’s Justice League claims against Whedon that led her to post these recollections.
Despite the harassment, a part of me still sought his validation. I made excuses for his behavior and repressed my own pain. I have even stated publicly at conventions that I’d work with him again. Only recently, after years of therapy and a wakeup call from the Time’s Up movement do I understand the complexities of this demoralized thinking. It is impossible to understand the psyche without enduring the abuse. Our society and industry vilify the victims and glorify the abusers for their accomplishments. The onus is on the abused with an expectation to accept and adapt and be employable. No accountability on the transgressor who sails on unscathed. Unrepentant. Remorseless.
Charisma Carpenter on Twitter, 2/10/21
