Sarah Michelle Gellar Says ‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’ ‘Ruined Me For Life’ In This Way
Ever since she played Buffy, the Vampire Slayer for seven seasons on television, Sarah Michelle Gellar continues to play major landmark characters. She played Daphne in live-action Scooby-Doo movies, voiced April O’Neil in TMNT and the new Star Wars character Seventh Sister on Star Wars: Rebels. Gellar says Buffy spoiled her for life in the best way.
Now she’s voicing Teela in Netflix’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Gellar and the cast spoke with reporters by Zoom on June 3. We’ll have more with them before Masters of the Universe premieres July 23, but first Gellar reflected on how Buffy, the Vampire Slayer has ruined her.
After ‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,’ Sarah Michelle Gellar could never go back
Prior to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Gellar had played the mayor’s daughter on Swans Crossing, young Jacqueline Bouvier and several TV guest appearances as a child. After Buffy, Gellar never had to settle for any thankless role.
“I think that I definitely gravitate towards strong female characters, and especially where a female is part of driving the story,” Gellar said. “I think that’s one of the things that Buffy sort of ruined me for life for which is I never want to just be the girlfriend, the mom, the wife. There has to be a purpose and a journey and a discovery, a beginning, a middle and end where you really sort of have those experiences.”
Teela fits in with ‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’
Teela always fought by He-Man’s side in the original series. In Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Teela is even more central.
“I think Teela fits in perfectly,” Gellar said. “Teela fit all of those great aspect, not to mention she’s just so badass looking. I keep saying to myself, I realize if this was live-action, they were casting the role, nobody would ever be like, ‘Oh, I know, Sarah’s perfect.’ Because while I can embody the emotion, I certainly don’t look like that no matter how hard I try.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar gets to add to Teela’s legacy
Gellar also appreciated that Masters of the Universe: Revelation would develop Teela’s character. Like Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Gellar would be involved in defining another female hero for a new generation.
I think I was excited because Teela’s not defined before. So I didn’t feel, I felt like I would be welcomed. The world, this world has been so welcoming to me that I think they understand that I have love for these franchise and I take it seriously. I think people will be more excited, at least I hope for that excitement. [Creator] Kevin [Smith] wouldn’t do wrong by these franchises. He loves this so much, he wouldn’t put people in that he didn’t believe. I got sent the first five episodes too. It is not aimed at me necessarily and I thought they were wonderful, everyone’s performance, all of it.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Masters of the Universe: Revelation junket, 6/3/21
