Justice League star Ray Fisher’s much-publicized abuse allegations against Joss Whedon have paved the way for others to share their own troubling experiences with the famed writer/director, most known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Members of the Buffy stunt team have opened up about how a disagreement with Whedon cost them their jobs, while actor James Marsters has spoken about a physical altercation he had with him on set.
Charisma Carpenter – who starred as Cordelia Chase on both Buffy and Angel – has today detailed her own “traumatizing” history with Whedon, causing a stir online. As you’d imagine, fans are wanting her co-stars to comment on the matter and while most are currently remaining silent, Buffy Summers herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has reacted to these new allegations on her Instagram account.
Gellar released a short statement both distancing herself from Whedon and supporting those who have spoken up against him, saying:
“While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don’t want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon,” the actress began. “I am more focused on raising my family and surviving a pandemic currently, so I will not be making any further statements at this time. But I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out.”
So far, the only other Buffy lead to have reacted to Carpenter’s post is Amber Benson, AKA witch Tara Maclay, who was more heated in her response than Gellar. “Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top,” she wrote on Twitter. “There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.”
Carpenter outlined multiple instances of Whedon being verbally abusive, manipulative and passive aggressive, including his ill treatment towards her during her pregnancy, which culminated in her “unceremonious firing” from Angel. “The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer,” she revealed.
Joss Whedon was set to helm HBO’s fantasy series The Nevers, which is due out later this year, but was removed from the project, as WarnerMedia cut ties with him following Fisher’s allegations. Meanwhile, a Buffy reboot is percolating in development with Whedon set to exec produce, but it’s unclear if that stands a chance of going ahead at this point.