“Buffy The Vampire Slayer” star Sarah Michelle Gellar is showing her former costar Charisma Carpenter support after she ripped into director Joss Whedon for his alleged misconduct on set.
SMG released a statement hours after Charisma revealed the treatment she dealt with at the hands of Joss. Sarah wrote, “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. I am move 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.”
Sarah, who has never spoken negatively of Joss, worked with him for seven seasons. The two have not worked on any other projects since the show wrapped.
Earlier today, Charisma came out swinging against Joss with a very detailed account of her time working with him. The actress felt the need to speak out because of actor Ray Fisher’s current battle with Joss.
At the moment, Ray is battling Warner Bros after he accused Joss of creating a toxic workplace on the set of 2017’s “Justice League.” An investigation by the studio was launched but never went anywhere.
She wrote, “Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. While he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, disempower me, and alienate me from my peers. The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer. It is with a beating, heavy heart that I say I coped in isolation, and, at times, destructively.”
Charisma said after seeing Ray speak out she felt the need to come forward. The actress said it “gutted” her after seeing Ray’s story in the media. She said, “Joss has a history of being casually cruel. He has created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. I know because I experienced it first-hand. Repeatedly.”
On the set of “Buffy” and “Angel”, Charisma says Joss was an awful human being to her and created an awful environment on set. She said he made her pregnancy difficult and eventually fired her after she gave birth.
She said, “He proceed to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I have birth.”
The actress said she spoke to the studio as part of the Justice League investigation. She added, “Although I am not shocked, I am deeply pained by it … I can no longer remain silent. This is overdue and necessary.”
Joss has yet to respond.
