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Buffy the Vampire Slayerstars are speaking out in the wake of allegations against the series' creator,Joss Whedon.
On Wednesday, Charisma Carpenter publicly accused Whedonof abusing his powerand creating a “hostile and toxic” work environment on the set ofBuffyand its spinoff,Angels.
“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,” wrote Gellar, 43. “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.”
Amber Benson, who played recurring character Tara Maclay onBuffy,tweetedher support for Carpenter, praising the actress for “speaking her truth.”
“Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top,” wrote Benson, 44. “@AllCharisma is speaking truth and I support her 100%. There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.”
“For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and made excuses for certain events that traumatize me to this day,” Carpenter began. “Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets ofBuffy the Vampire SlayerandAngel. 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 heard that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively.”
Charisma Carpenter (left) and Joss Whedon.John Sciulli/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
“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,” she alleged.
Carpenter said she felt empowered to speak out after actorRay Fishercame forward with allegations against Whedonlast year, claiming the director “was gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” while they worked together onJustice Leaguein 2017. Fisher’s claimsprompted an internal investigation, which concluded in December 2020. WarnerMedia said at the time that “remedial action has been taken.”
“I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to Ray and others for remaining private about my experience with Joss and the suffering it has caused me,” Carpenter wrote, adding that she participated in the investigation into the filmmaker. “It is abundantly evident that Joss has persisted in his harmful actions, continuing to create wreckage in his wake.”
“I am forever grateful for her courage and for her lending her voice to the Justice League investigation. Read her truth. Share her truth. Protect her at all costs.”
source: people.com
