Sarah Michelle Gellar addresses alleged Joss Whedon abuse on Buffy set

Sarah Michelle Gellar has addressed the allegations of abuse and harassment pointed at Joss Whedon on the set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Buffy is one of the most beloved television shows of all time. Created by Whedon and starring Gellar, the series received praise not only for the fantasy elements of the plot, but also for how it addressed adolescence and becoming an adult which is why fans are so fiercely supportive of it.

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In 2020, a new light was shed on the production of Buffy, however, as allegations of abuse were made against Whedon by various stars of the show including Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia, and Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Dawn.

Carpenter alleged that Whedon created a "toxic" work environment and that he would regularly call her fat while she was pregnant with her child. She also claimed that her pregnancy and the birth of her child ultimately led to her dismissal from Angel, the Buffy spin-off series.

Trachtenberg, meanwhile, accused him of "not appropriate behaviour....very. Not. Appropriate."

READ MORE: Sarah Michelle Gellar proud that Buffy is inspiring a new generation

At that time, Gellar stated her support for the bravery of her co-stars, though she would not detail any abuse suffered herself. Now, she has explained why she didn't speak out more at the time, and it was due to the trend of victim blaming on social media.

"Growing up in New York, I had a little bit of street sense going into it, which is helpful," she told The New York Times.

"But no, it was not easy. And I’ve had my fair share of experiences, I have just chosen not — I don’t win by telling my stories, emotionally, for me.

"I look at people that tell their stories, and I’m so impressed. But in this world where people get torn apart, and victim blaming and shaming, I just keep my stories in here.”

Will Sarah Michelle Gellar return as Buffy?

Buffy ran for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003, though stories would continue in the popular comic book series.

Another spin-off had been mooted around 2021, but that was shelved this year.

Due to the show's continued popularity, talk of a reboot or another series has been constant. But, Gellar won't be taking part.

"I'm a wee bit, how do they say, long in the tooth for that," she said on Mario Lopez's podcast.

"You know, I think what worked for Buffy was that the monsters represented the metaphors for the horrors of adolescence, and I do think that story lends itself. It'd be interesting to see how the chosen one would deal with that, but I don't think it's me. I don't think I need to be the one doing it.

"I'm also way too tired and cranky to put in that kind of work again. But I love that the story holds up and that people are calling for that."

Gellar has largely been away from the limelight for the past decade to focus on her family and children, but she has been steadily making her way back into the industry and was recently seen in Do Revenge and Wolf Pack.