Actress Charisma Carpenter released a damning statement accusing Joss Whedon of severely abusive behavior and many of her “Buffy” co-stars also spoke out in support…
In the wake of Ray Fisher’s allegations of abuse and mistreatment by Joss Whedon on the set of the “Justice League” reshoots, actress Charisma Carpenter has also released a lengthy statement regarding her own experience working with the writer, director and showrunner during her appearances on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the spinoff series “Angel.”
Carpenter, who was an original cast member on “Buffy” before eventually joining “Angel,” accused Whedon of severe abuse of power during their time together on the shows, which she alleges include insults and a damaging employer/employee relationship that eventually ended with her firing from the show.
“Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Angel,” Carpenter wrote in a statement released on Twitter. “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.”
According to Carpenter, one particularly awful incident surrounded her pregnancy and the subsequent encounter she had with Whedon, which she alleges eventually ended with her being dismissed from the cast of “Angel.”
“[H]e asked me if I was ‘going to keep it,’ and manipulatively weaponized my womanhood and faith against me,” Carpenter stated. “He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me following the season once I gave birth.”
You can read Carpenter’s full statements below:
— charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021
Following Carpenter’s allegations going public, a number of her co-stars from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” also spoke out including series star Sarah Michelle Gellar.
“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,” Gellar wrote in a statement on Instagram while adding that she wouldn’t be addressing the situation any further.
“I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out.”
Michelle Trachtenberg, who starred as Buffy’s little sister Dawn on the series while she was still just a teenager, added to the allegations against Whedon.
“Thank you Sarah Michelle Gellar for saying this,” Trachtenberg wrote on her Instagram account. ” I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman….To repost this. Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior….very. Not. Appropriate. So now. People know. What Joss. Did.”
Amber Benson, who played Willow’s longtime girlfriend Tara on the series, also released a statement supporting Carpenter and the allegations against Whedon.
“Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top,” Benson wrote. “Charisma Carpenter 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.”
Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top. @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. #IStandWithRayFisher #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter https://t.co/WJAmDGm76C
— Amber Benson (@amber_benson) February 10, 2021
Whedon has not made any public statements regarding the allegations.
Just recently the former “Avengers” director dropped out of “The Nevers” — a series he created for HBO that is still moving forward at the network but without his involvement. Whedon was also the subject of an investigation at Warner Bros. after the initial allegations of abuse and misconduct were raised by Fisher last year.
