Buffy’s Charisma Carpenter blasts ‘tyrannical narcissist’ Joss Whedon over ‘shameful’ interview
Charisma Carpenter (L) and Joss Whedon. (Getty)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Charisma Carpenter has hit back at Joss Whedon after he adamantly denied any wrongdoing following multiple claims of “toxic” on-set behaviour.
Last year, Carpenter came forward in a social media post featuring a flurry of explosive accusations against Whedon.
Among them, claims of “repeated” abuse, a “toxic” workplace environment and being “unceremoniously fired” from her role as Cordelia Chase after giving birth.
Elsewhere, Justice League stars Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher also spoke out against the 57-year-old director with Fisher describing his conduct as “gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable” while Gadot said he had “threatened” her on set.
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Monday (17 January) saw Whedon respond to Carpenter’s claims in a lengthy New York Magazine interview in which he stated: “I did not call her fat. Most of my experiences with Charisma were delightful and charming.”
Carpenter, who played the self-absorbed, whip-smart teen Cordelia on Buffy and Angel, then shared her reaction to his latest comments on Twitter as she called Whedon “a former tyrannical narcissistic boss who is still unable to be accountable and just apologise”.
Indeed, the American screenwriter has widely been criticised for calling Fisher a “bad actor in both senses” during the controversial interview, which also saw Whedon claim that his conflict with Gadot arose because English is not the Israeli actor’s “first language”.
Carpenter took another dig at Whedon’s statement as she continued: “I believe Gal Gadot not only understands career threats in English, but also in Hebrew and Arabic. Possibly French, Spanish and Italian too.”
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After Carpenter came forward with her allegations against Whedon, countless Buffy stars sought to support their former co-star.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, Michelle Trachtenberg and Anthony Head all spoke out – whether issuing warming statements of solidarity, coming forward with their own claims or simply distancing themselves from Joss Whedon altogether
In a column for The Hollywood Reporter, Carpenter opened up about her decision to post her open letter describing it as an “effort to foster change”.
“I shared my experiences about my former boss, Joss Whedon, so that we may identify a very real problem that is still happening 20 years later,” the 51-year-old said. “My open letter is not just trauma unpacking or dumping. It’s a wake-up call. And a call to action. It was written in a concerted effort to foster change.”
Following the accusations made against the director, LGBT+ Buffy and Angel fans have revealed they are trying to find a way to distance the art from its artist as they attempt to reconcile their adoration for his programmes which famously celebrated outsiders and empowered characters.
