David Boreanaz joins chorus of Buffy cast supporting Charisma Carpenter after Joss Whedon allegations
David Boreanaz had been publicly silent in the days since his Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel costar Charisma Carpenter came forward with allegations of abusive treatment by series creator Joss Whedon, but—perhaps in response to fan criticism for not making a statement earlier—Boreanaz made his first social media statement on the matter on Sunday. “I am here for you to listen and support you. Proud of your strength,” Boreanaz tweeted. Carpenter responded and made it clear that Boreanaz had been supporting her privately since news of her claims broke on February 10: “I know you’re there for me, David. I appreciate all you’ve done to demonstrate that support privately as well. Especially since Wednesday. -Thank you so much”
Boreanaz’s tweet was a reply to Carpenter’s original post from last week: “For nearly two decades, I have held my
tongue and even made excuses for certain events that traumatized me to
this day,” 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.”
Carpenter, whose character Cordelia was killed off from Angel in a controversial childbirth scene, also opened up about Whedon’s alleged targeted abuse when the actor became pregnant:
“Joss
intentionally refused multiple calls from my agents making it
impossible to connect with him to tell him the news that I was pregnant.
Finally, once Joss was apprised of the situation, he requested meeting
with me. In that closed-door meeting, he asked me if I was ‘going to
keep it’ and manipulatively weaponized my womanhood and faith against
me. 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.”
Carpenter was moved to speak out in an effort to stand in support of Justice League actor Ray Fisher, who has called out Whedon, the film’s director, for “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable”
behavior on set. (He also claimed that Whedon was enabled by
producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg. Berg told Variety that Fisher’s accusations were “categorically untrue.”)
Now Carpenter is getting support as well. In addition to Boreanaz, Amber Benson, who played Tara on Buffy, showed her support towards Carpenter on Twitter, saying the show’s set “was a toxic environment and it starts at the top.”
Buffy lead Sarah Michelle Gellar released a statement on Instagram which reads, “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 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.” Gellar’s statement was reposted by costar Michelle Trachtenberg, who later added more information to her statement: “The last. Comment I will make on this. Was. There was a rule.
Saying. He’s not allowed in a room alone with Michelle again.”