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Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Curse of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fans rejoice as cult 90s show reboots - but series could be marred by its complicated post-Me Too legacy, 'toxic' accusations and cast tragedy
Ever since its last episode aired more than two decades ago, Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans have been hoping for a reboot and, in February, their prayers were answered. The era-defining show, set in the fictional town of Sunnydale in California, announced that it was making a surprise comeback via streaming platform Hulu, with lead actress Sarah Michelle Gell ar, now 48, reprising her famous role as Buffy Summers. Despite previously shutting down suggestions she'd revive her career-defining role, the actress and mother-of-two has had a change of heart - and teased fans with an Instagram snap suggesting she was at a table read for the pilot of a new series. She wrote 'Baby steps' in the caption. Fans of the series, which originally aired between 1997 and 2003, said they were 'crying, screaming, laughing and throwing up' after seeing Gellar's post. But despite achieving cult status, the hit series now has a complicated legacy among fans after being marred with allegations of abusive behaviour onset and 'toxic' plotlines as many aspects of the show are viewed very differently in a post-Me Too era. Among the figures whose reputations have been sullied are the show's creator Joss Whedon - who was accused by cast members of being 'casually cruel' amid other allegations - and Nicholas Brendon, who plays Buffy's best friend, Xander. Characters who were first written more than 20 years ago are now accused by a modern-day audience of displaying 'toxic masculinity' - while troubling scenes depicting sexual violence make for uncomfortable viewing. It seems the show's creators are aware of the difficulties facing the series as it's revived in the modern day, as a new director, Buffy super fan Chloe Zhao has been enlisted to take over. Sandollar, which produced the original series and its spin-off Angel, will again look after the reboot, with Dolly Parton listed as an executive producer. The series too, will look different to the original. Instead of focusing on Buffy Summers, the reboot will follow a new slayer entirely, to be played by 15-year-old actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Tragically Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's younger sister Dawn in the original series, will be a notable absence in the reboot after her sudden death at the age of 39 in February. And it remains uncertain if other cast members will return for a reboot after facing difficulties in their personal lives and becoming vocal critics of conditions on set the first time around. As production finally begins starts for the long-awaited Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival - albeit in 'baby steps', the show must first grapple with its complicated legacy... Sexism and diversity rows When it hit screens in the late 90s, Buffy was ground breaking in many ways; it featured a female heroine who was skilled in martial arts to defeat 'bad guys', and Willow and Tara's relationship was widely considered the first recurring all-female couple to appear on a TV series. However, as years have passed since the series aired, it has received more and more criticism over a lack of diversity in other areas; while also being slammed for promoting toxic masculinity in male characters - some of whom were presented as heartthrobs. Best friend and side-kick Xander, played by Nicholas Brendon, posed as the typical 'nice guy' but could scarcely walk the streets without ogling or pestering passing women. In one scene in the pilot episode, Buffy drops her books, to which Xander responds by saying 'Can I have you? Oh I mean, can I help you?' - in a slip of the tongue that seems to plague his character throughout all seven seasons of the show. It's a characteristic that has been criticised as anti-feminist by the show's modern viewers. The overall depiction of female characters on the show has sparked furious debate among fans, with some branding the portrayals as sexist, while others say they are empowering. Series six of the show depicted two prominent female characters indulging in 'evil' behaviour after suffering tragedy as they went on vengeful rampages. The notion of female characters 'spiralling' into violence and vengeance led to criticism that the plot was misogynistic - something that the show's creators addressed years later. Both lead show-runner Marti Noxon and Whedon came under fire from fans over the portrayal of the characters; prompting Whedon to respond to such criticisms on a fan forum. Taking to the Bronze Posting Board on the Buffy website before the age of social media, Whedon admitted 'mistakes' in making the series, but insisted he did not 'neglect' female characters. Whedon was further criticised by fans for a lack of diversity among the characters, with only a handful of people of colour ever appearing on the show (many of whom feature for only a brief time). Besides short appearances from Bianca Lawson, who played Kendra Young, Buffy's short-lived fellow Slayer who was killed off in the second season after just three episodes; and Ara Celi, who played the Inca Mummy Girl in one episode of season two - women of colour were essentially non-existent. Season seven brought a little more diversity to the cast when Potential Slayers, or slayers-in-training, were introduced into the cast - but it was right at the end of the show's time on TV. 'Disturbing' plot line Throughout its seven seasons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer tackled dark and demonic themes. But one particularly shocking scene left many viewers horrified when it aired. 'Seeing Red', an episode in series six of the show, depicts a lovesick Spike vying for Buffy's affections as he begs for her forgiveness after sleeping with her friend Anya. However, after tracking her down to a bathroom, Spike's pining turns to violence as he attempts to rape his love interest when she pushes him away. The 60 second-long scene, in which Buffy, screaming and crying, attempts to wrestle off a particularly aggressive Spike who wants to 'make her feel it', makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing and has been branded 'toxic' by fans on Reddit forums. For its contemporary audience, the scene was shocking. However as time has passed, it has become ever steeped in controversy for its portrayal of toxic masculinity and romanticising an abusive dynamic. And it's not just viewers who were left reeling by the scene. James Marsters, who plays Spike, himself described filming the scene as a 'personal hell' and revealed it led him to seek therapy. Speaking on Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast, he said: 'It's a problematic scene for a lot of people who like the show. And it's the darkest professional day of my life.' He revealed the idea had spawned from a writers' meeting in which people around the table were asked to draw on their own 'dark secrets' as inspiration for plots. He said it had been a female writer's idea to add the scene to the script, after she recalled an incident where she'd returned to an ex's house after being dumped - in the hopes of sleeping with him to 'fix' their breakup. 'She kind of forced herself and he had to physically remove her from the premises, and that was one of the most painful memories of that time of her life,' James continued. While he wasn't comfortable with the plot, Marsters insisted he was contractually obliged to go ahead with filming. In a 2023 interview, Gellar, revealed she had re-watched the series that launched her career with her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr. and their children, Charlotte and Rocky - but they skipped 'Seeing Red'. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, she said: 'I have trouble with [season] six. It wasn't appropriate for them at the time, and I just don't want to re-watch it.' Writing for the BBC, journalist Hannah Flint described the highly criticised plot of Seeing Red as a subtle foreshadowing of the allegations against Whedon which later emerged. She wrote: 'In hindsight, the treatment of women in season six seemed to foreshadow the allegations subsequently made against him by female cast members about his behaviour during the making of the show.' Michelle Trachtenberg's untimely death Trachtenberg was a huge character in the original series, as Buffy's abruptly introduced younger sister, Dawn Summers. Despite indicating she'd be interested in a potential revival of her character, Trachtenberg was never able to see it through - as just weeks later, in February, she was found dead in her New York City apartment at the age of 39. News of her death rocked the entire world, from Hollywood to beyond. Initially, police sources confirmed to ABC News that Trachtenberg - who also starred in Gossip Girl as Georgina - died of natural causes following a liver transplant. It was later found that the talented actress had died from complications caused by diabetes, according to the New York City medical examiner's office. Officers did not perform a post-mortem examination, but said that toxicology tests determined Trachtenberg's cause of death. Tragically, insiders revealed to that Trachtenberg had been plotting her upcoming role as Dawn before her untimely death. 'Michelle Trachtenberg was in talks to return to Buffy the reboot and she was incredibly hopeful about it,' a source said. The insider noted that the drama's lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was especially keen to bring the actress back to play her younger sister onscreen. They revealed that friends of the actress had been aware of her health issues and had hoped that her return to work could help her. 'She was a pivotal role in the original and everyone was aware of her recent health struggles,' the source said. 'They were hoping that, perhaps, casting her as Sarah's sister in a reboot would help her overcome any issues she was having. She was not cast out by any means.' The insider noted: 'It is still in early stages, but the reboot will feel her void. Fans were hopeful that she would be cast and Michelle expressed interest and excitement at the opportunity.' After nearly five months after she passed away, Trachtenberg's boyfriend opened up about her death. Talent agent Jay Cohen, 63, shared a post to mark a milestone anniversary for his health when he was asked by a fan to 'talk' about Trachtenberg. He simply replied: 'One day soon! I'm very sorry [heartbreak emoji]' Another user apparently pointed out that it was 'not cool' to ask Cohen about his late girlfriend but he gracefully replied: 'Thank you, it's OK comes from the right place. Michelle was loved by so many.' Allegations against Joss Whedon Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired its final episode back in 2003; but it wasn't until 18 years later in 2021 that allegations of 'cruelty' emerged against Joss Whedon. The allegations came about when Charisma Carpenter (who played Cordelia in Buffy) claimed on X/Twitter that Whedon 'abused his power on a number of occasions' and that his behaviour intensified her 'performance anxiety' and worked to 'disempower me and alienate me from my peers'. She said his creating a 'toxic' and 'hostile' work environment 'triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer.' According to the actress, Whedon made 'ongoing, passive-aggressive threats' to fire her, and after she became pregnant, called her 'fat' to colleagues - later asking in a private meeting whether she was 'going to keep it'. The claim triggered an outpouring of similar allegations from other cast members, with Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's sister Dawn, telling of an onset 'rule' by which Whedon was not allowed to be alone in a room with her. Amber Benson, who played Tara Maclay, added to Carpenter's claim, saying there was a 'toxic environment'. She added: 'There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.' She told Digital Spy that during filming for the finale of season five, Whedon had pulled her aside to tell her: 'Hey! Guess what? It's so exciting! We're going to kill your character!' Backing her castmates, Gellar also issued a statement via Instagram. She wrote: '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.' Rumours also resurfaced that Whedon had had romantic affairs with cast members, which were said to have contributed to his divorce in 2012. Buffy wasn't the only set on which Whedon was accused of inappropriate behaviour. The same year, Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot made fresh claims against the director, saying he had turned on her when she questioned new lines of dialogue he had given her superhero character. A witness said that after one clash, Whedon told her to 'shut up and say the lines', and warned her that he had the power to 'make her look incredibly stupid'. At the time, Gadot told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement: 'I had my issues with [Whedon] and Warner Bros handled it in a timely manner.' After being hit with multiple allegations of 'toxic' behaviour and work environments, Whedon remained silent until January 2021, when he addressed Israeli actress Gadot's claims. In an interview with New York Magazine, the director said her accusations were a 'misunderstanding' as 'English is not her first language'. Addressing the allegations made against him by Buffy cast members, Whedon acknowledged that he had not been as 'civilised' back then. 'I was young,' he said. 'I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast, and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party.' He told the publication he would never intentionally humiliate anyone. 'If I am upsetting somebody, it will be a problem for me. I know I would get angry, but I was never physical with people.' He vehemently denied Carpenter's claim that he had called her 'fat' while she was pregnant. He insisted that he had no idea what Trachtenberg was referring to in regards the 'rule' about the two not being allowed in the same room together. In the same interview, he said he felt 'f*****g terrible' about other claims made about affairs with female cast members. The director insisted he felt he 'had' to sleep with them and felt 'powerless' to resist. As early as 2017, four years before cast members spoke out about Whedon, the director's ex-wife, Kai Cole, accused him of pretending to be a 'feminist' to disguise his deception The director has not worked professionally in the industry since 2021, and many from Buffy's extensive fanbase have claimed the allegations have sullied the glittering reputation of the hit show. Nicholas Brendon's multiple arrests Buffy's best friend Xander Harris was a bumbling, adorable, floppy-haired young man trying to find his way in the world. But since the show ended in 2003, Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander, has faced several woes in his life off screen. A year after the show ended, in 2004, he checked himself into rehab for alcohol problems. 'After realising that I had a disease that was taking control of my life, I decided that the best way for me to regain my health was to enter a treatment facility,' he said at the time. Just six years later, he returned to rehab after being tasered by police and charged with vandalism, resisting arrest and battery against a police officer. Afterwards, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation and community service. In October 2014, he was arrested and charged with two misdemeanor counts: malicious injury to property and restraining or obstructing officers, in Boise, Idaho. Police arrived at a hotel after reports of disturbance with Brendon 'showed signs of intoxication and repeatedly refused officers commands to stay seated while officers tried to speak to witnesses.' When he was placed in custody, he reportedly tried to walk away. In a similar incident in February 2015, he was placed under arrest for allegedly drunkenly trashing a hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following the break down of his marriage. Two more arrests followed that year, one for allegedly flipping a hotel bedsmashing a porcelain figure, pulling the phone out of the wall and clogging the toilet, and another for public intoxication. Despite another stint in rehab, Brendon was again arrested later that year after grabbing his girlfriend by the throat, taking her car keys and smashing her cell phone in an attempt to stop her from leaving him. He was then treated for 90-days in a treatment facility for depression, and told Dr. Phil during an interview that he'd had 'failed attempts at suicide'. And yet the spiral continued, with the actor being arrested in 2017 after allegedly attacking his girlfriend in a California hotel room. In May 2019, he was charged with domestic violence for the incident and was sentenced to three years probation. After several tumultuous years, Brendon appears to be living a more settled life in LA now, posting updates to fans on his Instagram account.
News24
22-05-2025
- Climate
- News24
Cape Town animal shelter flooded after rains, NSRI steps in - but help still needed
TEARS Animal Rescue in Sunnydale, Cape Town, suffered major flooding during recent storms, damaging infrastructure and animal enclosures. The NSRI responded swiftly to assist with emergency water removal and cleanup operations. The shelter is calling on the public for urgent help with donations, equipment, and supplies to protect animals and to rebuild. Cape Town's torrential rains this week left TEARS Animal Rescue battling the rising waters, as the non-profit's shelter in Sunnydale was hit hard by flooding over the past two days. Videos posted to social media show rainwater gushing into the facility's kennels, cattery and offices, prompting a desperate call for public support. While the shelter is one of the more well-known Cape Town animal welfare organisations, its infrastructure has not been able to withstand the weather conditions that swept across the Western Cape this week. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TEARS Animal Rescue (@tearsanimalrescue) With water invading nearly every part of the shelter, staff and volunteers have been working around the clock to care for over a hundred displaced and distressed animals. The organisation assures that the continued well-being of the animals is their primary concern. 'This isn't just a rainy day — it's a full-blown crisis,' said TEARS in a statement. 'The drainage infrastructure has completely failed. We're doing everything we can to ensure our animals are safe, but we can't do it alone.' The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Simon's Town, Kommetjie and Hout Bay arrived at the scene on Tuesday, assisting in the immediate clean up. Footage from the scene shows NSRI crews using pumps and buckets to clear water from flooded rooms while navigating soaked corridors lined with animal cages and bedding. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TEARS Animal Rescue (@tearsanimalrescue) 'No animals were in any urgent danger and no animals needed to be evacuated,' said Simon McDonnell, NSRI Simonstown station commander. 'Water was pumped to an area that had better drainage,' he said, adding that the NSRI were always happy to assist in these types of incidents. While the NSRI intervention has been crucial, the shelter remains in urgent need of resources. Apart from donations, TEARS also encourages volunteers to invest their time in any capacity they can, encouraging the involvement of volunteers. The call for assistance includes: Three water pumps to urgently manage the flooding until infrastructure issues can be addressed; Fleece blankets to keep the animals warm and dry; R300 000 is needed for the emergency drainage infrastructure failure, which connects the municipal sewer line to the shelters. This repair can prevent future disasters. To find out more about TEARS, click this link. TEARS is the only facility in the Cape Peninsula's far South that is open seven days a week, and treats hundreds of animals a month, combatting various conditions, illnesses and injuries. 'Our core aim is to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, reunite, and rehome lost, abandoned, abused, and neglected companion animals and to educate pet owners and the youth living in the four under-resourced communities within which we operate,' the shelter said. 'Our programmes aim to bring about systemic change through strategic interventions based on community involvement and support'.
CBC
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
A new chosen one: Ryan Kiera Armstrong is the next vampire slayer in Buffy reboot
Social Sharing She got her start as little Minnie May Barry on Netflix's Anne With An E, made a name for herself in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, but soon you'll know her as the next vampire slayer. Actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong has just been cast in the lead role alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in the pilot for Hulu's reboot of the wildly popular late '90s television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Gellar, the original show's Buffy, made the announcement on Instagram Thursday, in which she also revealed the news to 15-year-old Armstrong. "How do you feel about helping me save the world?" Gellar asked Armstrong in the video. "Good," Armstrong replied tearfully. Then, in a reference to the opening narration of the original series, that, "In every generation, there is a chosen one," Gellar asked, "Do you want to be my chosen one?" Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered in 1997 and ran through 2003. Its title character battled vampires, demons and other dark forces in the fictional California city of Sunnydale while navigating everyday teenage struggles. Multiple media reported in February that a reboot was in the works, and that streaming service Hulu had ordered the pilot. On Thursday, Hulu shared Gellar's reel on its own Instagram page, as well as in its stories, where it added, "Welcome to New Sunnydale, Ryan." The original broke the mould for traditional television series. As CBC Ideas reported on the show's 20th anniversary in 2017, many cultural critics believe Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a major influence on a generation of television production with its long, sweeping narrative arcs and deep character development set against a background of contemporary social anxieties and tensions. What we know about the reboot Gellar is an executive producer of the so-far-untitled Buffyverse project, Deadline reports, and will also reprise her role as Buffy Summers. Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), is directing the pilot, which is written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Armstrong will play this generation's slayer. The U.S. actor started her career on the Anne of Green Gables-based Anne with an E, where she played Diana Barry's younger sister. She's known for her roles in Firestarter, American Horror Story, The Lowdown, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. On Instagram, Gellar wrote that she was impressed with Armstrong from the beginning. "From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room," Gellar wrote. Writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman added that they were "overjoyed" with the choice of Armstrong in the role. "She absolutely blew us away — there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one," they said in the Instagram video. In her own Instagram post, Armstrong wrote Thursday that she was "beyond thankful and excited." "I'm still in so much shock and disbelief," she added.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans in meltdown over possibility beloved character will join reboot
Buffy fans were left overwhelmed with excitement at the possibility of one of their beloved characters reprising their role. On Friday, Sarah Michelle Gellar, 48, made a joint Instagram post with one of her former co-stars and called each other their '#OG' in the caption. On the same day, they also teamed up to talk about working together again — to the excitement of their longtime fans — for an off-screen project and important cause. The actress, who played the titular role of the series, got together with her former co-star Alyson Hannigan, 51, and left fans thrilled at the chance that the upcoming reboot will see them together in Sunnyvale again. The pair also made a joint appearance on the TODAY show and visited SiriusXM together to talk about raising awareness for meningitis — and they also discussed the legacy of Buffy. Hannigan portrayed Willow Rosenberg to Gellar's Buffy Anne Summers in the series, which ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. Many of their fans took to social media, hopeful that the pair working together off-screen could lead to their characters reuniting in the forthcoming Hulu revival series. This comes nearly two decades after the show ended. On the TODAY show, when one of the talk show hosts asked them what they would tell their younger selves, Gellar brought up the cultural 'impact' of the supernatural drama series. 'I think I would've said to take it in a little bit,' she said. 'I think I was so focused on the job and the movies and all that, that I don't think I really understood the impact that the show had.' She said that it took her about a decade later for her to realize that Buffy had so much 'meaning.' 'I think it was only like 10 or 12 years afterwards when I saw that the show still meant so much and all these new generations were discovering [it] and that it had that meaning,' she continued. 'And I was like, "Wow," and maybe I needed that distance to understand it, so maybe I couldn't tell my younger self,' Gellar added. 'Because, let's be honest, when you're younger, you can't really tell them anything — which actually is, like, one of the reasons Alyson and I are here today, right? It's those times where it's up to us to protect our children and sometimes we need that help. We need that community.' Many heaped praise on how 'great' they look, while some fans said the duo seemingly did not age in the last 20 years. They made silly faces and pointed at each other in one of the many cute snapshots On the same day they visited the TODAY show, they also stopped by SiriusXM Studios in New York City The pair also made a joint appearance on the TODAY show and visited SiriusXM together to talk about raising awareness for meningitis — and they also discussed the legacy of Buffy In reaction to their photobooth-inspired, black-and-white selfies, Buffy fans took to X to speculate about the revival series. Many heaped praise on how 'great' they look, while some fans said the duo seemingly did not age in the last 20 years. 'Does this mean Willow will be in the Buffy revival omg.' The post received nearly 3,000 likes and over 400 retweets as many joined in in excitement. 'Yes please,' one fan tweeted while the original user responded that it is a 'neeed.' Another fan wrote: 'What ever you think about Willow she have [sic] to be in the reboot...' 'Does this mean Willow will be in the Buffy revival omg.' The post received nearly 3,000 likes and over 400 retweets as many joined in in excitement 'Yes please,' one fan tweeted while the original user responded that it is a 'neeed' Another fan wrote: 'What ever you think about Willow she have [sic] to be in the reboot...' '100% this is a clear indicator Willow is SO back,' another fan tweeted 'It's a MUST,' one person added One X user added, 'My heart dropped when I opened Insta omg!!!' In addition to the plethora of 'omgs,' one user tweeted: 'THIS IS SO ICONIC WHATTT' 'Please dear god let it be,' one fan wrote alongside the prayer hands emoji One X user added, 'My heart dropped when I opened Insta omg!!!' '100% this is a clear indicator Willow is SO back,' another fan tweeted. 'It's a MUST,' one person added. In addition to the plethora of 'omgs,' one user tweeted: 'THIS IS SO ICONIC WHATTT.' 'Please dear god let it be,' one fan wrote alongside the prayer hands emoji.
