‘Buffy’ creator Joss Whedon misconduct allegations addressed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Trachtenberg
The director/producer has been accused of workplace misconduct again
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Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg have reacted to the new misconduct allegations made against "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator Joss Whedon.
The actresses released statements on social media putting distance between themselves and the embattled director/producer/writer.
"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, 43, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday. "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 I’m proud of them for speaking out."
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Trachtenberg wrote on Instagram, "Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. 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."
Earlier on Wednesday, "Buffy" and "Angel" actress Charisma Carpenter spoke out against Whedon, 56, and alleged he behaved unprofessionally on-set.
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Carpenter, 50, took to Twitter to share a lengthy note detailing her negative experience with Whedon on "Buffy" and "Angel" with the hashtag "#IStandWithRayFisher" referencing the "Justice League" star who claimed back in June that Whedon's on-set treatment of the cast and crew members was "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable."
"For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and even made excuses for certain events that traumatized me to this day," the actress began her two-page note. "Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on 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."
'JUSTICE LEAGUE' STAR RAY FISHER CLAIMS DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON WAS 'ABUSIVE, UNPROFESSIONAL' ON SET
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The star explained she felt empowered to come out with her story following Fisher’s drama with the film and TV maker, noting that she recognized his pattern of "casually cruel" behavior and fostering of "toxic work environments."
She accused the director of berating her over a rosary tattoo she got to "feel more spiritually grounded" as well as offhandedly threatening to fire her several times and calling her "fat" when she was four months pregnant and weighed 126 lbs.
Representatives for Whedon had no comment when reached by Fox News.
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The star concluded her note by standing in solidarity with Fisher, whose whistleblowing efforts on "Justice League" led to WarnerMedia conducting a third-party investigation about Fisher’s claims. Carpenter noted that she participated in that investigation.
"Recently, I participated In Warner Media’s Justice League investigation because I believe Ray to be a person of integrity who is telling the truth. His firing as Cyborg in The Flash was the last straw for me. Although I am not shocked, I am deeply pained by it. It troubles and saddens me that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security," she said.
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In December, WarnerMedia announced that it had concluded its investigation and noted that "remedial action" was taken. However, it would not elaborate on what that action was.
Fox News' Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.