Actress Charisma Carpenter, best known for her role as Cordelia Chase in the hit series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and spin-off “Angel”, released an extensive statement on Wednesday detailing the alleged abuse she suffered from the creator and director of series, Joss Whedon.
In the post shared with Carpenter Twitter and Instagram accounts, she recounted the “hostile and toxic” work environment created by Whedon’s behavior.
“Joss Whedon has abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel sets,” wrote Carpenter. “Although he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, weaken me and withdraw from my colleagues. The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition that I still suffer from. It is with a beating and heavy heart. that I dealt with in isolation and, at times, destructively. “
Carpenter then goes on to detail the alleged harassment she faced from Whedon: calling her “fat” before she knew she was pregnant while working on “Angel’s” Buffy “spinoff – and asking if she” would keep him “on reference to your unborn child. She also claimed an exhausting work schedule that led to complications with her pregnancy. Despite receiving medical orders to reduce her hours, Carpenter felt that she was kept on this schedule as retaliation.
The actress also described a meeting during which Whedon confronted her about being pregnant.
“He started attacking my character, mocking my religious beliefs, accusing me of sabotaging the show and then fired me unceremoniously the following season, as soon as I gave birth,” she said.
Carpenter shared the difficulty she faced as a single mother and breadwinner for her family, while dealing with a director she described as “mean and scathing”.
“Unfortunately, all of this was happening during one of the most wonderful moments[s] in the new maternity hospital, “wrote Carpenter.” All that promise and joy was lost. And Joss was the vampire. “
This is not the first time that Whedon has faced allegations of abuse in the workplace.
Ray Fisher, an actor known for playing Cyborg in “Justice League” posted a viral of the time tweet in the summer of 2020, saying: “The treatment on Joss Wheadon’s set of the cast and crew of the Justice League was rude, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable.”
“He was empowered in many ways by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg,” continued Fisher. “Responsibility> Entertainment”
Fisher’s claims are part of the reason why Carpenter finally spoke up.
“I believe Ray is a person of integrity who is telling the truth. His dismissal as Cyborg in The Flash was the last straw for me,” she said. “Although I am not shocked, I am deeply hurt by this. It bothers and saddens me that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between reporting in the workplace and job security.”
Read Carpenter’s full statement below:
Later on Wednesday, “Buffy’s” costars also spoke in support of Carpenter’s allegations. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the title character, responded with an Instagram post, saying, “I am with all the survivors of abuse and I am proud of them for speaking out.” Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy’s younger sister, Dawn, posted Gellar’s statement on her own Instagram, adding that Whedon’s behavior “was not appropriate” for when she was a teenager.
On a tweetAmber Benson, who played Tara, claimed that the show “was a toxic environment and starts at the top … A lot of damage was done during that time and many of us are still suing it more than twenty years later.” Clare Kramer, who played the villain Glory, also opined Twitter in support of all people “who have the strength to expose their truth. Much of this industry needs to be restarted”
Variety reports that a Whedon representative declined to comment on Carpenter’s allegations.