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Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase in the series Joss Whedon Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel from 1997 to 2004, he presented allegations of Whedon’s emotionally abusive and unprofessional behavior as director and producer. On a two-part statement posted on Twitter on February 10 with the caption “My truth,” Carpenter claims that Whedon’s cruel and inappropriate behavior on the set, especially when she was pregnant, triggered an ongoing chronic physical condition and anxiety. She writes about his “continuous passive-aggressive threats” and that he was “mean and scathing, openly despising others, and was often a favorite, pitting people against each other to compete and vie for their attention and approval”. This statement also has the hashtag #IStandWithRayFisher.
Carpenter also describes a particular incident of emotionally abusive behavior during pregnancy while filming Angel: “He asked me if I would ‘keep him’ and manipulated my femininity and faith against me. He started attacking my character, mocking my religious beliefs, accusing me of sabotaging the show and then fired me unceremoniously the following season, once I gave birth. ”Carpenter says that Whedon then gave her a break time at 1 am after her doctor“ recommended shortening my working hours ”and that, due to stress and long hours, she experienced contractions from Braxton Hicks. Carpenter admits that she suppressed her own pain for years, but that the Time’s Up movement motivated her to perform because “[o]our society and industry defame victims and glorify abusers for their achievements. The responsibility falls on the abused with the expectation of accepting and adapting to be employable. No responsibility for the offender who navigates unscathed. Unrepentant. Relentless. “
Carpenter published this statement in solidarity with actor Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in Justice League. Fisher accused Whedon of abusive behavior and racism on the set of the film’s remakes, prompting WarnerMedia to launch an internal investigation into Fisher’s claims. In his statement, Carpenter says he attended the Warner event Justice League investigation “because I believe Ray to be an honest person who is telling the truth”, and “I am concerned and saddened that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between reporting in the workplace and job security.” In January 2021, Warner Bros. cut Fisher from the cast of the next DC movie The Flash, when he should reprise his role as Cyborg. Carpenter calls this shot “the last straw.”
Updated February 10, 1:10 pm: Amber Benson, who played Tara in Buffy, shared his support for Charisma Carpenter on Twitter, writing: “Buffy was a toxic environment and starts at the top. @AllCharisma you are telling the truth and I support you 100%. Much damage was done during that time and many of us are still suing it more than twenty years later. “