Charisma Carpenter has another high-profile co-star in her corner.
“Bring It On” star Eliza Dushku is the latest “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alumnus to express her support for Carpenter, 50, who claimed on Wednesday that “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon, 56, “abused his power” and promoted an “increasingly volatile work environment”.
“CC, my heart hurts for you and I’m sorry that you have been holding this for so long,” wrote Dushku, who is well aware of workplace harassment battles on Instagram. “Your post was powerful, painful and painted a picture that we’ll never stop seeing or knowing collectively.”
Dushku played the dishonest vampire hunter, Faith, alongside Carpenter, Cordelia Chase, in “Buffy” and “Angel”. She joins a growing list of “Buffy” vets – including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Trachtenberg, Amber Benson and Emma Caulfield – to express support on social media, saying to Carpenter: “I admire, respect and love you”.
The 40-year-old “Tru Calling” and “Dollhouse” actress has been through toxic workplaces. In 2018, Dushku claimed that “True Lies” stunt coordinator Joel Kramer sexually abused her when she was 12.
Then came the bombshell report that same year, revealing that Dushku was secretly paid $ 9.5 million by CBS in 2018 for allegations that she was retaliated and overturned “Bull” after complaining about alleged sexual harassment by leader Michael Weatherly on the set.
“I often think of the saying, ‘we are as sick as our secrets’,” Dushku continued in his post. “Our secrets really make us and make us sick. What I am learning more and more – and personally I found more valuable – is that deep healing can only come from naming and revealing what really happened, the first necessary step (when someone is ready) to free us from our secrets, countless truths That kept us isolated, ashamed and hostage. “
Carpenter cited Ray Fisher’s unceremonious shooting as Cyborg from the upcoming film “The Flash” as the catalyst for her to go out against Whedon. The “Justice League” actor accused his director of being “rude, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable” to him and others on the set of the Warner Bros. superhero movie. The 33-year-old actor retweeted Carpenter’s emotional message and called her “one of the most courageous people I know”.
Carpenter and Fisher’s allegations add up to Trachtenberg’s claims of Whedon’s “improper behavior” towards the then teenager on the set of “Buffy” and that “there was a rule saying he can’t be alone in a room” with her again .
Whedon representatives – who split from HBO’s “The Nevers” in November – did not respond to the Post’s requests for comment.
