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Actor Charisma Carpenter alleges director Joss Whedon “abused his power” in a series of “disturbing incidents” during her time on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and its spinoff series, “Angel.”
In a detailed statement posted on their social media accounts Wednesday afternoon, Carpenter called Whedon’s behavior “casually cruel,” especially when she told him she was pregnant.
“For almost two decades, I held my tongue and even found excuses for certain events that still traumatize me today,” the actor wrote. In another part of the statement, Carpenter alleged that Whedon made “passive-aggressive threats” to fire her and “created hostile and toxic work environments since the start of her career.”
Whedon did not respond to a request for comment when TODAY contacted Wednesday afternoon.
Carpenter, 50, was in her early 30s when she worked on the shows, both of which premiered in the late 90s. A 2002 pregnancy led to more negative behavior from Whedon, did -she writes, like him “refusing” to take calls from his agents to share the news and calling her “fat” when she weighed only 126 pounds at the time.
“Once Joss was informed of the (pregnancy), he requested a meeting with me,” Carpenter wrote. “In that closed-door meeting, he asked if I was going to ‘keep him’ and manipulated my femininity and my faith in a manipulative way against me. He attacked my character, mocking my religious beliefs, accusing me of sabotaging the show, then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth. “
Carpenter has spoken in the past about how her pregnancy affected her time on “Angel,” telling a 2009 convention that she thought Whedon was “mad at (her)” and suggesting to Complex in 2018 that the production did not take her pregnancy into account when programming the show. In her statement, Carpenter said that when she was six months pregnant, she was “asked to report for work at 1am” despite her doctor “recommending that she shorten (her) working hours.”
“Due to long, physically demanding days and the emotional stress of having to advocate for my needs as a working pregnant woman, I began to experience Braxton Hicks contractions,” Carpenter wrote. “It was clear to me that the 1:00 am call was a retaliatory measure … At the time, I felt helpless and alone. With no other option, I swallowed the abuse and continued on. . “
Carpenter’s allegations come as several other actors who worked with Whedon accused the director of abuse and inappropriate behavior. In July 2020, “Justice League” actor Ray Fisher, to whom Carpenter referred in his article, accused Whedon of “rude, abusive, unprofessional and totally unacceptable” behavior towards the cast and crew of the film. Warner Bros. Whedon was involved in the covers for the film after the departure of original director Zach Snyder.
Fisher said he believed Whedon was made possible by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, producers involved in the development of “Justice League.” In July, Berg told Variety in a statement that it was “categorically wrong that (he and Johns) allowed any unprofessional behavior.”
Fisher’s claims led to a WarnerMedia investigation. In September, Warner Bros. issued a statement saying Fisher had “refused to speak to the investigator” and “failed to provide” “a specific and credible allegation of misconduct.” The next day, Fisher said on twitter that he had spoken to the investigator several days before the release of the statement and accused the studio of “making” the situation worse. Fisher was publicly supported by fellow actor Jason Momoa, who wrote on Instagram that “serious matters have fallen” and must “be investigated.”
In December, WarnerMedia said the investigation was “complete” and said “corrective action has been taken”. No details were provided by the organization. On Twitter, Fisher wrote that “There are still conversations to be had and resolutions to be found.”
Carpenter said in her statement that she felt “an overwhelming sense of responsibility towards Ray (Fisher) and others for being deprived of my experience with Joss and the suffering it caused me” and said that ‘she had participated in the WarnerMedia survey.
Since Carpenter released her statement, she and Fisher have witnessed a surge of support from fans. Amber Benson, who played Tara in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, written on twitter that she stood with the two actors and said that the set of the hit show was a “toxic environment” starting “from the top”.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Buffy, wrote on Instagram that while she was proud to be associated with the historical figure, she “doesn’t want to be associated with the name Joss Whedon forever.”
“I stand with all of the survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out,” wrote Gellar, who said she would not release any further statements.
In November, Whedon announced he was leaving the upcoming HBO series “The Nevers,” according to Variety. Whedon has been described as the “creative force behind the show” and has played several roles in its development and production; he said at the time that he quit the show because “the level of commitment required to move forward, combined with the physical challenges of putting on such a huge show during a global pandemic, is more than i cannot stand without labor beginning to suffer. “
The show is scheduled to air on HBO in April.
In the closing words of her statement, Carpenter said she feared the impact her allegations could have on her career.
“It bothers and saddens me that in 2021, professionals must ALWAYS choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security,” she writes. “It took me so long to find the courage to make this statement publicly. The seriousness of this statement is not lost on me. As a single mother whose family livelihood depends on my profession, I I’m scared. Despite my fear of its impact on my future, I can’t remain silent anymore. It’s late and necessary. It’s time. “
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