Charisma Carpenter: Joss Whedon ‘Abused His Power’ Over Buffy, ‘Angel’

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Charisma Carpenter alleges that Joss Whedon “abused his power on numerous occasions” while playing on Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” series. In a lengthy statement the 50-year-old actor posted on Twitter on Wednesday, Carpenter alleges that Whedon’s “flippant” behavior included the threat to fire her, calling her “fat” while she was four months pregnant, asking her if she was going to “keep” her baby and send her away after she gives birth.

A representative for Whedon declined to comment.

Most of Carpenter’s statement centers on Whedon’s reaction to learning that she was pregnant while filming the WB series “Angel”, which premiered in 1999 as a spin-off of “Buffy” . She alleges that after “refusing” calls from her agents to communicate that she was pregnant, when she learned of her status, Whedon had a “closed meeting” with her.

“[H]We asked if I was going to “keep it” and I manipulated my femininity and my faith in a manipulative way against me. He attacked my character, made fun of my religious beliefs, accused me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me after the season once I gave birth.

Carpenter says she then got a call for work at 1am after her doctor recommended that she shorten her hours after she began to experience Braxton Hicks contractions due to “long, physically demanding days.” She says she thinks the morning call “was a retaliatory measure”. (Carpenter’s pregnancy was built into the plot of the series.)

As a result of her experience leaving “Angel”, Carpenter says she felt “helpless and lonely,” especially as “the primary breadwinner” for her family. “Sadly, this was all happening during one of the most wonderful times[s] in the new motherhood, ”she wrote. “All that promise and that joy has sucked. And Joss was the vampire.

In her statement, Carpenter says she chose to come forward in light of Ray Fisher’s allegations that Whedon abused her power on the set of “Justice League,” which has been the subject of a lengthy investigation. by WarnerMedia last year. Carpenter says she was involved in this investigation and decided to say after Fisher went public that he was no longer going to appear as his “Justice League” Cyborg character in the upcoming “The Flash” movie.

“Although I am not shocked, I am deeply sorry,” Carpenter writes. “It worries and saddens me that in 2021, professionals must ALWAYS choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security.”

Shortly after Carpenter released his statement, “Buffy” actor Amber Benson expressed his support. on Twitter, alleging the show was a “toxic environment and it starts at the top.”

“There was a lot of damage during that time and a lot of us are still dealing with it over twenty years later,” Benson wrote.

Fisher too Express support for Carpenter, calling him “one of the bravest people I know”.

Carpenter’s full statement is below.

More soon.



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