Actress Eliza Dushku is the latest “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum who came out in support of her former co-star Charisma Carpenter, who accused creator Joss Whedon of the program of “hostile and toxic” behavior on the set of “Buffy ‘. and his spinoff series “Angel.”
‘CC, my heart hurts for you and I’m so sorry you kept it that long. Your message was powerful, painful and painted a picture we will never see or deny together. Thank you. “I did not know it and will not forget it,” Dushku said in a message to Instagram.
‘I often think of the saying’ We are as sick as our secrets. “Our secrets do make and keep us sick,” she continued. “What I am learning more and more – and what I have personally found most valuable – is that deep healing can only come from naming and announcing what really happened, the essential first step (once someone is ready) to free ourselves from our secret, untold truths that kept us isolated, ashamed and held hostage. ”
The failure to ‘name’ the power / gender / sexual / racial abuse epidemic in the entertainment industry (and as far as society in general) is, enables the abusers to only encourage and ultimately reinforce abusive systems. May you and many others feel the solidarity and commitment that you have probably missed for too long. Of courage, come change and hope. It begins and will end because of courageous truth-tellers like you. I admire, respect and love you, ”Dushku concluded.
Also read: Charisma Carpenter accuses Joss Whedon of ‘hostile and toxic’ behavior towards ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’.
Dushku, who later starred in Whedon’s 2009-2010 Fox Doll series ‘Dollhouse’, joins Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played as Buffy, who said in a statement on Wednesday that she “with all survivors of abuse” ‘stand and are proud that they are speaking out. ”
“While I’m proud of my name associated with Buffy Summers, I do not want to be associated with the name Joss Whedon forever,” Gellar wrote on Instagram. ‘I’m more focused on educating my family and currently surviving a pandemic, and I will not make any further statements at this time. But I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud that they have spoken out. ‘
In addition, “Buffy” actors Amber Benson and Clare Kramer also spoke in support of Carpenter, and co-star Michelle Trachtenberg said in a statement that Whedon’s behavior during her years in the program ‘Very. Not. Appropriate. ”And that“ There was a rule. Saying. He is not allowed to go into a room alone with Michelle again. “She did not elaborate on why the rule was introduced.
Carpenter, for her part, said in her statement on Wednesday that Whedon had “mean and bitten, openly disparaged others and often played favorites and pitted people against each other to compete and to fight for his attention and approval.” Carpenter also accused Whedon of ‘passive-aggressive threats’ because he rejected her ‘faith’ and said he retaliated against her when she became pregnant when she played ‘Angel’.
Also read: ‘Buffy’ star Sarah Michelle Gellar says she stands ‘with all survivors of abuse’ after Charisma Carpenter’s accusations against Joss Whedon
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” hosted seven seasons from 1997-2003, first on the World Cup which has now expired and then on the UPN which has now disappeared. “Angel”, “Buffy”, starring David Boreanaz, was on The WB from 1999-2004 for five seasons.