Amber Benson Calls Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Set A Toxic Environment

Amber Benson, actress of Tara Maclay from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, supports her former costar Charisma Carpenter for speaking up about the toxic work environment that director Joss Whedon created on set. Whedon has been at the helm of many successful franchises in Hollywood, either as a producer, writer, director, or all three. Some of the projects that Whedon is well known for include Buffy, its spinoff Angel, Firefly, and the first two Avengers movies. That said, Whedon’s future in the industry is now unknown after Justice League actor Ray Fischer accused Whedon of being “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable.“

After Fischer started to speak out last summer, Whedon said he would step away from his HBO series The Nevers, and last month he was replaced as showrunner completely. As for Fisher, Warner Bros. has denied his allegation, and he has been cut from his role as Cyborg, causing further scandal and leading to the trending #IStandWithRayFisher on Twitter. On Wednesday morning, Carpenter used the hashtag on a tweet that includes her detailed recollection of Whedon’s unprofessional behavior, this time on the set of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Benson, who played a recurring character on Buffy for a third of the show’s run, agrees with Carpenter’s testimony. She says that this caused a lot of damage that many are still working through today. Although Benson’s tweet doesn’t name Whedon specifically, she says that the toxicity on set “starts at the top.” You can see Benson’s tweet below:

These recollections from the two women has understandably made fans upset that this type of sexist behavior could happen on the set of a show with deliberately feminist and progressive themes. Not only did Buffy have no male slayers, but it also offered a powerful portrayal of women, which was unfortunately sparse in the late 90s/early 2000s when the show aired. The show is also notable for its queer representation. Benson herself played Tara, the girlfriend of Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), in a time period when there was still minimal LGBTQ representation in Hollywood.

Due to his high-ranking position on the show, Whedon has similarly been heralded as a trailblazer, and Whedon has self-proclaimed himself as a feminist. That said, in 2017, Whedon’s ex-wife Kai Cole called him a “hypocrite preaching feminist ideals.” While that did not debilitate his career at the time, the continually staggering number of accusations will likely change his reputation this time around.

Seeing as Whedon has worked on a number of famous movies and films besides Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there are plenty of people who have worked with him who may come forward in the near future. Many famous actors and actresses have interfaced with Whedon, who could either be victims of his abuse or witnesses to his misconduct. And even if they don’t come out with further testimony, people can always use #IStandWithRayFisher or #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter to show their support for those speaking out and ensure that Whedon is held accountable for his actions. As Benson said, this kind of abuse has lasting effects, even some 20 years later. Hopefully by speaking out, Benson and others can begin to heal, and directors will be more cognizant of the environment they create on their sets.

Source: Amber Benson

About The Author

Athena Le
(87 Articles Published)

Athena is a Movie and TV Writer for Screen Rant who has a particular lean towards the comedies. That said, her interest in the industry started with her obsession over Doctor Who and she still has a love for sci-fi and adventure. When she is not referencing obscure quotes from Parks And Rec or thinking up Bob’s Burgers-quality puns, she is likely experimenting with food, listening to podcasts, or exploring nature.

More From Athena Le