Buffy The Vampire Slayer Star Alleges Abuse By Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon has another accuser step forward.
This article is more than 2 years old
Joss Whedon is coming under fire once again for allegations of abusive behavior while working in the world of film and television. Recently, he has been at the center of controversy after Justice League star Ray Fisher has repeatedly claimed that the director was abusive during reshoots on the film. It has even cost him the title of showrunner on the new HBO series, The Nevers. Now, one of the stars of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel has stepped forward to also claim that she endured horrific treatment from the writer/director.
Charisma Carpenter, who played the character of Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, has come forward to reveal that she suffered a number of abusive behaviors from Joss Whedon over the course of their working relationship. She also reveals that she helped participate in the Warner Bros. investigation that was begun after Ray Fisher went public with his allegations against the director.
You can read Charisma Carpenter’s entire statement below, which she posted to her Twitter account:
Carpenter definitely paints a horrific picture of Joss Whedon as a cruel boss and co-worker. Her experience does line up with many of the comments Ray Fisher has made about Whedon’s alleged on-set behavior during the Justice League reshoots. And the claims don’t end there. Whedon’s ex-wife, Kai Cole, wrote an essay for The Wrap where she detailed his infidelities during their relationship and how Whedon strategically used the label of “feminist” in order to detract and distract from his bad behavior. There was also the matter of his leaked Wonder Woman that was widely criticized for being full of male gaze issues and being decidedly not feminist. In short, there have been a lot of issues surrounding Joss Whedon over the years, and it looks like they are all finally bubbling up to the surface.
This could be the beginning of the end of Joss Whedon’s professional career in the entertainment industry. After being released from his position on HBO’s The Nevers, the writer/director does not have any other upcoming projects listed on his IMDb page. With the issues about the Justice League reshoots still fresh in the pop culture’s consciousness, these additional allegations from Charisma Carpenter could be the nail in the coffin. OR the stake in the heart, to be more thematically appropriate.
We feel nothing but sympathy for Charisma Carpenter and the experiences she underwent during her time working with Joss Whedon. It is especially painful to know that this was her perspective during pregnancy, an already stressful and difficult time in a person’s life. Our hope is that her willingness to share her truth with the world will help mend some of these wounds that she has been carrying for so many years.
We will have to wait and see if Joss Whedon responds to these specific allegations as he has done in the past. Whatever happens, it certainly seems like his work and his public persona are going to undergo another serious round of reevaluation.
