Joss Whedon has been accused of more inappropriate behavior on the set of the hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Whedon, the creator of such cult-favorite and influential television series as Buffy, Angel, and Firefly, was once seen by many as one of the leading writers in genre storytelling. When The Avengers, a film he directed, became the highest-grossing movie of 2012, it appeared Whedon had finally hit the mainstream. He went on to direct the follow-up, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and was brought on to handle reshoots on Justice League after Zack Snyder stepped down.
However, in the years since, Whedon has seen a massive fall from grace as multiple allegations of unprofessional behavior have been leveled at the filmmaker. Cyborg actor Ray Fisher gave full details about Whedon’s transgressions while working on Justice League, which were further backed up when Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot said Whedon threatened her career. Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars Charisma Carpenter, Michelle Tractenberg, and Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke up in defense of Fisher and gave details of their own unpleasant experiences with Whedon.
recently did an exposé on Whedon and spoke to members of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer crew, who give further details about Whedon’s behavior. A high-level member of the Buffy production team recalled Whedon, who was rumored to be having affairs with two young actresses on the show, coming into her office while she was working and heard them making out on the floor behind her. The production team member said, “these actions proved he had no respect for me and my work.” Another account came from costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom, who recalled an incident that happened during the filming of season 5 episode “Intervention,” where Spike creates a sex robot version of Buffy. Whedon and Gellar disagreed on what the character should wear, with Gellar favoring a more conservative outfit while Whedon wanted something sexier. On the day Gellar tried the different options, Whedon grew frustrated. Bergstrom recalls the incident: “I was like, ‘Joss, let’s just get her dressed,’ He grabbed my arm and dug in his fingers until his fingernails imprinted the skin and I said, ‘You’re hurting me.’ ”
The piece also elaborates further on the details of Michell Tractenberg’s claim that Whedon was not allowed to be alone with the then-child actress. Whedon said he was unaware of any rule, but one person who worked on Buffy said the rule, while it did exist, was informal and Whedon’s claim about being ignorant of it could be true. The rule was put in place by an adult member of Tractenberg’s close circle after Tractenberg, who was 16 at the time, became visibly shaken after a closed-door meeting with Whedon while filming season 7 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The actions, along with the many previous allegations against Whedon, will likely forever put a dark mark over the legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While the series was made by many creative writers, directors, and actors, Whedon is so closely tied with the series success and legacy it might be difficult for former fans to fully enjoy the series the same way ever again, with the knowledge of the toxic workplace behind the scenes. The series future legacy remains to be seen, but it is certainly clear now that Whedon’s career is done for a while, if not forever.
Next: Buffy Controversy Explained: All The Allegations Against Joss Whedon
Source: Vulture
This content was originally published here.