Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon is the latest cast member of the popular nineties show to respond to growing allegations of misbehavior perpetrated by Joss Whedon. A member of the core cast, Brendon played Xander Harris, best friend to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and short-term boyfriend to Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). His character remained on Buffy for all seven seasons and frequently shared scenes with Carpenter during the first three installments.
Many alums of Buffy have recently stepped forward to lend support to Carpenter, who detailed the persistent abuse she experienced while working for Whedon. As she explained, Whedon’s misconduct increased significantly when she joined the spinoff Angel and informed him of her pregnancy, which resulted in verbal criticism and an unceremonious write-off for her character. Since sharing these accusations on Instagram, Carpenter has received online championing from Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Trachtenberg, Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Marti Nixon, Jose Molina, and David Boreanaz.
As reported by CBR (and originally shared via Facebook Live), Brendon assessed the allegations by revealing his own experiences with Whedon:
“I mean, unless you know Joss, it’s just kinda, like… I just hope that growth comes, and healing, and him being a better person and better people… ‘Cause I think that’s what every day is about. You know what I mean? Not beating somebody up…I mean, were there transgressions? Yeah, there were. To me as well, you know what I mean? It’s like, I had my relationship with Joss as well. And I love him. You know, you take… I mean for me, I took the good, I took the bad…but that’s not everybody.”
While acknowledging his own conflicting feelings about Whedon, Brendon also offered his love and support to Carpenter. He is not the only cast member to seemingly struggle with the accusations, as Anthony Stewart Head, who also played a staple character on Buffy, imparted a similar type of perspective. In an interview, he noted that both cast and directors exhibited negative behavior after long, exhausting days on set, but that the show ultimately had a “family feel.”
As more and more cast and crew disclose their perspectives on the overall dynamics of Whedon’s onset behavior, it is easy to get lost in the smaller details and experiences surrounding production. However, reports of Whedon’s allegedly offensive behavior have cropped up for years and have seemingly reached a boiling point with Carpenter’s newest statement. At the end of the day, there has, indeed, been a historical pattern of professional transgressions as charged by show alums and crew, including those from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While Brendon is not the first (nor will he likely be the last) actor to cite some of the positives he had working with Whedon, these encounters ultimately matter little when confronting the more difficult reality: like many people in power in the entertainment industry, Whedon seemingly targeted his abuse toward specific performers and it is those actors who ostensibly deserve support, without any hemming or hawing.
Source: CBR / Nicholas Brendon
Originally from https://screenrant.com/buffy-vampire-slayer-nicholas-brendon-joss-whedon-accusations/