Michelle Trachtenberg Addresses Abuse Allegations Against Buffy 's Joss Whedon: 'We Know What He Did'
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Getty Images (2) Michelle Trachtenberg and Joss Whedon
Michelle Trachtenberg is standing with her Buffy the Vampire Slayer costars in the wake of abuse allegations against the series' creator, Joss Whedon, and calling his alleged behavior "not appropriate."
On Wednesday, Sarah Michelle Gellar released a statement saying she stands "with all survivors of abuse" after former castmate Charisma Carpenter publicly alleged that Whedon, 56, had created a "hostile and toxic" work environment on the set of Buffy and its spinoff, Angel.
When contacted by PEOPLE, reps for Whedon did not have a comment at this time.
"While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don't want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon," Gellar, 43, wrote on her Instagram. "I am more focused on raising my family and surviving a pandemic currently, so I will not be making any further statements at this time. But I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out."
Trachtenberg, 35, went on to re-share Gellar's statement on her own account, adding an emoji of praying hands.
"Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman....To repost this," she wrote in the caption. "Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior....very. Not. Appropriate."
The actress — who played Gellar's on-screen sister, Dawn Summers, on Buffy from 2000 to 2003 — also reposted the statement on her Instagram Stories.
"We know what he did," she captioned the post. "Behind. The. Scenes."
In the comments of her own Instagram post, Trachtenberg wrote, "You. Are my rock!! What he did was very bad. But we win. By surviving!"
Replying to a fan who left a comment, Trachtenberg said, "I was subjected. To a lot."
And after Lydia Hearst wrote, "I love you so much @michelletrachtenberg. Always and forever," Trachtenberg responded, "he will know that now everyone knows. What he did."
michelle trachtenberg/instagram Michelle Trachtenberg's Instagram
In a lengthy statement shared on social media on Wednesday, Carpenter — who starred as Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1997 to 1999 and its spinoff series Angel until 2004 — accused Whedon of making repeated threats to fire her and efforts to "alienate" her from her peers, as well as placing added work stress on her while she was pregnant.
"For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and made excuses for certain events that traumatize me to this day," Carpenter, 50, began in her statement. "Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. While he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, disempower me and alienate me from my peers.
"The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer," Carpenter added. "It is with a beating, heavy heard that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively."
During one alleged instance, Carpenter claimed Whedon asked her if she planned to "keep" her baby after learning she was pregnant. She also claimed he "callously" called her "fat" to colleagues during her pregnancy.
"He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth," she alleged.
— charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021
Carpenter said she felt empowered to speak out after actor Ray Fisher came forward with allegations against Whedon last year, claiming the director "was gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable" while they worked together on Justice League in 2017.
Fisher's claims prompted an internal investigation, which concluded in December 2020. WarnerMedia said at the time that "remedial action has been taken."
"I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to Ray and others for remaining private about my experience with Joss and the suffering it has caused me," Carpenter wrote, adding that she participated in the investigation into the filmmaker. "It is abundantly evident that Joss has persisted in his harmful actions, continuing to create wreckage in his wake."
The actress said that she hopes to "create a space for healing" by coming forward with her own story. Fisher, 33, responded on Twitter, calling Carpenter "one of the bravest people I know."
"I am forever grateful for her courage and for her lending her voice to the Justice League investigation. Read her truth. Share her truth. Protect her at all costs."
