Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast: Untold Love Stories and Secrets

Buffy the Vampire Slayer stans have suffered a stake to the heart.

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her role as Dawn Summers, Buffy’s mystical sister who debuted in season five, passed away on February 26 at the age of 39. At just 14 years old, she joined the series in 2000. Her unexpected passing has left a profound void within the universe of Buffy.

This enduringly popular cult favorite frequently garnered praise from critics, captivating and engrossing fans, yet consistently overlooked during awards season: It received only one Emmy nomination for visual effects and a single Golden Globe nomination for Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Anyone who viewed and repeatedly watched creator Joss Whedon’s groundbreaking interpretation of a tale originally presented as the 1992 film starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry, soon realized they were part of something unique and extraordinary.

Despite some damage to Whedon’s reputation, the magical concoctions he brewed during the production of the WB (later UPN) series are what solidified his status as a visionary, especially one who understood the ebb and flow of teenage emotions exceptionally well.

And at the heart of it all were the actors.

Occasionally, when reflecting upon Buffy, Angel, Spike, or Riley (or even Carrie and Aidan), it can be hard to recall that each character has moved on after the Buffy series, as for seven memorable seasons they were essentially these individuals (and various creatures).

2008 saw Gellar confess, during a Paley Fest panel, that Whedon and executive producer Marti Noxon often had to calm her down when she became upset. This was particularly prevalent during the sixth season, as Buffy, portrayed by Gellar, frequently struggled with self-hatred and secretly engaged in sexual encounters with James Marsters’ character, Spike (the vampire), following her return from heaven to Sunnydale after being pulled out.

And that’s one of the more straight-forward plot points.

Various books and academic papers have been published, college classes have been designed around the topic, it’s been adapted into a comic book series, and throughout all this, the show has been thoroughly analyzed in great detail, focusing on even the tiniest of details.

2017 marked a significant event when over a dozen primary cast members (excluding Anthony Stewart Head due to a play rehearsal) came together for an extensive feature in Entertainment Weekly, celebrating their 20-year anniversary. The gathering took place in a fitting cemetery setting.

In the meantime, the Head remained deeply involved in the experience. As late as 2017, the antagonist from Ted Lasso took to Twitter to express his thoughts about revisiting “The Body” episode, which features Buffy’s mother’s death. Notably, Emma Caulfield Ford and Nicholas Brendon also shared their opinions on this emotional episode.

However, these actors, who frequently portrayed characters in dire situations where the world seemed to be ending, would return to their everyday lives as ordinary humans – neither slayers nor witches, vampires nor werewolves, demons nor anything supernatural – once filming concluded.

Surely some real-life shenanigans ensued.

Initially, Alyson Hannigan, who played Buffy’s close friend Willow Rosenberg (the witch), encountered the man who would become her children’s father on set when Alexis Denisof joined as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, a character known for his scholarly and watchful nature, in season three.

Initially, I had been chasing after him because I wanted to date him, but he expressed his preference for not dating someone he worked with. However, we eventually grew a strong friendship instead. Hannigan shared this story with The Sun in 2012. After my previous relationship ended, something shifted between us, and Alex and I began to truly care for each other. It wasn’t until two years later, in 1999, that our romantic feelings developed. My mother’s advice resonated with me, so I carefully considered the situation before deciding not to marry until I was close to turning 30.

Concerning that other relationship, it doesn’t seem to be the one with Nicholas Brendon, Willow’s long-term best friend and initial crush Xander. Hannigan shared on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ years later, “I believe there was possibly a kiss between us, off-camera.” He might have accidentally touched her chest or something in that instance.

On October 11, 2003, they got married in a weekend getaway in Palm Springs. Their inaugural dance as husband and wife was a mix of “Over the Rainbow” and “No Tengo Dinero” by Los Umbrellos, which was the same song their characters danced to on the Buffy set. The show was renowned for its clever use of indie music.

They share two daughters, one named Satyana and the other Keeva. Denisof, who appeared alongside in “Angel” after “Buffy”, later made a guest appearance on his wife’s popular sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”. He also ventured into the Marvel Universe, portraying The Other in both “The Avengers” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

On Buffy, it was revealed that Willow’s main love wasn’t Seth Green’s character Oz, but Amber Benson’s Tara. In 2004, Joss Whedon humorously mentioned to Zap2It that he didn’t care about Wesley’s lack of romance on Angel. Interestingly, he would later be part of one of TV’s most romantic couples, Lily with Jason Segel’s Marshall, on How I Met Your Mother.

She confessed, “I find it uncomfortable to watch him kissing someone else, even though it was odd when we were betrothed and dating. Fortunately, his only experience so far has been witnessing me kissing women. It seems strange to see the one you love expressing affection towards another person, but I suppose it might be less unsettling for him to observe me with a woman rather than a man. We’ll have to wait and see how he reacts. He’s an actor, so he’s accustomed to such situations.

Hannigan stated, “I promised myself I wouldn’t date another actor again, but this experience has been extraordinary because we both deeply comprehend and live the same profession.

It’s worth noting that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s wedding to both Martin Donovan (Denisof) in an unspecified year and Freddie Prinze Jr. in 2002, which took place in Mexico, did not include any of her “Buffy” cast members or co-stars among the guests. It seems that David Boreanaz might have started this trend by not inviting his fellow actors to his wedding with Jaime Bergman in 2001, held in Palm Springs.

Back in 2004, Hannigan openly considered Tom Lenk, known for his role as the character Andrew Wells with dual loyalties and a hint of villainy, as one of her dearest friends.

Or was it that they all shared a friendship…or perhaps the individuals who connected and established long-lasting bonds through The Bronze – an online forum inspired by Sunnydale’s popular music venue/all-ages hangout spot where real-life romantic connections, friendships, and marriages blossomed – had stronger relationships?

Back in 2013, during an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” Hannigan shared a juicy tidbit about our beloved Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar. She hinted that, as the series neared its end, Gellar was likely the most exasperated cast member of all. In other words, by season three, she had had enough, and that’s just my guess!

In 2003, Gellar expressed to EW that the longest stretch of her life spent in one location had been during her time on the show, which she was about to leave after seven seasons. She admitted there were moments when staying put was challenging – the desire to move, explore new opportunities, and live in different environments was strong. However, she felt it was the right decision and emphasized the importance of listening to that inner voice.

As a devoted admirer, I can attest that Joss Whedon expressed, “We’ve had our ups and downs, times we clashed and times we bonded. Regardless, she was an integral part of Buffy. For seven years, she never failed to impress me.

It was a letdown, nevertheless, that she didn’t show up in either the monumental 100th episode of Angel or any subsequent episodes before the series concluded on May 19, 2004.

According to Angel executive producer David Fury in a 2004 interview, it seemed that Sarah may have had valid reasons. There might have been a family loss or something else that she was managing at the time, but it appeared that Joss Whedon felt somewhat upset about the way it transpired. Both parties seemed to perceive a sense of ingratitude towards each other. Joss feels that Sarah has not shown enough gratitude for his contributions to her and her career, while Sarah may feel the same way about Joss. Laughing, Fury commented, “I think they’re both a little bit eccentric.

In 2013, Andy Cohen was informed by Hannigan that she wasn’t interacting with Gellar at that point, but expressed eagerness to meet anyone from the show. However, in an exciting turn of events for fans and possibly the former on-screen friends as well, Gellar and Hannigan reconnected in 2015, spending a day together with their families.

And as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Twenty, as in years.

In 2017, Gellar expressed, “I’m incredibly proud of what we collectively achieved.” Over time, the significance of this seems even greater. I value every aspect of that role. As an actor, my goal has always been to make a lasting impact – to create something that moves people.

On Instagram, she acknowledged the entire experience, expressing her gratitude by saying, “Alyson, every woman understands the importance of strong female friendships, so here’s my thanks to you for being one. Michelle, you have a special place in my heart that will never change.

Trachtenberg portrayed Buffy’s sister Dawn, also known as The Key, who mysteriously appeared in season five, which was skillfully handled by Whedon and his team. In 2014, Trachtenberg and Seth Green paid a visit to Gellar on the set of her sitcom “The Crazy Ones,” causing quite a stir on Instagram.

Gellar shared during her appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” that she and Seth (who is slightly older) have been good friends since their childhood, dating back to when they were around 7 and 9 years old respectively. Similarly, she has known Michelle Trachtenberg from a very young age, possibly starting when she was about 5 years old.

Back in 2017, Trachtenberg admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that during her teenage years, she had a crush on both Angel (Marc Blucas) and Riley’s character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Additionally, she was captivated by Drusilla, played by Juliet Landau, finding her otherworldly.

As a passionate admirer, just like any other ardent fan, I’ve always rooted for Buffy and Angel. But, being on set and collaborating with James, my perspective changed – I found myself shipping Buffy and Spike instead.

Due to the inevitable spread of gossip during filming, it’s not surprising that there were hints suggesting tension between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Charisma Carpenter, who portrayed the on-screen frenemies Cordelia, may have had off-camera disagreements in real life.

However, much like numerous behind-the-scenes conflict tales, it seems unlikely that their feelings towards each other as 20-year-olds had any substantial impact on the show’s enduring magical dynamic.

In 2013, Carpenter expressed to Logo’s NewNowNext that he cared deeply for everyone. He also mentioned his longing to reconnect with Sarah, who currently resides in New York but shared many experiences with him. Both have grown significantly since then, with Sarah now married and raising a family. They both have moved past their shared history of shows, long working hours, and characters, leaving behind a lot of memories.

I’m keen on meeting up with her again as she greatly influenced my learning. There isn’t enough praise for what I picked up from her regarding hitting your stride, managing expectations, and handling the pressures of her role – especially in that challenging show. The hours were quite demanding, but it was an ambitious project nonetheless. I’d love to reconnect with her.

In 2015, there was a sighting of a carpenter socializing with Faith, known as Eliza Dushku, and in 2017, they along with Gellar had an opportunity to reminisce for Entertainment Weekly during the show’s 20th anniversary celebration.

In 2013, Carpenter and fellow alumnus Marsters from Angel found themselves acting together on Supernatural. As the actress shared, this was not so much a reunion but rather an opportunity for them to get to know each other better.

In the show Buffy, they didn’t have any private scenes together, but on Angel, there was an instance in their 100th episode where they worked together a bit more, though it wasn’t much. Carpenter mentioned that they rarely had the opportunity to casually interact or develop a connection because their schedules were quite disparate, and sadly, they never got to hang out at the margarita bar by Paramount either.

Instead of Supernatural, “We stayed in Vancouver, one of my favorite cities, where we were confined yet comfortable. Our seats were arranged side by side, neither of us retreating to our trailers often. This allowed us to spend quality time together. We conversed about music, children, and reminisced about the shows we worked on and grew up watching. It’s amusing that despite working together a decade after these shows ended, we are only now getting to know each other better.

The carpenter forged some friends who were more than just wedding guests, hailing from the Whedonverse. Notably, Clare Kramer, the actress who portrayed the formidable villain Glory in season five, and the shopaholic human disguise of an almost indestructible demon, was among those present at Julie Benz’s 2012 wedding. Benz, known for her role as Darla, Angel’s sire, mentioned in Christopher Golden’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 20 Years of Slaying” that working with Boreanaz was “easy and enjoyable,” citing these moments as her most cherished from the series.

The individual who did not physically attend the EW reunion expressed in Golden’s 2017 book “Buffy the Vampire: 20 Years of Slaying” that the crew and cast were exceptionally kind, warm, and inviting. It felt more like a family gathering.

His younger daughters, Emily and Daisy, often visited the filming location, he mentioned. Hannigan and Gellar acted as caring and protective older siblings towards the girls.

In essence, Head mentioned that he socialized extensively with practically everyone, but spent a significant amount of time with Nicky, Alyson, and Emma (Anya’s character). He didn’t get to spend much time with Sarah Michelle, as she was always busy working. However, he has connected more with her since then, especially during his visits to the U.S. He also spent time with David, James, and Seth, but it’s important to note that they all maintained a friendly relationship throughout.

Although he was unable to attend the reunion, he still provided an interview and later posted on Twitter, “Cheers to 20 years and a fantastic bunch of people!

In essence, what truly mattered was the fact that the on-screen duo, Angel and Spike (Gellar and Boreanaz), had a great relationship behind the scenes as well.

David and I will maintain a strong bond, and we’ll continue to be friends,” Gellar mentioned on WWHL in 2014. “Moreover, his show had far superior catering compared to mine… As someone who is frequently driven by food… Many times, David will text me about tasty food over there, and I’ll make a trip to visit. Primarily, it’s for the food.” (Mainly I go to see him, but let’s be honest, the food is the real attraction.)

That’s because she frequently appeared on the Bones set due to the fact that the path to the Slayer’s affection lay in feeding her.

Trachtenberg passed away mere weeks following the announcement that Buffy is being reborn on Hulu, with Gellar involved. Although he hasn’t explicitly acknowledged it, his shared photo wearing sushi-print pajamas on February 2, similar to ones he wore in a season four episode, has been broadly understood as a subtle reference.

Incidentally, both Boreanaz and Carpenter offered a “like.”

There’s no more information about other potential returns, but what’s being referred to as “the next installment in the Buffyverse” is said to feature only one significant member of the Summers family in a spiritual capacity.

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2025-02-26 22:18

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