Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast Reacts to Nicholas Brendon’s Death

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The residents of Sunnydale are coming together in mourning. 

Following the sad news of Nicholas Brendon’s death at 54, the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer shared their grief. Brendon was best known for playing Xander Harris on the show from 1997 to 2003.

Alyson Hannigan shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on March 20th, fondly remembering her ‘Sweet Nicky.’ She expressed gratitude for the years of joy, affection, and shared love of the Dodgers, adding that she’ll always think of him when she sees a rocking chair. She ended with a loving farewell, ‘RIP’.

Emma Caulfield, best known for playing Anya Jenkins on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, shared a heartfelt message online, saying “Rest Nicky. Rest. I love you.” She has since removed the post.

She shared on Instagram Stories that she was deeply saddened, saying she was struggling to express how much this affected her, according to a screenshot from Deadline.

Alongside Alyson and Emma, Brendon acted with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Head, James Marsters, and Michelle Trachtenberg, who sadly passed away in February 2025 from complications related to diabetes.

Brendon was facing several health issues when he passed away. He had a heart defect from birth and also suffered from cauda equina syndrome, a condition caused by nerve damage near the bottom of the spine, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The actor passed away his sleep of natural causes on March 20, according to his family.

The family announced with deep sadness that their brother and son has passed away. While Nicholas had faced challenges in the past, they shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he was receiving treatment and medication, and felt hopeful about his future.

Those who knew and loved him remembered the Criminal Minds actor as a passionate, sensitive, and creative person. He had previously spoken openly about his struggles with depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse.

Everyone knows Nicky as a fantastic actor – I mean, the characters he played really stayed with you! But what a lot of people didn’t know is how much he loved to paint. In recent years, art became his true passion. He was so enthusiastic about it, and he always loved sharing his work with people like me – his family, friends, and all his fans. It was just wonderful to see him so happy creating art.

They explained that his art was a genuine expression of his personality, and those who understood him recognized this.

Besides his love of visual art, Brendon was a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 2014, he shared that playing Xander and being involved with the show was the most fulfilling part of his career, even years later.

He explained to the Pensacola News Journal that the show resonated with viewers because it was relatable. He also noted its recent surge in popularity on streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, with many people now discovering and watching it with their families.

Brendon understood why fans connected with Xander, explaining, ‘He felt like a regular person—he didn’t have superpowers or any supernatural qualities. People could relate to him because he was just an ordinary guy dealing with everyday life.’

For more behind-the-scenes stories about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, read on.

1. Warner Bros. really wanted the show to be called Slayer. Creator Joss Whedon refused.

Several actresses tried out for the part of Buffy Summers, including Katie Holmes, Selma Blair, and Charisma Carpenter, who eventually played Cordelia. Interestingly, Sarah Michelle Gellar originally auditioned for the role of Cordelia before being chosen to play Buffy.

In the original, unaired pilot episode of the show, the character of Willow—who would later be played by Alyson Hannigan—was first portrayed by Riff Regan. Joss Whedon has openly disliked this early version of the pilot, famously describing it as terrible in an interview with IGN.

Ryan Reynolds was considered for the role of Xander, but he ultimately decided not to take it, and wasn’t involved in the project after that.

In 1996, Nathan Fillion tried out for the part of Angel, but David Boreanaz ultimately landed the role as Buffy’s first vampire love. Fillion later appeared in season seven as the villain Caleb and became a frequent collaborator with Joss Whedon, most notably starring in Whedon’s popular series, Firefly.

Joss Whedon shared that he selected the show’s famous theme song after Sarah Michelle Gellar (Hannigan) played him a song by the band Nerf Herder.

Did you know James Marsters almost played Spike with a Southern accent? He initially auditioned with a Texas twang, but the show’s creators decided a British accent would be better. His co-star, Anthony Stewart Head (who played Giles), helped him perfect it! Originally, Spike was only supposed to appear in five episodes before being killed off by Angel, but he became a major character and even a male lead later in the series.

To keep Spike’s signature hair look, James Marsters had to bleach his hair every eight days for nearly six years.

Seth Green actually played Hannigan’s boyfriend before his role in Oz. He and Hannigan were a couple in the 1988 film, My Stepmother Is An Alien.

Interestingly, Alyson Hannigan actually met her future husband, Alexis Denisof, while working on the show. He joined the cast in season three as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Buffy’s new watcher, and later appeared in the Angel spin-off. They married in 2003 and now have two daughters together.

Before her relationship with Denisof, Hannigan shared that she had a brief romantic involvement with her co-star, Nicholas Brendon.

During a 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Alyson Hannigan jokingly suggested she and Neil Patrick Harris may have shared a kiss off-camera, and that he might have playfully grabbed her chest at some point.

Sarah Michelle Gellar has a strong fear of cemeteries and being buried alive, which became a problem while filming Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She told Rolling Stone that the experience of filming a scene where Buffy was placed in a grave left her in tears. She jokingly pointed out the irony of being a vampire slayer who’s afraid of cemeteries. To help her cope, the show’s producers later built a fake cemetery on the set.

Joss Whedon nearly left the show after facing resistance to the romantic relationship between Willow and Tara (Amber Benson). David Greenwalt, a co-executive producer, shared that a Warner Bros. executive questioned the storyline, asking if Whedon was actually planning to include a same-sex relationship. Whedon reportedly threatened to quit if he was asked to remove the couple’s first kiss, but the studio ultimately allowed it to stay.

As a lifestyle expert, I always love hearing behind-the-scenes stories, and this Buffy one is a fun one! Apparently, Britney Spears was considered for the role of April the robot in an episode, and can you believe my then-boyfriend, Freddie Prinze Jr., was almost cast as Dracula? It’s wild to think how different things could have been! They were both so close to joining the cast, but it just didn’t quite work out.

Joss Whedon particularly enjoyed writing the characters of Spike and Andrew (played by Tom Lenk). He revealed in a 2012 Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session that Angel was the most challenging character to make compelling – specifically, how to make a traditionally good-looking and heroic figure truly interesting.

Whedon mentioned a couple of storylines he wished he’d explored further. In an interview with The New York Times, he said he particularly enjoyed Nick Brendon’s portrayal of both vampire and hyena versions of Xander and would have liked to see more of those. He also felt that Dawn’s character deserved more development during her third season.

Courtney Cox admitted in a 2014 Reddit interview that she sides with Angel in the debate between Angel and Spike.

During a question-and-answer session, Sarah Michelle Gellar shared that after the show finished, she kept a few of Buffy’s outfits, along with a special keepsake she still treasures.

She shared that one of her favorite things was a custom-made stake her makeup artist created for her, complete with a small bottle of holy water. She still keeps it next to her bed today.

During the seven seasons the show aired, only one episode – season four’s “Hush,” which featured no dialogue – received a significant Emmy nomination. Joss Whedon was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for that episode.

The fifth season finale, titled “The Gift,” was originally planned as the show’s last episode, and featured Buffy making the ultimate sacrifice to save everyone. However, when the show was renewed for a sixth season on UPN, some of the ideas from that finale – like the complete destruction of Sunnydale – were kept and used for the actual series finale in season seven.

“The Gift” marked the last episode where Colm Head appeared as a main cast member. He chose to take on a smaller role to allow him to spend more time with his family in the U.K.

22. Gellar announced her departure from the series after seven seasons in 2003. 

Sarah Michelle Gellar shared with Entertainment Weekly that she was always concerned about the show overstaying its welcome, particularly because it had a dedicated but niche fanbase. She noted that there was a lot of criticism last year, so when the show had a strong resurgence this year, she decided it was the perfect time to end it while it was still successful and at its peak.

The news of Gellar’s exit and the show’s cancellation surprised her fellow actors. Hannigan and Brendon told EW they learned about it through the magazine, which Brendon said was disappointing. “It wasn’t the ideal way to find out,” he admitted, “but things happen for a reason.”

At the time, Whedon was working on a spin-off series featuring some of the actors from Buffy, and told Entertainment Weekly it would be very different from the original. He also said Sarah Michelle Gellar had agreed to guest star. However, this project was never made. Another idea that was explored involved a school for people with the potential to become slayers.

Plans for a spin-off series starring the strong and independent character Faith (played by Eliza Dushku) were developed, but the project didn’t move forward. According to executive producer Tim Minear, Dushku was supportive and eager to explore new opportunities. He explained in 2003 that the concept was essentially a blend of Faith’s story with the action and style of Kung Fu.

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2026-03-21 06:18