“Buffy”, “Angel” star Charisma Carpenter: Joss Whedon was abusive

“Angel” star Charisma Carpenter recently decided to open up about her bad experiences working with show creator Joss Whedon, whom she accused of being abusive on the set of both the said drama and its predecessor, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”.

The actress, who played the role of Cordelia Chase in the two shows, recounted her time working with Whedon on the show following WarnerMedia’s probe into actor Ray Fisher’s allegations that Whedon was abusive and unprofessional towards the cast and crew on the set of the 2017’s “Justice League” reshoots.

Carpenter admitted that she felt she needed to share her experience after finding out that Fisher was fired as Cyborg in “The Flash” following his accusation.

“Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel,” Carpenter wrote. “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. It is with a beating, heavy heart that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively.”

Carpenter listed several of these behaviours shown by Whedon, including calling her fat while she was pregnant, disparaging others openly, playing favourites, and pitting people against one another to compete for his approval.

The actress said that Whedon also had problems with her being pregnant at one point, and accused her of sabotaging his show.

“At six months pregnant, I was asked to report to work at [1 am] after my doctor recommended shortening my work hours. Due to long and physically demanding days and the emotional stress of having to defend my needs as a working pregnant woman, I began to experience Braxton Hicks contractions. It was clear to me the 1 am call was retaliatory,” she wrote, adding that the joy of becoming a mother was sucked right out because of him.

Carpenter stated that she participated in WarnerMedia’s Justice League investigation because she believes that Fisher was telling the truth.

“It is impossible to understand the psyche without enduring the abuse. Our society and industry vilify the victims and glorify the abusers for the accomplishments. The onus is on the abused with an expectation to accept and adapt to be employable. No accountability on the transgressor who sails on unscathed.”

Her statement had since been supported by fellow “Buffy” actors including Amber Benson, who played Tara Maclay, saying that Carpenter was speaking truth; while Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the titular character posted, “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.”