Sarah Michelle Gellar says there's a reason why she hasn't shared her Hollywood stories. Photo / AP
Sarah Michelle Gellar says there's a reason why she hasn't shared her Hollywood stories. Photo / AP
Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar has hinted that she has had some unpleasant experiences as a young woman in Hollywood.
In an interview with The New York Times, the actor said her time in the industry was "not easy" but said there's a reason why she hasn't shared her stories.
"Growing up in New York, I had a little bit of street sense going into it, which is helpful," she said. "But no, it was not easy.
"And I've had my fair share of experiences, I have just chosen not [to tell them] – I don't win by telling my stories, emotionally, for me. I look at people that tell their stories, and I'm so impressed. But in this world where people get torn apart, and victim blaming and shaming, I just keep my stories in here."
Gellar started in the industry as a child, appearing in a TV movie at the age of four. She was catapulted to global fame while still a teenager as the titular star of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and backed it up in late-90s teen movies, including in Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Drama from the set of Buffy spilled out into the public in recent years when co-star Charisma Carpenter accused creator Joss Whedon of fostering a toxic environment and abusing his power.
Gellar shot to global fame while still a teenager as the titular star of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Photo / Supplied
Carpenter released a statement which detailed incidents in which Whedon allegedly called her fat when she was pregnant, threatening to sack her and that he had "manipulatively weaponised my womanhood and faith against me".
She also said he fired her from the Buffy spin-off series Angel the year after she gave birth.
Carpenter's claims were supported by many of her colleagues including Amber Benson who played Tara in the series. She agreed "a lot of damage was done during that time" and that Buffy was a toxic environment.
At the time, Gellar said she stood with all survivors of abuse, adding: "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."
Whedon has denied many of the allegations against him but conceded that he had affairs with young women working for him. His ex-wife Kai Cole wrote in The Daily Beast in 2017 of Whedon's extramarital liaisons.
Gellar in The New York Times interview went on to say that as an actor and executive producer of teen series Wolf Pack, she tried to create a different environment for the young stars on the show.
"I have these two young girls and two young boys on it. I have made it very clear from day one that if there are things the production wants to talk to them about, I want them to go through me," she said.
"Because I've been there and I want [the performers] to always have a safe space."
Gellar took many years off from acting, focusing on her business Foodstirs. She has returned to the screen in Netflix teen movie Do Revenge, which also stars Maya Hawke and Camila Mendes. Gellar plays the headmaster of the high school.
