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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Hana Carter

Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer 25 years on - stars, accusations and toxic feuds

Buffy The Vampire Slayer first hit our screens 25 years ago, and in 1997 critics didn't have high hopes for the show.

They dismissed the horror-rom-com as an "uneasy cross between The X-Files and Clueless", but they were soon left to eat their words after the fantasy show stole the hearts of viewers worldwide.

Over two decades later, the 90s show is looked upon nostalgically and the words "iconic" and "cult favourite" are often used to describe it.

But what happened to Buffy and the gang after the show ended in 2003? From rehab stints to finding love on set, here's what followed...

Buffy: Sarah Michelle Geller

Sarah landed the role of Buffy in the series and went on to star in The Grudge, The Crazy Ones, The Ringer and Scooby Doo.

She initially auditioned for the role of Cordelia Chase, while Katie Holmes was offered the role of Buffy.

But Katie turned the role down to finish school, and Sarah got the gig instead.

The series was a door-opener for Sarah and she went on to play parts in Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

She recently was the voice of Teela on Netflix's Masters of the Universe: Revelation.

As well as staying in showbiz she is also a whizz in the kitchen and has her own cooking and lifestyle brand - Foodstirs.

She took to Instagram and shared a brutally honest tribute as the show reached the milestone: "25 years ago today I had the honor to introduce the world to my version of Buffy Anne Summers.

"It was an uphill battle. A mid season replacement, on a new network based on a movie, that was by no means a giant success. But then there was you. The fans. You believed in us.

"You made this happen. You are the reason 25 years later we are still celebrating. So today we celebrate you as well."

Sarah, who played Daphne in Scooby-Doo, married her co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. who stepped into the role of ghost and ghoul busting Fred.

The pair have two children, Charlotte Grace, 12 and Rocky James, 9.

Rupert Giles: Anthony Head

He was the father figure that Buffy needed and provided calm in a world of chaos.

British actor Anthony has gone on to feature in many films including Merlin, The Iron Lady and The Inbetweeners Movie since his time as wise and lovable Rupert Giles.

The 68-year-old has landed roles in TV shows such as Motherland and Feel Good, where he played lead character George's dad.

Willow: Alyson Hannigan

Alyson was probably most well known for her role as Lily Aldrin in How I Met Your Mother which ran for nine seasons.

She revealed that her co-star Sarah struggled with fame and was "annoyed" by the show from series three.

She married fellow Buffy star Alexis Denisof after the pair met on the show, and they have two children together; Satyana Marie, 12, and Keeva Jane, nine.

Looking back to when they first met Alyson said: "I was trying to pursue him, but he said he didn't want to date somebody he was working with. But we developed a great friendship..." she told The Sun in 2012.

"When my new relationship ran its course, the whole thing suddenly changed and Alex and I started to really care about each other. So it was two years before we started seeing each other and that was back in 1999."

The 47-year-old also appeared in the American Pie franchise and, more recently, Flora & Ulysses. She’s also a panelist on MTV’s Adorableness.

Xander Harris: Nicholas Brendon

Xander was the best pal of Buffy at Sunnydale High School. But since leaving the show, Nicholas has battled drink and drug addictions and spent time in rehab centres.

The 50-year-old once said: “After realising that I had a disease that was taking control of my life, I decided that the best way for me to regain my health was to enter a treatment facility."

He appeared on Kitchen Confidential, Criminal Minds and Private Practice, but his name has been tainted by a string of arrests ranging from vandalism to domestic violence.

The star once claimed he had been molested by a music teacher when he was just 10 years old and the trauma left him "deeply damaged".

“I think about it every day of my life and I wonder how it affected me did I stop growing emotionally?” he added.

“When you’re molested for a couple years and you’re blamed for it by the people who are supposed to be your protectors, there’s going to be a lot of confusion and a lot of sadness.”

Cordelia Chase: Charisma Carpenter

Charisma went on to star in a Buffy spin-off show Angel but was written off the show after she fell pregnant in real life - with her character even being killed off so she couldn't return.

In 2021 she made headlines after she spoke out against Buffy's director Joss Whedon, claiming he had "abused his power on numerous occasions".

She accused him of being "casually cruel" and said he created a "hostile and toxic" work environment.

Justice League star Ray Fisher, made similar claims and Joss admitted that he wasn't "civilised" early in his career.

He told New York Magazine: "I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast [on Buffy], and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party."

She also starred in the Expendables movies, appeared on Veronica Mars and The Lying Game and hosted Surviving Evil.

Angel: David Boreanaz

Buffy's former flame and one of the most well-known vampires in all of history, Angel was a troubled soul.

The vampire cursed with a soul also starred in the spin off show Angel.

The 53-year-old actor also starred in Dido's White Flag video before he landed the part of Seely Booth on Bones.

However his personal life came under scrutiny when in 2010 it emerged that he had an affair with Tiger Woods' alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel while his wife Jaime Bergman was pregnant.

The pair made it through the affair, which he called a "bonding experience" and he is still married to Jamie and they share two children.

Anya: Emma Caulfield

Emma stayed in the fantasy world and went on to appear in Supergirl and the Walking Dead. She also starred in Once Upon a Time and WandaVision.

Spike: James Marsters

James also featured in the show's spin off Angel, before landing roles in Smallville, Hawaii Five-0, Witches of East End and Runaways.

He's also worked in the music industry too and music with his rock band Ghost of the Robot and as a solo act.

Drusilla: Juliet Landau

Juliet took her love for vampires to the next level and created her own vampire documentary titled A Place Among the Dead. She also also offered her voice for shows like Ben 10 and Justice League.

Kendra: Bianca Lawson

After she played the role of Kendra in the cult classic, she joined the cast of Dawson's Creek, The Vampire Diaries and most impressively - at 30-years-old played a high school student in Pretty Little Liars.

Oz: Seth Green

Seth has starred in Rat Race, Austin Powers and The Italian Job. He is the voice of Chris Griffin in Family Guy and some of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

He's been married to Clare Grant since 2010.

Faith: Eliza Dushku

After her stint as Faith, Eliza teamed up with Buffy director Joss Whedon for Dollhouse before starring on Tru Calling, White Collar and Banshee.

In 2016 she had a role in Season 1 of Bull, but she claimed she was fired from the show after accusing Michael Weatherly of sexual harassment.

She received a $9.5million settlement from CBS.

Weatherly apologised in a statement to the New York Times in 2018, but maintained he did not get Dushku fired from the show.

He said: "During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script.

"When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized … I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza."

Dawn Summers: Michelle Trachtenberg

Buffy's sister Michelle was not a huge hit with the fans.

She told Entertainment Weekly: "Oh my God! I think Dawn is so annoying!’ I do get a lot of ‘Oh she was so whiny!’"

Defending Dawn, Michelle said: "Were you a teenager? Oh, you were docile, sitting in the corner, doe-eyed and happy to be there? No. There’s a reason why teenagers have a stigma and that is what Joss wrote.”

Michelle starred in Gossip Girl, Weeds, Sleepy Hollow and movies 17 Again with Zac Efron and Black Christmas.

Tara Maclay: Amber Benson

Amber has appeared in several TV shows since her days on Buffy, including Grey's Anatomy.

As well as acting, she has also penned several fantasy and Buffy spin off books and a comic.

The Mirror has approached representatives for Joss Whedon and Michael Weatherly.

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