”I’ll never tell my full story” - Sarah Michelle Gellar

[Synch]

My theory is that the issues were a writers vs actors thing.

Just read an article in The Guardian:

‘A lot of the demons seem a little cheesy now’: Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy, her burnout and her comeback

Shaken by the death of her sitcom co-star Robin Williams, the actor put her career on hold for the best part of a decade. Now she’s back battling supernatural beings in Wolf Pack – but will she ever revive the Slayer?

www.theguardian.com

Gellar has often spoken of the pressure she was under to carry the series, working all week with no outside life. Today she shrugs it off. “Twenty-two episodes burn everybody out, not just the writers … Now we live in a world where TV can be eight to 10 episodes, and not murder you.”

As she said before it seems a 'they were rude to me' question:

When I grew up, people screamed on sets: actors, directors, everybody. It doesn’t happen any more. If someone comes out on set screaming, it’s like: ‘Peace out!’ No one needs to be treated like that – we’ve established that.’”

And of course the power (now she is an EP):

The title can be almost meaningless, a way to sweeten the deal for a star, but Gellar says she told Davis: “I’ve been doing this for 40 years. I have a lot of experience, and I have a lot to bring to the table. If you’re just looking for an actor that just wants to have the credit, I’m not your person. I’m going to have ideas, and I’m going to be vocal about them.”

 

[Dora]

The talk of where season 6 went makes me wonder, and I'll ask as surely there are people here who can instantly say...who did James Marsters complain to about the bathroom scene between Spike and Buffy?

I understand masters was not happy with the amount of smoking and drinking Spike was showing doing also hated the rape scene plus he didn't like having to wear just a small sock ( Sarah ) and his shirt off etc for no real reason

Let me state outright that I have no doubt Whedon did and said a lot of shitty things about SMG, however it feels like you're just randomly throwing every hint of hostility between the two that you could think of without there being any relation with one another. Him insulting her film is petty and rude, which is different from him reminding her that she has signed a contract that she has to abide by. It's a shitty situation for her but I don't see how this can be construed as abusive or mean spirited in any way. SMG wanted to make movies, he wanted to keep on making the show, their interests diverged, as they often do between actors and producers. It happens.

As to the last part, don't know if it was direct at me, but I certainly do not "scapegoat" Marti Noxon. I love season 6, think this is the closest the show ever got to having a "female perspective" and think her contribution to the show is brilliant, and yes Whedon (and Fury, and others) had the final stamp of approval and sprinkled his stuff as he always did, but having followed Noxon's other works, you can tell a lot of it is her; hell, she (and others) explicitly stated as much. So yeah, she was in great part responsible - responsible for making a pretty amazing season of TV that was pretty trail-blazing in many ways.

The UK was pretty infamous for over-censoring content and honestly, it does not matter. It wasn't the case in my country and the program was aimed at highschoolers (14 yo at the youngest) who grew older with the show. I watched S6 when I was 8 and wasn't scarred for life (ok Anya cutting up her face was kinda creepy).
Ultimately, I'm sorry that SMG didn't have a good experience (though we don't actually know what happened exactly, if it was on the actual shooting side of things or just the story, or both), but I'm not crazy about this trend of blaming writers for not doing what the actors want. The actor not being treated right during the shooting of the scene would be where I draw the line, but AFAIK she has not claimed that was the case. In a ideal world, there would be a more collaborative environment and time to talk things out, but a show on network TV that has to produce 22 hours of content in 2001 is not an ideal world.

So I think you have answered your own question aimed at 14 year olds watched by 8 year olds is there any possibility that it was watched by the 10 to 14 age group? People have a responsibility in what they produce that should come before EGOs

 

[Bop]

Sarah shared more in an article posted today:

Sarah Michelle Gellar on Returning to TV, Her Best ‘Buffy’ Outfits, and What Happened to That ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Series

In an interview with Vogue, Gellar discusses her return to acting, if she’d ever work with her husband again onscreen, and her favorite fashion moments from “Buffy.”

www.vogue.com

"You recently said you had watched seasons one through five of Buffy with your kids, but not the last two. [Those featured controversial story lines, including an attempted rape.] Will you ever show your kids season six of the show?

I love questions I’ve never been asked before. If that’s something that when they’re older they’re asking for, obviously I’m not going to stop them. When we started watching the show, my daughter was 10 and my son was 7, and it’s not appropriate. It’s not a conversation that I wanted to have. If it was any other show, I would say, “That’s not something that you should be watching.” Even recently when I’ve even seen snippets, I watched some of it to make sure that I was remembering things correctly. And then you see that scene with Spike and Buffy. I’m like, There’s no way. To me, it wasn’t what the show was about. I didn’t enjoy filming season six. I didn’t enjoy watching season six [back]. It wasn’t the heart of who she was, to me. I get going through a dark phase or being upset, but she killed her own love and she still didn’t go that dark. It wasn’t for me."

 

[Plasma]

And then you see that scene with Spike and Buffy. I’m like, There’s no way. To me, it wasn’t what the show was about. I didn’t enjoy filming season six. I didn’t enjoy watching season six [back]. It wasn’t the heart of who she was, to me. I get going through a dark phase or being upset, but she killed her own love and she still didn’t go that dark. It wasn’t for me."

As much as I enjoy plot elements of S6, Sarah is completely in the right here. No matter how you cut it, S6 is not the established Buffy at all. She’s much more depressed, (in my opinion) holds some resentment towards her friends, and starts making bad life choices. She started going there in S3’s opening episodes, but she went all the way down in S6. Way too dark for a 7-10 year old to be exposed to.

 

[Bop]

As much as I enjoy plot elements of S6, Sarah is completely in the right here. No matter how you cut it, S6 is not the established Buffy at all. She’s much more depressed, (in my opinion) holds some resentment towards her friends, and starts making bad life choices. She started going there in S3’s opening episodes, but she went all the way down in S6. Way too dark for a 7-10 year old to be exposed to.

Yeah, I'd say Buffy in the summer after season 2 was depressed but in season 6 I think Buffy had the condition of depression which is the difference and I do understand why because she's far worse off in season 6 life-wise versus season 2. A lot of that is to do with losing Joyce, I don't think Buffy would have been suicidal in season 5 or quite so unhappy when she's alive again in season 6 if Joyce was alive because so much would be different, she wouldn't have the responsibility of caring for Dawn or paying rent and she'd have someone to care for her instead. So killing Angel was rough but I think Buffy's general life was rougher in season 6. I understand Buffy's behaviour in season 6 but I just wish it was handled better and with more sensitivity regarding the aftermath with Spike but the less said about him the better.

 

[NoShip]

I have always thought that once the idea of adult life in season 6 was shelved as boring and it was decided to go with the horrid sex it was a ideal time for Whedon, who we knew had issues with SMG to show her who was Boss , Sarah to this day takes her role as a icon very seriously and winning many awards for Buffy what better way for Whedon and his ego than to belittle SMG by to implying Buffy having oral, annal, and BDSM sex, we all know Sarah hated it and disliked S6
Of course I am interested to hear her side especially if you were around when Buffy finished and could read the hate, but that's down to Sarah and her decision, possibly opening up old wounds

I remember all the stories after sarah said she would not go to UPN about how enraged joss was and how s6 sex scenes were to show sarah who was boss. Revelations about Whedon make those stories sound even more true today.

I now understand why sarah turned down all that money for season 8. Sucks for all of us. I hope Joss burns in hell for eternity.

 

[NoShip]

I think we should hear her full story. I wonder what she's worried about ?

The Whedon stans.

SMG does not want her social media accounts filled with hate from the Whedon stans or anyone else who is offended by what she says. Nor does she want anonymous accusations about her or her friends or her family circulating.

Also, she has an acting career going. And, if she speaks truth about Whedon, the thousands of other abusers in the Hollywood heirarchy will ensure that her career slows way down or ends.

The one thing Hollywood potentates have never tolerated is people speaking truth about their bad acts. It is a lot like old money families. The revealer of the secrets will be brutally punished. No. Matter. What.

 

[hoponlilmama]

I remember all the stories after sarah said she would not go to UPN about how enraged joss was and how s6 sex scenes were to show sarah who was boss. Revelations about Whedon make those stories sound even more true today.

I now understand why sarah turned down all that money for season 8. Sucks for all of us. I hope Joss burns in hell for eternity.

Certainly it's been mentioned before but I've forgotten - did SMG indicate she was going to walk when s6 was being made (as in, s7 would be her final), or did she tell them this as s7 was in production she wouldn't sign on?

 

[NoShip]

Certainly it's been mentioned before but I've forgotten - did SMG indicate she was going to walk when s6 was being made (as in, s7 would be her final), or did she tell them this as s7 was in production she wouldn't sign on?

Both. Around Christmas 2001 SMG was so disgusted with the S6 storylines (they had just filmed Smashed & Wrecked) and her and Marsters treatment by Whedon-Noxon that she stated to Fox that she wouldn't extend her contract.

The Fox guys told her that she would feel differently after the season wrapped and told Whedon who, of course, was enraged Gellar had gone around him and shared his pain with Gellar yet again.

Contract negotiations began as soon as Grave wrapped. By the time Lessons started filming, Whedon & Fox & UPN knew they had a problem. That's why you see the hard turn in Buffy's attitude towards Spike in Him.

Negotiations continued. Fox's final offer was $8.5 million for appearing in 10 episodes.

Gellar, who had zero trust in Whedon-Noxon, demanded script approval. Whedon was outraged and threatened, yet again, to quit.

And that is the sordid short story of how our favorite tv show limped to it's finish line.

 

[hoponlilmama]

Both. Around Christmas 2001 SMG was so disgusted with the S6 storylines (they had just filmed Smashed & Wrecked) and her and Marsters treatment by Whedon-Noxon that she stated to Fox that she wouldn't extend her contract.

The Fox guys told her that she would feel differently after the season wrapped and told Whedon who, of course, was enraged Gellar had gone around him and shared his pain with Gellar yet again.

Contract negotiations began as soon as Grave wrapped. By the time Lessons started filming, Whedon & Fox & UPN knew they had a problem. That's why you see the hard turn in Buffy's attitude towards Spike in Him.

Negotiations continued. Fox's final offer was $8.5 million for appearing in 10 episodes.

Gellar, who had zero trust in Whedon-Noxon, demanded script approval. Whedon was outraged and threatened, yet again, to quit.

And that is the sordid short story of how our favorite tv show limped to it's finish line.

Appreciate the explanation!

Yikes, that was messy. You have to feel for SMG.
To think, if they hadn't pandered to a specific audience to push Spuffy, the series might've continued for another year - and looked differently in s6 & s7.

 

[NoShip]

Post Deleted

 

[NoShip]

What happened back then is what happened and no effort today is going to change it. It’s just going to hurt more people than just Joss at this point.

If the people that will be hurt are the abusers or the abuser's enablers then those people should be hurt. They richly deserve it.

Unfortunately, there is a large group of people who believe that "great" artists should get a pass because they create "great" art. These people are willing to harass anyone who speaks up. Since the internet is mostly anonymous [at least to normal people] they mostly get away with it.

So, I can see why SMG does not want to be trashed for speaking the [not her] truth.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

What do you guys think? I think that is rather classy of her and she has a point, no? What is there to be gained in beating the dead horse of whatever went on behind the scenes of those final seasons?

I definitely agree Sarah has a point, and especially if she did have a bad experience, I can see why she wouldn't want to dredge it all up again. It's in the past, she's moved on.

I also understand why Sarah doesn't want to re-watch S6, especially with her kids. I know she had a really hard time with her and Spike's relationship arc in that season. So did James, especially with the AR. And well, let's be real, it's not exactly kid-friendly...

 

[garfan]

I don't think Joss has many Stans left

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

@Joan the Vampire Slayer . This was written in 2023. But I would agree, Joss's career appears to be over, and nobody seems eager to rehabilitate it. I don't have a convincing theory as to why, except a lot of Joss's cache was his cult of personality, and without that, he's just a B+ List director who is hard to deal with.