Charisma Carpenter claims that Joss Whedon “abused his power on numerous occasions” while appearing on Whedon’s series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”. In a lengthy statement the 50-year-old actor posted to Twitter on Wednesday, Carpenter claims that Whedon’s “ casually cruel ” behavior included threatening to fire her, calling her “ fat ” when she was four months pregnant and asking her if she went on to ‘keep’ her baby and fire her after she gave birth.
A Whedon representative declined to comment.
Most of Carpenter’s statement is about Whedon’s reaction when she learned she was pregnant while filming the WB series ‘Angel’, which premiered in 1999 as a spin-off from ‘Buffy’. She claims that after “refusing” phone calls from her agents to communicate that she was pregnant, when she heard Whedon about her status, he had a “closed door” meeting with her.
“[H]I asked myself if I would “keep it,” and manipulated my femininity and belief against me manipulatively. He attacked my character, mocked my religious beliefs, accused me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me after the season after I gave birth. “
Carpenter says she then got a 1am call for work after her doctor recommended cutting her hours after she started experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions because of the “long and physically demanding days.” She says she believes the 1 hour call was “ retaliation. ” (Carpenter’s pregnancy was worked into the show’s storyline.)
After her experience leaving “Angel,” Carpenter says she felt “powerless and alone,” especially as the “primary breadwinner” to her family. “Unfortunately, this all happened during one of the best times[s] in new motherhood, ”she writes. All that promise and joy blew out. And Joss was the vampire. “
In her statement, Carpenter says she chose to come forward in light of Ray Fisher’s allegations that Whedon had abused his power on the set of “Justice League,” which was the subject of a lengthy investigation by WarnerMedia last year. . Carpenter says she took part in that investigation and decided to come forward after Fisher went public that he would no longer appear as his “Justice League” character of Cyborg in the upcoming movie “The Flash.”
“Although I am not shocked, it hurts me deeply,” Carpenter writes. “It worries and saddens me that in 2021 professionals will STILL have to choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security.”
Shortly after Carpenter posted her statement, “Buffy” actor Amber Benson expressed support on Twitter, claiming that the show was a “toxic environment and it starts from above.”
“A lot of damage has been done in that time and many of us are still dealing with it more than 20 years later,” Benson wrote.
Fisher too expressed support for Carpenter, calling her “one of the bravest people I know”.
The carpenter’s full statement is below.
My truth. #IStandWithRayFisher pic.twitter.com/eNjYcJ6zwP
– charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021
– charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021
More to come.