Buffy/Angel star Charisma Carpenter details Joss Whedon’s abusive behavior

This past summer, Justice League star Ray Fisher (Cyborg) accused Avengers director Joss Whedon — who was brought on to finish the movie after original director Zack Snyder had to leave due to a family emergency — of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior on set. We still don’t know many specifics, but we know that Warner Bros. undertook an investigation of Whedon, and then he quietly left his upcoming HBO show The Nevers in November, citing exhaustion and the difficulties of making a complicated series under pandemic conditions. (HBO has since hired a new showrunner.)

Now, an actor Joss Whedon worked with in the past, Charisma Carpenter, has come out with her own story about working with the director, revealing that she participated in that investigation. Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, detailed her experiences on her social media accounts:

"For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and even made excuses for certain events that traumatize me to this day.Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. 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.Last summer, when Ray Fisher publicly accused Joss of abusive and unprofessional behavior toward the cast and crew during reshoots on the Justice League set in 2017, it gutted me. Joss has a history of being casually cruel. He has created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. I know because I experienced it first-hand. Repeatedly.Like his ongoing, passive-aggressive threats to fire me, which wrecks havoc on a young actor’s self-esteem. And callously calling me “fat” to colleagues when I was 4 months pregnant, weighing 126 lbs. He was mean and biting, disparaging about others openly, and often played favorites, pitting people against one another to compete and vie for his attention and approval.He called me in for a sit-down meeting to interrogate and berate me regarding a rosary tattoo I got to help me feel more spiritually grounded in an increasingly volatile work climate that affected me physically.Joss intentionally refused multiple calls from my agents making it impossible to connect with him to tell him the news that I was pregnant. Finally, once Joss was appraised of the situation, he requested a meeting with me. In that closed-door meeting, he asked me if I was “going to keep it” and manipulatively weaponized my womanhood and faith against me. He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth.At six months pregnant, I was asked to report to work at 1:00 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 that [the] 1:00 AM call was retaliatory.Back then, I felt powerless and alone. With no other option, I swallowed the mistreatment and carried on. After all, I had a baby on the way, and I was the primary breadwinner for my growing family. Unfortunately, all this was happening during one of the most wonderful times in new motherhood. All that promise and joy sucked right out. And Joss was the vampire.Despite the harassment, a part of me still sought his validation. I made excuses for his behavior and repressed my own pain. I have even stated publicly at conventions that I’d work with him again. Once recently, after years of therapy and a wake up call from the Time’s Up movement, do I understand the complexities of this demoralized thinking. It is impossible to understand the psyche without enduring the abuse. Our society and industry vilify the victims and glorify the abusers for their 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. Unrepentant. Remorseless.These memories and more have weighed on my soul like bricks for nearly half of my life. I wish I said something sooner. I wish I had the composure and courage all those years ago. But I muted myself in shame and conditioned silence.With tears welling, I fell an overwhelming sense of responsibility to Ray and others for remaining private about my experience with Joss and the suffering it has caused me. It is abundantly evident that Joss has persisted in his harmful actions, continuing to create wreckage in his wake. My hope now, by finally coming forward about these experiences, is to create space for the healing of others who I know have experienced similar serialized abuses of power.Recently, I participated in WarnerMedia’s Justice League investigation because I believe Ray to be a person of integrity who is telling the truth. His firing as Cyborg in The Flash was the last straw for me. Although I am not shocked, I am deeply pained by it. It troubles and saddens me that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security.In has taken me so long to muster the courage to make this statement publicly. The gravity of it is not lost on me. As a single mother whose family’s livelihood is dependent on my craft, I’m scared. Despite my fear about its impact on my future, I can no longer remain silent. This is overdue and necessary. It is time."

Carpenter captioned the post, “My truth. #IStandWithRayFisher.”

Charisma Carpenter stands with Ray Fisher, who has also accused Joss Whedon of abusive behavior

This is blistering stuff. Whedon asking Carpenter if she was “going to keep” her baby? Having a 1:00 a.m. when he knows she’s on orders to work fewer hours, or at least less rigorous ones? It’s all heartbreaking. (For the record, a lot of this would have been happening during the fourth season of Angel, where Carpenter’s character was pregnant with a demonic baby. Although she showed up for a farewell episode in season 5, season 4 was her final season as a series regular.)

And not to minimize Ray Fisher’s grievances, but I think a lot of this hits as hard as it does because it’s specific. It’s very possible that Fisher can’t detail all of his claims because he’s signed NDAs or is keeping them under wraps to air them in a more official forum, whereas Carpenter hasn’t worked with Whedon in nearly two decades and is more free to be open about her experiences. Whatever the reason, seeing it laid out like this is very powerful. I wonder if there will be other testimonials forthcoming.

Fisher, for his part, has thanked Carpenter for coming forward:

As a big fan of Buffy back in the day, it hurts to read this kind of thing, but how you treat people is more important than the work you produce, so I’m glad this history is getting aired out. Hopefully it helps Carpenter get to a better place and helps build awareness of toxic work environments so they can be lessened in the future.

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