Joss Whedon has been making headlines quite a bit over the past few years, but not for adding another high-profile film or TV show to the superhero, horror or sci-fi genres. The noted filmmaker and showrunner became the center of attention in 2020 when Justice League actor Ray Fisher accused him of exhibiting “gross” and “abusive” behavior on the set of the DC Comics film. And the following year, Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Charisma Carpenter accused him of “harassment” and on-set misconduct. Whedon denied these claims in a recent interview, and Carpenter is responding to his comments on both her and Fisher.
Charisma Carpenter originally alleged that Joss Whedon “abused his power on numerous occasions” while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Carpenter also stated that her “performance anxiety” was increased as a result. Additionally, the actress accused him of referring to her as “fat” in the presence of her co-stars while she was pregnant. In a lengthy interview with New York Magazine published earlier this week, Whedon admitted that he was “not mannerly” during that time but also said that the majority of his interactions with the actress were “delightful and charming.” He also added that she “struggled sometimes with her lines, but nobody could hit a punch line harder than her.”
In regard to Ray Fisher, the director asserted that none of his allegations were “true or merited discussing.” He also referred to Fisher as “a malevolent force” and “a bad actor in both senses.” He’d add that he cut down the storyline of Fisher’s Justice League character, Cyborg, because he felt that it “logically made no sense.” Fisher has since responded to the comments and, after the Cordelia Chase actress saw them, she sent some support to the DC actor via Twitter:
#IStandWithRayFisher The “malevolent force” and “bad actor in both senses” who poisoned my feeble mind with trendy buzzwords and corrupt ideas about my experiences with a former tyrannical narcissistic boss who is still unable to be accountable and just apologize.
In the same interview, Joss Whedon also shared thoughts on Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot. The star previously claimed that Whedon threatened her career while she worked with him on the Justice League set and released a statement on the matter. Whedon responded, saying “I don’t threaten people” and seemed to surmise that since “english is not her first language,” she may not have understood his “flowery” speech. Gadot, in an email, stated that she understood perfectly, and Charisma Carpenter doubled down on the Death on the Nile star's sentiments:
I believe Gal Gadot not only understands career threats in English but also in Hebrew and Arabic. Possibly French, Spanish and Italian, too.
After speaking out about her own experiences last year, the Buffy actress received a wave of support from fans and colleagues. Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke out on the matter, while other series alums like Michelle Trachtenberg and Eliza Dushku joined in with emotional support. Former Angel lead and current SEAL Team star David Boreanaz also reached out via social media. Likewise, Ray Fisher also commended her for speaking out and shared more kind words for her after seeing her most recent shout-outs for him.
There’s no telling how much longer this drama may continue to play out between Charisma Carpenter and Ray Fisher and Joss Whedon. One thing that seems clear, though, is that Carpenter and Fisher are firmly in the same camp when it comes to their experiences with the once-celebrated director.
