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Sarah Michelle Gellar says she loved that 'Buffy' was 'inclusive,' but not 'anti-man'

Gellar played Buffy on the original WB show from 1997 to 2003

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With the news that the beloved TV hit "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is getting a reboot, star Sarah Michelle Gellar reflected that the original's inclusivity was one of its strengths.

Gellar played Buffy on the WB from 1997 to 2003, slaying vampires and other creatures while dishing out witty quips and becoming a hero to young female fans. But while the show empowered its titular star, Gellar suggested it didn't do so at the expense of its male characters.

"What I loved about Buffy was she was inclusive," Gellar told Glamour. "Sometimes I think we go so far and become anti-man, and it’s not about that. It’s about just finding our inner strength and being accepting of the people around us. That was the ultimate message of who she was. She was different, and she accepted herself, and her friends accepted her, and they made their own family. And that’s what life is really about. And so that message, I think, more than ever, is timely."

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'Buffy' cast members Emma Caulfield, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg

"Buffy" cast members Emma Caulfield, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg at the UPN sessions of the Television Critics Association summer press tour at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pasadena, CA. 7/16/01. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

But while she praised "Buffy's" message, Gellar has also acknowledged in recent years how "toxic" the set could be sometimes. Her comments came at a time when accusations of an abusive work environment surrounding creator Joss Whedon were swirling.

"For so long, I was on a set that I think was known for being an extremely toxic male set, and so that was ingrained in my head that that was what all sets were like," Gellar said in 2022.

While Gellar is a tour de force in her professional career, she has often spoken fondly of her role as a wife and mom too.

"It’s always challenging," Gellar said during her Glamour interview. "Being a parent is a full-time job. Your mind is always on them, thinking about them, worrying about them. But it’s also good for children to see parents doing something that they love and having a career and doing something that’s for them. So it’s a balance and there are good days and bad days, and you do the best you can. That’s really all you can do in life."

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In an interview with Fox News Digital in December, the actress also sounded off on how society has negatively impacted the institution of marriage. In September, she and her husband, fellow actor Freddie Prinze Jr., celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary.

"I think everything takes work in you, whether it's a friendship or a work relationship or a marriage," Gellar told Fox News Digital.

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar celebrate 50 Years of Nightmares at Knott's Scary Farm on October 7, 2023, in Buena Park, California.  ( Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Knott's Scary Farm)

"You have to put the work in," she continued. "And we live in an extremely disposable society now." 

"Your phone breaks, you don't fix it. You get a new one," Gellar added. "And I think that's a lot of the attitude toward relationships."

MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG'S ‘BUFFY’ CO-STARS LEAD HOLLYWOOD TRIBUTE TO ACTRESS

The "Buffy" community experienced tragedy last month when Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's little sister Dawn on the original series, died at age 39. Gellar mourned her former co-star and friend in an emotional post on Instagram, referencing one of her most memorable quotes on the show.

"Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you," Gellar wrote.

Michelle Trachtenberg died in New York City on February 26, 2025.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg arrive at the "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" reunion, part of the 25th annual William S. Paley Television Festival held at the Arclight Cinemas on March 20, 2008 in Hollywood, California.  (Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage)

Glamour asked Gellar to respond to the enthusiastic fan reaction to the announced reboot.

"Definitely overwhelmed, but also that’s why I am doing it," she said. "When you realize what it means and how excited [sic], you’re on the right track with something."

Cortney O'Brien is an Editor at Fox News. Twitter: @obrienc2

via March 19th 2025