‘Buffy’ Then & Now: See Sarah Michelle Gellar & More Cast Members 25 Years Later
‘Buffy’ still slays 25 years later. See Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, and more of the cast then and now in honor of the anniversary of the show’s premiere.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on March 10, 1997, and totally changed the TV game. The show instantly became a pop culture phenomenon. For 7 seasons, Buffy took on the baddest of the bad when it came to supernatural beings, even when she was still in high school. The show catapulted Sarah Michelle Gellar, 44, to superstardom and goddess status among fans. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Buffy in 2001. Fans of the show were even blessed fans with the spinoff Angel.
Unfortunately, in past years star Charisma Carpenter, 51, came forward with allegations that show creator Joss Whedon “abused his power on numerous occasions” while she was on Buffy and Angel. In a lengthy statement, Charisma accused Joss of “casually cruel” behavior, like allegedly calling her “fat” when she was four months pregnant and firing her from Angel after she gave birth, leaving her feeling “powerless and alone.” Learn more about what Charisma and the iconic cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are doing today, along with then and now photos.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah played the iconic Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the entirety of the show’s 7-season run. She was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2000 for Best Actress in a Television Series — Drama. Post-Buffy, SMG starred as Karen Davis in the 2004 horror hit The Grudge. She also reprised her role as Daphne in the live-action Scooby-Doo sequel. Sarah notably returned to television in 2011 with her starring role in Ringer, which only lasted for one season. Sarah starred alongside Robin Williams in the CBS series The Crazy Ones, which was canceled after one season. She appeared as herself in The Big Bang Theory series finale in 2019. Her next projects include the shows Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Sometimes I Lie. In addition to acting, Sarah released the cookbook Stirring up Fun with Food in 2017. Sarah and husband Freddie Prinze Jr. welcomed a daughter named Charlotte in 2009 and a son named Rocky in 2012.
David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz, 53, starred alongside Sarah as the one and only Angel. He became an instant fan-favorite, and many fans still maintain a firm Team Angel stance today. He starred on Buffy from 1997 to 1999 and then got his own Angel spinoff series, which ran from 1999 to 2004. After Angel ended, David took on another TV series: Bones. He played Booth opposite Emily Deschanel’s Brennan for 12 seasons. When Bones came to an end in 2017, David was cast in the CBS drama SEAL Team. The show has been renewed for a fourth season. David has been married to Jaime Bergman since 2001. They have a son, Jaden, and a daughter, Bella.
Alyson Hannigan
After playing Willow Rosenberg for 7 seasons, Alyson Hannigan, 47, went on to star as Lily Aldrin on How I Met Your Mother from 2005 to 2014. From 1999 to 2012, Alyson starred as Michelle in the American Pie film series. Alyson has been the host of Penn & Teller: Fool Us since the show’s third season, as well as Girl Scout Cookie Championship in 2020. She has also been the voice of Claire Clancy in the Disney Junior animated series Fancy Nancy since 2018. Alyson married her Buffy and Angel co-star Alexis Denisof in 2003. They have two daughters, Satyana Marie and Keeva Jane.
James Marsters
James Marsters, 59, first appeared as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2. Spike became immensely popular and a love interest for Buffy. When Buffy ended in 2003, James crossed over to Angel as a series regular in the show’s final season. Once his run as Spike was over, James went on to play Brainiac on Smallville, Captain John Hart on Torchwood, and more. He had a notable supporting role in the movie P.S. I Love You. James starred as Victor Stein in the Marvel series The Runaways. James is also a talented musician. He married Patricia Rahman in 2011.
Charisma Carpenter
Like David, Charisma Carpenter, 51, starred in the first 2 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She played Cordelia Chase. She starred on the Buffy spinoff series, Angel, from 1999 to 2004. She appeared as Kyra on Charmed in 2004 and then played Kendall Casablancas on Veronica Mars. Charisma starred as Lacy in The Expendables and The Expendables 2. She has continued to appear on a number of television shows, including 9-1-1, Scream Queens, and Chicago P.D. Charisma divorced Damian Hardy in 2008. They share one son together. Charisma accused Buffy creator Joss Whedon of “abusing his power” on set in a February 2021 statement.
Nicholas Brendon
Nicholas Brendon, 50, is best known for playing Xander Harris on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After Buffy came to an end, Nicholas had the recurring role of FBI technical analyst Kevin Lynch on Criminal Minds. He also had roles on Kitchen Confidential, Faking It, Hollywood Heights, and Private Practice. Nicholas voluntarily entered rehab for alcoholism in 2004 and checked into treatment for the second time in 2015 for depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. He has run into some legal trouble over the years. He was arrested in 2017 for attacking his girlfriend. In Feb. 2020, he struck a deal and is serving 3 years probation and has to complete a 52-week domestic violence course and 20 hours of community service, according to the Desert Sun. Nicholas was married to Tressa DiFiglia from 2001 to 2007 and Moonda Tee from 2014 to 2015.
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku, 41, first appeared as Faith Lehane in the third season of Buffy. She also appeared on Angel. Eliza went on to star in the notable series Tru Calling and Dollhouse, which reunited her with Buffy creator Joss Whedon. Eliza starred in the movies Wrong Turn, Bottle Shock, Eloise, and more. She had a recurring role on the CBS series Bull. She was paid a $9.5 million settlement by CBS after making misconduct allegations against star Michael Weatherly. Eliza dated NBA star Rick Fox from 2009 to 2014. She married Peter Paladijian in 2018. Eliza gave birth to their son in 2019.
Seth Green
Seth Green, 48, starred as the lovable Daniel “Oz” Osbourne on Buffy from 1997 to 2000. Seth is the co-creator, executive producer, and voice actor on Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken, which premiered in 2005. Seth’s film and TV credits are truly incredible. He’s had roles in the Austin Powers movies, The Italian Job, Without a Paddle, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Lego Batman Movie, and more. He also voices the role of Chris Griffin on Family Guy. In 2019, Seth wrote, directed, and starred in the movie Changeland. Seth married Clare Grant in 2010.
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg, 36, starred as Buffy’s little sister Dawn from 2000 to 2003. She also hosted Truth or Scare from 2001 to 2003. Other than Dawn, Michelle is best known for playing the manipulative Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl. Michelle has starred in a number of movies since Buffy, including EuroTrip, Ice Princess, and 17 Again.
Anthony Head
Anthony Head, 68, played Buffy’s mentor Rupert Giles throughout the show’s 7-season run. He went on to play Uther Pendragon in the series Merlin from 2008 to 2012. Anthony also notably played the Prime Minister in Little Britain. He most recently appeared in 3 episodes of Ted Lasso as Rupert Mannion.