Eliza Dushku has joined the chorus of stars speaking in support of Joss Whedon’s accusers following Buffy and Angel star Charisma Carpenter’s disturbing allegations against the show creator. Dushku, a Buffy and Angel alum herself who went on to star in Whedon’s short-lived series Dollhouse, tweeted the hashtag #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter on Thursday.
“My heart aches for you and I’m so sorry you have held this for so long,” Dushku wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement. “Your post was powerful, painful, and painted a picture we’ll collectively never un-see or un-know.”
Carpenter had released her own statement Wednesday, accusing Whedon of creating a hostile working environment. She claimed that he repeatedly threatened to fire her and harassed her when she was pregnant, calling her “‘fat’ to colleagues” and asking her if she planned to “keep” her baby. Her role on Angel was also cut back around the time of her pregnancy, a creative choice that confused ardent fans of the supernatural series at the time.
“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,” Carpenter wrote.
Carpenter also said she participated in the investigation of Whedon promoted last year by Justice League actor Ray Fisher, who has long accused the director of creating a “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” work environment on the set of the Warner Bros. superhero movie. (Whedon has not commented on those allegations either. WarnerMedia released a statement after the investigation concluded, saying “remedial action” had been taken.)
Carpenter’s statement has been met by a flood of support from fellow Buffy alums, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, the titular star; Michelle Trachtenberg; Amber Benson; and Emma Caulfield. “I stand with all survivors of abuse and I am proud of them for speaking out,” Gellar said in her statement.
Trachtenberg initially tweeted her support of Gellar’s statement, alleging broadly that Whedon’s behavior on set had been “inappropriate.” She updated her Instagram statement Thursday, making this claim: “There was a rule, saying [Whedon] is not allowed in a room alone with Michelle again.”
Whedon has not commented on the allegations.
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