News | Entertainment
6 Jul 2025 5:15
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Joss Whedon "was not mannerly" with Charisma Carpenter but insisted he "did not call her fat"

    The 57-year-old director - who worked with the 51-year-old actress on 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' - has responded to her claims he created a "toxic" atmosphere on set and "abused his power" on the programme, as well as commenting on her weight when she was four months pregnant.


    Reflecting on how he spoke to her after finding out she was pregnant, he told New York magazine: "I was not mannerly."

    However, he added: "Most of my experiences with Charisma were delightful and charming.

    "She struggled sometimes with her lines, but nobody could hit a punch line harder than her."

    And asked directly if he called the actress "fat" while she was pregnant, he replied: "I did not call her fat. Of course I didn't."

    He also addressed her claims of a volatile work environment, and admitted he wasn't as "civilised" as the time.

    He said: "I was young. I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast, and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party."

    He insisted he wouldn't intentionally humiliate anyone on set, noting that would "be a problem".

    He added: "If I am upsetting somebody, it will be a problem for me."

    In her original social media post last year, Charisma accused Whedon of "abusing his power" as the show's creator and ex ecutive producer.

    She wrote: "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. (sic)"

    She also claimed he would often try to "pit" cast members against each other to "compete and vie for his attention and approval".

    She added: "He 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 wreaks havoc on a young actor's self-esteem.

    "And callously calling me "fat" to colleagues when I was four months pregnant, weighing 126lbs. 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. (sic)"

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     05 Jul: Jessie J is feeling "positive and grateful" following her breast cancer surgery, but she is "missing being an active mum" and has stopped taking pain medication
     05 Jul: Olivia Munn has alleged a director tried to "ruin her chances" of working after a disagreement on set
     05 Jul: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has thanked Jelly Roll for helping him through a "very hard" time
     05 Jul: Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Daniel Humm are married
     05 Jul: Martin Short was stunned when Meryl Streep admitted she was nervous on her first day filming Only Murders in the Building
     05 Jul: Quinta Brunson is "looking forward" to her future away from Abbott Elementary
     05 Jul: Nelly and Ashanti take very different approaches to parenting
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The basketball might of the United States isn't fazing the Junior Tall Blacks ahead of their historic Under-19 World Cup semifinal, overnight in Switzerland More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Toyota's RAV4's held it's top spot as the favourite passenger car - in a standout month for vehicle sales More...



     Today's News

    Accident and Emergency:
    A homicide investigation is now being carried out after a baby found with critical injuries at a Foxton Beach house died in hospital 4:46

    Basketball:
    The basketball might of the United States isn't fazing the Junior Tall Blacks ahead of their historic Under-19 World Cup semifinal, overnight in Switzerland 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Jessie J is feeling "positive and grateful" following her breast cancer surgery, but she is "missing being an active mum" and has stopped taking pain medication 21:36

    Rugby:
    An agonising three-point defeat for the Maori All Blacks ... but a historic win for Scotland ... on Sky Sport 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Olivia Munn has alleged a director tried to "ruin her chances" of working after a disagreement on set 21:06

    Entertainment:
    Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has thanked Jelly Roll for helping him through a "very hard" time 20:36

    Entertainment:
    Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Daniel Humm are married 20:06

    Entertainment:
    Martin Short was stunned when Meryl Streep admitted she was nervous on her first day filming Only Murders in the Building 19:36

    Entertainment:
    Quinta Brunson is "looking forward" to her future away from Abbott Elementary 19:06

    Environment:
    Torrential rain has unleashed deadly flash floods along the Guadalupe River in south-central Texas 18:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd