Everything Joss Whedon Has Said About the 'Buffy' and 'Justice League' Allegations

Almost one year after allegations of misconduct surfaced against Joss Whedon, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel showrunner has publicly responded for the first time.

As part of an interview with New York Magazine, Whedon admitted to not being "civilized" early in his career as a showrunner but has denied the allegations made against him by his Buffy and Angel casts, stating: "I think I'm one of the nicer showrunners that's ever been."

He also refuted the allegations of misconduct raised by Justice League stars Ray Fisher and Gal Gadot. Newsweek has everything you need to know about Whedon's response to the allegations and more.

Everything Joss Whedon Has Said About The Buffy, Angel, and Justice League Allegations

The Justice League Cast

In May 2017, Joss Whedon took over as the director of Justice League after original director Zack Snyder withdrew from the film following a family tragedy.

When the film was released in 2017, it was a critical and commercial failure. In March 2021 in response to fan demand, HBO Max released Snyder's original cut, to the praise of critics.

Before Snyder's cut was released, Whedon's version of Justice League had been seriously tainted due to allegations of unprofessional behavior on the movie set.

In July 2020, actor Ray Fisher who played Cyborg in Justice League accused Whedon on Twitter of abusive and unprofessional behavior on the movie set. He stated Whedon's behavior making Justice League was "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable."

In a separate interview with Forbes in October 2020, Fisher alleged Whedon had lightened an actor of color's complexion, a statement Forbes later retracted. In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter in April 2021, Fisher claimed Whedon had also cut out a lot of scenes featuring his character Cyborg.

In December 2020, Warner Bros. investigated Fisher's claims which resulted in "remedial action." Weeks later, HBO confirmed Whedon had withdrawn as an executive producer on The Nevers.

Addressing Fisher's allegations, Whedon told New York Magazine he had brightened the entire movie and insisted Fisher was aware his character would have less screen time because his character "logically made no sense" and his performance was not up to standard.

He dismissed Fisher's claims, saying none of them were "either true or merited discussing" adding: "We're talking about a malevolent force. We're talking about a bad actor in both senses."

In response to Whedon's comments in the New York Magazine article, Fisher wrote on Twitter: "Looks like Joss Whedon got to direct an endgame after all… Rather than address all of the lies and buffoonery today—I will be celebrating the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tomorrow the work continues."

Fisher's Justice League co-star, Gal Gadot, backed Fisher's claims and told reporters in May 2021 that Whedon had "threatened" her career.

In the same New York Magazine interview, Whedon responded to Gadot's allegations. He stated: "I don't threaten people. Who does that? English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech."

Whedon recalled arguing with Gadot over a scene she wanted to have cut, saying that, for the scene to be cut, she would have to tie him to a railroad track and do it over his dead body. Whedon explained: "Then I was told that I had said something about her dead body and tying her to the railroad track."

In response to Whedon's version of events, Gadot did not agree. She told New York Magazine: "I understood perfectly."

The Buffy and Angel Cast

In February 2021, the first allegation of misconduct was made by the casts of his hit shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia in the Buffyverse, made an Instagram post in support of Fisher.

She alleged Whedon had created "hostile and toxic work environments" and described him as having a history of "being casually cruel," "mean and biting and disparaging about others openly." She also alleged Whedon asked her if she was "going to keep" her baby when she fell pregnant during Angel season 4 in 2003 and called her "fat."

Carpenter's allegations were supported by her castmate Amber Benson who played Tara. On Twitter, Benson said she and many of the cast were "processing" Buffy's "toxic environment" 20 years later. Michelle Trachtenberg who played Dawn Summers, also supported Carpenter, recalling on Instagram "There was a rule. Saying. [Joss is] not allowed in a room alone with Michelle again."

Trachtenberg also wrote she does not "want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon."

Buffy co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz and Eliza Dushku also supported Carpenter's claims.

Speaking to New York Magazine Whedon admitted he was not "civilized" early in his career as showrunner on Buffy. He said: "I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast [on Buffy], and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party."

As for his treatment of Carpenter, Whedon admitted he was "not mannerly" when Carpenter shared news of her pregnancy but denied calling her fat. He stated: "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."

"I did not call her fat, Of course, I didn't."

As for Trachtenberg's claims that there was a rule that she and Whedon were not allowed to be in the same room alone, Whedon told New York Magazine he "had no idea" what she was talking about.

Newsweek has approached Whedon's representatives for comment.