Angel star Amy Acker has come out in support of Charisma Carpenter and others who have leveled a bevy of misconduct allegations against Joss Whedon. Acker played Winifred "Fred" Burkle for four seasons on Buffy The Vampire Slayer's hit spinoff.
Whispers of Whedon's poor behavior on set have been around for years. Still, the floodgates opened after Whedon took over directorial duties from Zack Snyder on the ill-fated Justice League. Cyborg actor Ray Fisher accused Whedon of creating a toxic work environment, leading to Warner Bros studio's investigation. Buffy and Angel star Charisma Carpenter participated in that investigation, relaying the story of how horrifically Whedon treated her when she was pregnant during Angel's fourth season. Multiple cast members have come to Carpenter's defense, including Amber Benson, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Buffy Summers herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Now another voice joins the chorus of support as Amy Acker offers kind words to Carpenter on Twitter. The actress joins the other actors and crew who have expressed shock and disappointment at Whedon's behavior. Check out her tweet below.
Acker, who has worked with Whedon since Angel on Dollhouse and his 2012 adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, is quick to point out she had no such problems with Whedon but supports those who have described his misconduct. This would seem to corroborate Carpenter's assumption that Whedon played favorites with his cast members since Acker was always one of his most valued collaborators. At the same time, Carpenter quietly endured his wrath behind the scenes.
The accusations against Whedon have come fast and furious following Carpenter's disclosure. Whedon became something of a feminist icon due to Buffy, which has forced many of his fans to reconcile his progressive art with his profoundly problematic behavior. It's a lousy situation with no clear resolution in sight. Whedon recently left his HBO series The Nevers, citing exhaustion. However, it's hard to ignore the fact he left just as Warner Bros. were finishing their investigation into his behavior on Justice League, an investigation they claim resulted in "remedial action."
Whedon has touched huge swaths of Hollywood over the years beyond Buffy and Angel. Most notably, when he directed the first two Avengers movies to wildly successful box office returns (though fans are still somewhat split on the quality of Avengers: Age of Ultron). The reaction to toxic behavior in Hollywood has thankfully changed, and while Whedon remains silent, the director will have to answer for his transgressions at some point. Until then, those coming out against his behavior will likely only grow in numbers.
Source: Amy Acker
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