Michelle Trachtenberg Says Joss Whedon Was Not Allowed in a Room Alone With Her When She Was a Teen

By Joan Summers  |  February 12, 2021 | 4:50pm
Celebrities
Michelle Trachtenberg Says Joss Whedon Was Not Allowed in a Room Alone With Her When She Was a Teen
Image:Randy Shropshire (Getty Images)

In June, Ray Fisher “forcefully” retracted every nice thing he had ever said about Joss Whedon, alleging instead that the director’s actions on set of 2017’s Justice League were “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable.” Nearly three years later, on Wednesday, Buffy and Angel actress Charisma Carpenter announced that she stands with Fisher, and wrote a detailed statement on social media that similarly alleged that Whedon “abused his power” on set and had “created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. Buffy lead Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote on Instagram that “I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out.”

And then Michelle Trachtenburg commented.

Under Gellar’s post Wednesday, Trachtenburg wrote: “I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman… to repost this. Because. This must be known.” She later commented again: “You Are my rock!! What he did was very bad.” Now, she has amended her statement, adding:

I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman….To repost this. Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior….very. Not. Appropriate. So now. People know. What Joss. Did. The last. Comment I will make on this. Was. There was a rule. Saying. He’s not allowed in a room alone with Michelle again.

In addition, Whedon’s ex-wife Kai Cole wrote a blistering essay for The Wrap in 2017, shortly before Whedon was brought on to re-shoot The Justice League, in which she alleged: “He never conceded the hypocrisy of being out in the world preaching feminist ideals, while at the same time, taking away my right to make choices for my life and my body based on the truth.”

And yet, in January, WarnerMedia seemingly stood by Whedon and DC Films President Walter Hamada. After an internal investigation into Whedon’s actions on the set of Justice League reshoots wrapped in December, a WarnerMedia spokesperson told The Wrap: “The investigation has concluded, and it is time to move on.”

In total, five major statements now stand against Whedon, from Cole, Fisher, Carpenter, Gellar, and Trachenburg—in that order. In addition, Gellar’s former stunt double has similarly alleged that Whedon exhibited erratic and emotionally volatile behavior on Buffy. At what point will Whedon face a reckoning?

 
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