Sarah Michelle Gellar paid a tribute to her “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” co-star Nicholas Brendon in a heartfelt Instagram post one day after his passing.
The actors starred in the popular WB series for seven seasons, from 1997 through 2003. Together, they created unforgettable characters and formed a bond that fans still cherish today.
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s tribute to Nicholas Brendon
Sarah Michelle Gellar posted a heartfelt tribute to her former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” co-star via Instagram. She shared a quote from his character from the Season 7, Episode 3 installment, “Potential.”
“’They’ll never know how tough it is to be the one who isn’t chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody’s watching me.’ I saw you, Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky,” Gellar wrote.
Fans of the series shared their thoughts about Gellar’s post and their own sense of loss.
“I’m so very sorry, Sarah,” wrote one fan. “This is a very sad loss. Nicholas was far too young.”
“Sorry for your loss. What a terrible week for Buffy fans,” a second Instagram user penned.
“He was the most perfect Xander. So good at delivering those gut-wrenching truths,” recalled a third fan of the series.
“We couldn’t find the right words at all, Sarah, but you absolutely did as only you could,” noted a fourth social media follower.
A ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Reboot was Scrapped
The news of Nicholas Brendon’s passing comes a week after Sarah Michelle Gellar learned that plans for a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot had been scrapped.
The actress told PEOPLE on March 16, “I was just about to take the stage [at the SXSW Film & TV Festival] in front of all the fans. Hulu had decided not to move forward with the ‘Buffy’ revival. Let me tell you, nobody saw this coming.”
Gellar added that viewers had longed for a reboot of the beloved WB series for years. She was hopeful that the project would have come to fruition.
“I’ve been asked [about a reboot] since the day I left to return to Sunnydale,” Gellar revealed. “And it never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do.”
She continued, “Then four years ago, Chloé [Zaho], the witch that she is — and I say that as a good thing — comes into my life. In one meeting, she makes me say ‘yes’ to something I never saw on my radar. That was because of the deep love, commitment, and passion she had for this character. It was like I was stepping back in time.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Nicholas Brendon starred in the series, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” along with Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanaz, James Marsters, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Head, and Michelle Trachtenberg (d. 2025).
