As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, star Sarah Michelle Gellar is still well recognized for her iconic role as Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, in 2014, the former supernatural superhero's focus shifted toward raising a family. But more recently, Gellar has chosen to return to her entertainment roots, and in 2022 she appeared in the Netflix movie Do Revenge. Now the actor is following up her recent film with a starring role on the Paramount+ series Wolf Pack on which she also serves as an executive producer. Recently, Gellar stopped to chat with THR about her experiences in the entertainment industry and what she hopes to achieve with her upcoming series.
The show Wolf Pack is a high school horror series where monsters are meant to serve as a metaphor for the struggles of modern adolescence. The premises' clear ties to Gellar's former series Buffy aren't lost on the star. "To come back, to get projects made, you have to pay homage to what you're known for," Gellar said. "If I do things that speak to the fan base — which I think these will — and gather some new people along the way, maybe I branch out again. It's not a next act for me, but it's certainly a new chapter."
The star also hopes to make sets a safer space than what she'd previously experienced in her career. Though Gellar didn't go into details about the struggles she faced, Gellar's friend and former co-star Seth Green revealed some of the challenges the star experienced on the set of Buffy.
"That show was just hard," said Green. "We were working crazy hours, and a lot of things that got pushed weren't necessarily safe or under the best conditions. Sarah was always the first one to say, 'We agreed this was a 13-hour day and it's hour 15 — we've got to wrap,' or, 'Hey, this shot doesn't seem safe,' when nobody else would stick up for the cast and crew. I saw her get called a bi***, a diva, all these things that she's not — just because she was taking the mantle of saying and doing the right thing."
Sarah Michelle Gellar Said, "I Always Put In 100 Percent"
Reflecting on how her hardworking nature was perceived early on in her career, Gellar said, "There was a time when I had a reputation of being … difficult," she noted, throwing up air quotes. "Anyone that knows me knows it came from the fact that I always put in 100 percent. I never understood people who don't. I've mellowed a bit in [my expectations of others] — I think because I got burned out."
While talking about her upcoming series Wolf Pack, Gellar stated that she wants her producer role on the new series to provide a sense of security that she didn't have. Gellar described one instance to THR where a crew member made a cast member uncomfortable by offering back rubs. The star said he was let go once the instance was brought to her attention. The actor stated, "I hope that I've set up an infrastructure, a safety net for these actors that I didn't have. My generation just didn't have that."
THR noted that the star didn't once mention her former Joss Whedon. However, Gellar stated, "I've come to a good place with it, where it's easier to talk about. I'll never tell my full story because I don't get anything out of it. I've said all I'm going to say because nobody wins. Everybody loses."
Still, her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., didn't mind sharing his wife's struggles on the Buffy set. He said, "She had to deal with a lot of bullshit on that show for all seven years it was on," says Prinze. "The stuff they pressed upon her, without any credit or real salary, while she was often the only one doing 15-hour days … yet she was still able to get the message of that character out every single week and do it with pride and do it professionally."
Of course, nowadays, Gellar no longer has to stretch herself to juggle her career. She said, "I'm not chasing anything anymore, and that makes this so much more fun. I grew up wanting to be a working actor in New York City — a guest spot on Law & Order was the pinnacle of success to me. Now I've played more than one character that people dress up as every Halloween. Everything else is gravy."