Joss Whedon wrote some of the best TV shows of all time. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel and Dollhouse – there’s a reason why these still have enduring fandoms, not to mention why the Marvel movies he wrote and directed, The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, are two of the highest grossing films of all time.
That’s why it was so shocking when allegations about Whedon started to appear in 2017. Accusations of appalling behaviour by his ex-wife were a shock to those who worshipped the creator of vampire-slaying drama Buffy as a feminist hero.
Buffy creator Joss Whedon.
His reputation copped a further hit with the release of his original Wonder Woman script, which came across as more of an teenage boy’s wet dream than the sophisticated writing of a feminist ally.
Things got worse from there. Angel star Charisma Carpenter made detailed allegations about his on-set behaviour in early 2021, and her claims gained traction as other actors spoke out about the “toxic” environment. Concerningly, Michelle Trachtenberg, who was only 16 when she starred in Buffy, claimed there had been a rule on set that Whedon never be allowed alone with her “again”.
Actor Ray Fisher accused him of abuse and racism on the set of Justice League, and Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot also claimed Whedon threatened her career.
On Tuesday, Whedon broke his silence on these accusations in a bizarre, long interview for New York magazine. Reading it, it’s shocking that Whedon ever thought his comments would vindicate him or make him sound better.
Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman.Credit:AP
Through the interview he offers four possible explanations for the misconduct accusations, which he mostly denies: 1. A shocking childhood trauma; 2. A “sex and love” addiction; 3. The insecurities that stem from being an unpopular nerd (an affliction many suffer without becoming abusive); and, most eye-rollingly, 4. He is too nice.
It’s the kind of interview he didn’t have to do, and probably shouldn’t have. In the silence, fans could imagine he was doing some self-reflection and was sorry for what he’d done. By speaking he showed a kind of tone-deafness normally reserved for apologies made by US Republican senators or Louis CK.
Slayed: Joss Whedon gives a masterclass in how not to say sorry
Source: Philippines Alive
