September 5th 2024.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a beloved supernatural series, aired for seven thrilling seasons from 1997 to 2003. Recently, actor James Marsters opened up about his time working on the show, revealing that one particular scene had such a profound impact on him that he sought therapy afterwards.
James, now 62 years old, played the role of vampire Spike on the show, starring alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar as the fierce and fearless Buffy Summers. The talented cast also included Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, and Nicholas Brendon.
During an appearance on the Inside of You podcast, James shared details about one of the show's most uncomfortable episodes and why it led him to seek professional help. He explained, "Buffy sent me into therapy, actually. Buffy crushed me... There was a scene where I was paired with Buffy, she breaks up with me, and I go and I kind of force myself on her, and she kicks me through a wall."
The scene in question appeared in the episode "Seeing Red" from season six, first aired in 2002. In the scene, Spike attempts to rape Buffy, but she bravely fights him off. Reflecting on this intense and controversial scene, James revealed that the writers were asked to come up with their own "worst day," a dark secret or painful memory that they had experienced. They were then instructed to incorporate this into the show, adding a supernatural twist to it.
One of the female writers shared a personal experience from her college years when she had been broken up with and went to her ex's place, hoping that rekindling their physical relationship would fix things. However, she ended up forcing herself on him, and he had to physically remove her from his home. This painful memory inspired the writers to flip the genders in the scene, with a male character forcing himself on a female character, believing that since Buffy was a superhero, she could easily defend herself.
James shared that he begged the writers to reconsider, warning them that the audience would have a very different reaction to the scene. However, as an actor, he was contractually obligated to shoot the scene and couldn't refuse. He explained, "I went to them and I said, 'You know, guys, we're providing a vicarious experience for the audience. Everyone who's watching Buffy is Buffy, and they're not superheroes, so I'm doing this to every member of the audience, and they're going to have a very different reaction.'"
Despite his efforts, the scene was filmed, and James admitted that it was "hell" for him. He had a "visceral reaction" to the material and would go to a corner of the set and curl up in a fetal position on the cement between takes.
James is not the only cast member who has spoken out against this episode. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the lead role of Buffy, previously revealed that she has trouble watching the sixth season as it depicts her character in very low moments. She explained, "I have trouble with six. It wasn't appropriate for [my children] at the time, and I just don't want to rewatch it."
Despite the challenges and difficulties faced on set, Sarah will always be proud of Buffy and what the cast and crew created. She shared, "I will always be proud of Buffy... Was it an ideal working situation? Absolutely not. But it's okay to love Buffy for what we created because I think it's pretty spectacular."
Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have had its dark moments, but it will always hold a special place in the hearts of its fans. As for James, he has moved on to other projects, appearing in shows like Smallville, Without A Trace, Runaways, and Supernatural. He will forever be remembered as the iconic vampire Spike, but it's clear that his time on Buffy had a lasting impact on him.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
