Sarah Michelle Gellar has joined her Buffy the Vampire Slayer castmates in paying tribute to their late costar, Nicholas Brendon.
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Following the death of Brendon, who played Xander Harris, Gellar reacted to the news by quoting one of her co-star’s memorable lines from the beloved show.
“‘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,” the Buffy star wrote on Instagram alongside a candid snapshot. “I saw you, Nicky; I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.”
Of course, fans of the show likely recognized the quote Gellar chose right away. The line comes from a Season 7 scene between Xander and Dawn (played by Michelle Trachtenberg), who passed away in February 2025 at age 39.
Other ‘Buffy’ Stars Join Sarah Michelle Gellar in Paying Tribute to Nicholas Brendon
Meanwhile, Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase in the cult series, remembered her co-star as “warm and loving” after the 54-year-old died on Friday.
“I will miss the version of the man I once knew – someone who was so warm and loving,” Carpenter wrote on Instagram. “He was cuddly, funny, silly, self-deprecating, and supremely talented. I loved every scene we had together back in the day. He always kept me on my toes, never delivering a line the same way twice, forcing me to become a better actor by listening.”
“I will always remember him in my mind’s eye, in his trailer with the door wide open, in his rocking chair, smoking a cigarette and listening to music,” she continued. “From his trailer, which my window faced on the lot, I could hear all the bands that exemplify the 90s but are also, for me, tied up in the memory of Nicky. Bands like: Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, STP, Foo Fighters, OMC, Green Day, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Sublime, Creed, Barenaked Ladies, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Lauryn Hill, Blink-182, 311, Blur, Garbage, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls.”
“I miss those days and cling to those memories of him today.”
“I offer my condolences to his family, his closest friends – who were with him to the end – and to the fans around the world who found comfort in his work. May he be at peace now,” Carpenter concluded.
David Boreanaz, who played the vampire with a soul, Angel, on the series, also took to social media to remember Brendon.
“There are people you work with, and then there are people you share time with,” he wrote on Instagram. “Nick was the latter. Some moments stay small on paper, a laugh between takes, a look that says we got this, the quiet understanding of showing up, and doing the work together. But those are the things that last. He carried something real, not perfect, not polished, just real. And in this business, that matters more than most things. We don’t always get to choose how long someone stays in the story, only that they were here. And he was …Rest easy Brother. Some people leave a mark without trying.”
Meanwhile, Emma Caulfield, who played Anya (Xander’s ex-demon fiancée— it’s a long story), shared a video of Brendon discussing their duet “I’ll Never Tell” from the Season 6 musical episode, “Once More, With Feeling.”
“My heart is heavy,” Caulfield wrote on her Instagram Story. “I can’t put into words just how this has hit me. Let this clip of us giving it our all be a placeholder. Rest Nicky. Rest. I love you.”
Alyson Hannigan, who played Xander’s best friend Willow, also took to social media to pay tribute to Brendon in the wake of his passing.
“My Sweet Nicky, thank you for years of laughter, love, and Dodgers,” she wrote alongside a screenshot of the two in an emotional scene from Buffy. “I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you. RIP”
Brendon starred as Xander Harris for all seven seasons of the show, which ran from 1997 to 2003. Although he was one of the few main characters without supernatural abilities, he frequently helped Buffy save the world. He was often considered the heart of the “Scooby Gang,” the group of friends who assisted the slayer in her fight against evil forces.
Brendon’s family released a statement saying the 54-year-old actor died “in his sleep of natural causes” on March 20.