Before Joss Whedon created the thrilling supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he wrote the script for his planned film version of the story. In 1992, Buffy was released as a comedy vampire film, much different from what the series turned out to be. Interestingly, Whedon intended the Buffy film to be just like the series, but he revealed that the director’s vision and one particular actor destroyed the film.
While he was kind to director Fran Rubel Kuzui, he absolutely bashed actor Donald Sutherland and revealed that he was difficult to work with. The Avengers director shared that Sutherland did not respect his director and changed lines according to his will.
Joss Whedon Couldn’t Stand Donald Sutherland On The Buffy Movie Set
In the aftermath of his successful series remake of the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon was asked by IGN what went wrong in the film. Whedon shared that it was not the movie he intended and didn’t like the way it was going. However, he refrained from saying anything, as it was a cardinal rule on movie sets to respect the director. The Angel creator told IGN:
“I didn’t agree with the way the movie was going, but I also kept my mouth shut because you respect the director. You do that. You respect the person above you, and you make suggestions and you do your best. You know? But you don’t ever disrupt the chain of command. You have to have faith in the person who’s running it or things will fall apart.”
However, Whedon revealed one actor who, according to him, caused problems on the set and did not follow this ‘rule’. Whedon was initially hesitant to name the actor and mentioned him only as “the big, fat, wannabe movie star” and “the old guy”. However, when the IGN interviewer asked if the initials of the actor were “D.S.”, Whedon revealed that it was Donald Sutherland who was overriding the director’s creative decisions.
The Justice League step-in director revealed that Sutherland would randomly change his lines, giving a tough time to his director. Whedon told IGN:
“I believe that part of the problem was that the director was unable to control the big, fat, wannabe movie star who came – you know, the old guy. […] Donald. They were changing their lines and running roughshod over her and everybody else, and I’m sorry. You can’t have that.”
In another interview with AV Club, Whedon went on a rant about The Hunger Games actor calling him a “prick”. He claimed that Sutherland’s “little rewrites” and his “little ideas” about what his character should do destroyed the movie. Interestingly, the Buffy film has gained newfound respect in recent times.
The Irony In Joss Whedon Blaming Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland has been known for his mean on-set attitude, with various stories about it surfacing over the years. However, Joss Whedon’s blaming of Sutherland may be seen as the pot calling the kettle burnt. In 2020, Justice League star Ray Fisher accused Whedon of workplace harassment (via Variety). Gal Gadot also told N12 that the Firefly creator “kind of threatened” her career.
In 2021, Buffy actress Charisma Carpenter alleged that Whedon used to “abuse his power” and call her “fat”. In her tweet, she further added that he had asked her “if [she] was going to keep it” when he learned that she was pregnant. Following Carpenter’s allegations, Buffy co-stars Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg, also corroborated her remarks. Sarah Michelle Gellar also came forward in support of “all survivors of abuse.” (via Deadline)
It appears that the allegations forced Whedon to largely distance himself from the industry. Buffy the Vampire Slayer series is now available for streaming on Hulu, while the film is available on Max.
