Where Is the Cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Now?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on March 10, 1997, and changed the game, especially for those who were fans of vampires and teen dramas. The series ran for 144 episodes, launched the successful spin-off Angel, and turned its main cast into some of the most recognizable faces of late ’90s and early 2000s television.
It has since become a beloved rewatch for fans, and that staying power was evident again in 2025, when Hulu hoped to move forward with a sequel series pilot titled Buffy: New Sunnydale, with Sarah Michelle Gellar set to return as Buffy in a mentor role alongside a new generation of characters. The project was designed as a continuation of the original series rather than a reboot.
However, in March 2026, Hulu officially decided not to move forward with the series, leaving fans disappointed. Sadly, just as this news broke, fans learned of a death within the main cast as well after Nicholas Brendon passed away suddenly. In honor of him, let’s learn what the rest of the cast is up to these days.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (48)
Buffy Summers
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, Gellar continued working steadily in both film and television, with roles in The Grudge, Scooby-Doo, and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, and later series like Ringer and The Crazy Ones.
After taking time away from the spotlight to focus on family, she gradually returned to acting with voice work and select appearances, including Star Wars Rebels and The Big Bang Theory. Her career has seen a clear resurgence in recent years, with a starring role in the Paramount+ series Wolf Pack and a key part in Dexter: Original Sin. She also appeared in the Netflix film Do Revenge, reprised her role from 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer in a cameo, and is set to appear in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. In 2026, she also joined the Netflix revival of Star Search as a main judge.
In 2002, she married her Scooby-Doo costar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and they have 2 kids.
Alyson Hannigan (51)
Willow Rosenberg
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Lifetime
Hannigan built one of the most stable post-Buffy careers of the cast, thanks largely to her nine-season run as Lily Aldrin on How I Met Your Mother from 2005 to 2014. The role earned her multiple People’s Choice Awards. She also maintained her connection to major franchises by reprising her role as Michelle in the American Pie films, including American Reunion in 2012.
In more recent years, Hannigan has leaned into hosting and family-friendly programming, serving as the host of Penn & Teller: Fool Us from 2016 to 2023 and voicing Claire Clancy on Disney Junior’s Fancy Nancy from 2018 to 2022. She also competed on season 32 of Dancing with the Stars in 2023, finishing in fifth place, and has continued making guest appearances on television while taking on smaller acting roles, including the upcoming 2026 film Solo Mio.
She married her Buffy costar Alexis Denisof in 2003 and they have 2 kids together.
Charisma Carpenter (55)
Cordelia Chase
Greg Lavy/20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Cindy Ord/Getty Images
After leaving Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Carpenter continued her run as Cordelia Chase on the spin-off Angel from 1999 to 2004. She remained active on television throughout the 2000s, with recurring roles on Veronica Mars and appearances on Charmed, Greek and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She also built a steady presence in television films and genre projects, including Voodoo Moon, See Jane Date, and Relative Chaos.
Carpenter later branched into hosting with the Investigation Discovery series Surviving Evil, where she shared her own real-life experience surviving a violent attack as a teenager. In film, she appeared in The Expendables and The Expendables 2, and has continued working consistently in both TV movies and guest roles, including appearances on Chicago P.D., Lucifer and 9-1-1. More recently, she has taken on independent film projects like Hold You So Tight and The Doctor with Two Faces, while also launching a podcast, The B**ch Is Back, in 2025.
Anthony Stewart Head (72)
Rupert Giles
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Jesse Grant/Getty Images for WIRED
Head remained one of the most consistently working actors from the Buffy cast, returning to British television after the series ended. He took on a major role as King Uther Pendragon in Merlin, which introduced him to a new generation of viewers, and later appeared in series like The Stranger and Motherland. He also maintained a strong presence in voice-over and radio, including on BBC Radio 4’s Cabin Pressure.
More recently, Head reached a new global audience in his role as antagonist Rupert Mannion on Ted Lasso, earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for partaking in the ensemble. He also reprised his role as Giles in the Audible series Slayers: A Buffyverse Story (2023), reuniting with several former cast members.
David Boreanaz (56)
Angel
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Boreanaz has had one of the most consistent television careers of any Buffy cast member, transitioning directly from the spin-off Angel into another long-running hit. He starred as FBI agent Seeley Booth on Bones from 2005 to 2017, appearing in 246 episodes while also working as a producer and director on the series. He followed that success with another lead role as Jason Hayes on SEAL Team, which ran from 2017 to 2024, again serving as both actor and producer. In 2026, Boreanaz signed on to star in and produce a reboot of The Rockford Files.
He is married to actress Jaime Bergman, and they have 2 kids together.
Seth Green (52)
Daniel “Oz” Osbourne
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; Kevin Winter/Getty Images
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Green built one of the most diverse careers of the cast, balancing acting, voice work, and production. He became widely known as the voice of Chris Griffin on Family Guy, a role he has held since 1999, while also appearing in films like Rat Race, Without a Paddle, and the Austin Powers series as Scott Evil.
Over time, he shifted more heavily into voice acting, including roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 to 2017) and the Mass Effect video game series. Green’s biggest long-term success has come behind the scenes as the co-creator, writer, director, and producer of Robot Chicken, which has been running since 2005 and has earned multiple Emmy Awards. He has also voiced Howard the Duck across several Marvel projects, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the animated series What If…?. He also wrote, directed, and starred in the film Changeland and has continued taking on guest roles and voice work across television and streaming projects.
He is currently married to actress Clare Grant.
James Marsters (63)
Spike
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection; John Shearer/Getty Images for EW
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marsters continued his role as Spike on the spin-off Angel. He then appeared as Brainiac on Smallville, Captain John Hart on Torchwood, and took on recurring roles in series like Hawaii Five-0 and Marvel’s Runaways. He also built a strong presence in voice acting, including roles in the Dragon Ball franchise and DC animated projects. In recent years, Marsters has continued working across television, film, and voice roles, including projects like Curses! and independent films such as A Bread Factory. He also reprised his connection to the Buffyverse in the Audible series Slayers: A Buffyverse Story and remains widely recognized for his extensive audiobook narration, particularly for The Dresden Files series.
Alongside acting, he has maintained a music career with his band Ghost of the Robot, which released the album Tin Man in 2023.
Kristine Sutherland (70)
Joyce Summers
Richard Cartwright/UPN/Everett Collection
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sutherland stepped away from full-time acting. She shifted her focus toward photography, studying at Santa Monica College and eventually opening her own portrait studio. While she remained best known for her role as Joyce Summers, she continued to take occasional acting roles in both television and film. She appeared in the miniseries Comanche Moon and guest-starred on shows like New Amsterdam and The Following, as well as in a short run on the soap One Life to Live. In film, she had roles in The Perfect Wedding and the short Are You Afraid of the ’90s?. Compared to many of her co-stars, Sutherland has maintained a lower public profile in recent years.
She has been married to Mad About You actor John Pankow since 1985, and they have one child.
In Memoriam
Nicholas Brendon (1971–2026)
Xander Harris
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Nicholas Brendon died on March 20, 2026, from natural causes at age 54. His family confirmed he passed away in his sleep from natural causes. After Buffy, Brendon continued acting, appearing in series like Criminal Minds and independent films such as Coherence. In later years, he focused increasingly on visual art, creating and selling paintings.
Michelle Trachtenberg (1985–2025)
Dawn Summers
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Michelle Trachtenberg died on February 26, 2025, at age 39, from complications of diabetes. After Buffy, she transitioned to other shows, including the popular series Gossip Girl. In her later years, she hosted the true-crime docuseries Meet, Marry, Murder and remained active in television until shortly before her death.
Where to Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is currently available to stream on Hulu in the United States. The series is also available for digital purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
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