Sarah Michelle Gellar has spoken publicly following the death of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Anthony Head, who died on Friday.
The 49-year-old actor first worked alongside Head in 1997 when the pair joined the cult hit series, which ran for six years. Gellar played the titular Buffy Summers, while Head appeared as Rupert Giles — Buffy’s mentor and a steady, paternal presence throughout the show.
Head died on Friday aged 72 after complications from pneumonia. News of his passing prompted an outpouring of grief across the entertainment world, with Gellar among those hit hardest.
In a social media tribute, Gellar opened with a line from the series: “Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok.”
She then added her own message, acknowledging how difficult the loss has been. “Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok,” Gellar wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you. Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world.”
Head’s daughters, Emily and Daisy, confirmed their father’s passing on Friday, telling the BBC: “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
They also paid tribute to his legacy and the effect his work had on audiences around the world. “It has been, and forever will be, an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many,” their statement said.
Although he will always be closely associated with Buffy for many fans, Head’s career spanned a wide range of popular projects. His later roles included former football club owner Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso and King Uther Pendragon in the BBC’s Merlin. He also had a well-remembered run on the British sketch comedy series Little Britain, alongside numerous other performances over decades on screen and stage.
Gellar wasn’t the only member of the Buffy cast to honour him. Charisma Carpenter — who played Cordelia Chase — also shared a personal remembrance of Head and what he meant to viewers.
“He brought life to a character who, for so many, was the father figure they needed but didn’t have at home. Fans far and wide are surely grieving, and for that, I am deeply sorry.”
She continued by reflecting on what it was like to work with him early in her own career. “Tony was an icon long before I met him on set, something I came to appreciate fully as a young actress new to the business after being cast as Cordelia,” Carpenter wrote. “How fortunate I was to have worked with someone of his caliber and talent.”
Carpenter also described her first impression of him, saying she was ‘completely thrown off by his hippie-vibe demeanor, with a touch of punk-rock flair.’
“He had an earring, Converse high-tops, and a pair of loose-fitting, boldly striped pants. There wasn’t a trace of Giles to be found, which was a testament to his gifts.”
She added another story that, to her, captured his character. “Tony was incredibly kind to everyone and to every living thing. In fact, when ants once overtook my trailer at work, I asked the teamsters if they had any Raid to kill them. Tony suggested asking the ants to leave instead. I mean it when I say he respected every living thing. I can’t think of a finer example of a truly good human being.”
James Marsters, who played Spike, also shared a message in Head’s memory. “There’s a hole in the World. Anthony Head has passed on from us. He was an unflaggingly kind and steady presence on the set of Buffy, and the best actor in the cast.”
Marsters concluded: “He was the best of us. I was lucky to have known, and learned from him. He left the world a better place for his presence. Thank you Tony for all you gave.”