Nearly ten years after stepping away from the limelight, Sarah Michelle Gellar has finally spoken up about her Hollywood hiatus.
In a rare conversation with People, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon talked about her decade-long break, citing life changes and personal loss as the reasons behind her departure.
“I had my second child. I was on ‘The Crazy Ones.’ Robin [Williams] passed away. And then I just … I think my world shifted. It was this moment of, ‘Holy s**t, things change in a moment.’ For the first time I wanted a break, and I had never wanted a break before.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who has been married to Freddie Prinze Jr. for twenty years, revealed that juggling between her family and her demanding career drove her to a major pivot, choosing the former.
“I was so defined by my work and my career that that was the propeller. And I’m so glad that I did, because it’s time I can never get back with my kids.”
Her last major appearance was in the CBS sitcom The Crazy Ones (2013–2014), where she starred as Sydney Roberts, the daughter of Robin Williams’ character, Simon Roberts.
Her onscreen father’s death ultimately led her to shy away from the spotlight.
Now, for about two decades, the Cruel Intentions star has lived a quiet life with her husband and children, as she embraces motherhood and prioritizes her family.
Sarah Michelle Gellar added that she found balance by going to therapy, as well as the help of her partner. By doing so, the actress also learned to take care of her well-being.
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and I’ve got nothing left to prove.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar speaks out on why the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was cancelled: “No one saw this coming”
Meanwhile, the actress opened up about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot and why it was ultimately discarded. Sarah Michelle Gellar shared that she had been quietly working with filmmaker Chloe Zhao.
“I’ve been asked since the day I left to return to Sunnydale. It never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do. And then four years ago, Chloé… comes into my life. In one meeting, she makes me say yes… It was like I was stepping back in time.”
However, the filming was scrapped, and the actress alleged that an executive thwarted the project.
“No one saw this coming. We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, was proud to constantly remind us that they had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for them.”
On a brighter note, she has been confirmed to make her return to the entertainment industry as a judge on Netflix’s reboot of Star Search. She will also make her comeback in the sequel to the thriller Ready or Not.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino