‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ pays tribute to Nicholas Brendon

Cast Buffy the Vampire Slayer Tributes are being paid to Nicholas Brendon after news of his death was revealed on Friday.

Brendon’s family shared the news of his death in a joint statement with Hollywood ReporterIt read: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son Nicholas Brendon. He passed away in his sleep of natural causes.”

The statement continued: “Nicky loved sharing his passionate talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him knew that his art was one of the purest reflections of his personality.” “Although it is no secret that Nicholas had struggled with his past, he was taking medications and therapy to manage his diagnosis and was optimistic about the future at the time of his death. Our family requests privacy during this time as we mourn his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with strength, imagination and heart.”

The actor previously revealed in 2023 that he suffered a heart attack and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also suffered from cauda equina syndrome, which resulted in several spinal surgeries.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, the main character, took to Instagram on Saturday morning to share the tribute. “They will never know how hard it is to be the person who wasn’t chosen. To live close to the spotlight, and never step into it. But I know. I see more than anyone realizes, ’cause no one’s watching,” I saw you, Nikki. “I know you’re at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky,” she wrote, quoting his character, Xander, on the show, alongside a nostalgic photo of the pair.

David Boreanaz, who played Angel on the series before starring in its spinoff, also wrote a tribute Saturday morning. “There are people you work with, and there are people you share time with. Nick was the last one,” he wrote on Instagram along with an old photo of them together. “Some moments stay small on paper, a laugh between takes, a look that says we’ve got this, the quiet understanding of showing up and doing the work together. But those are the things that last.”

He continued, “There was something real about him, not perfect, not polished, just real. And in this business, that matters more than most things. We can’t always choose how long someone stays in the story, just that he was here. And he was… rest assured, brother. Some people leave a mark without even trying.”

Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase and was one of Xander’s love interests in the horror drama, shared a long tribute accompanied by a collage of photos from the shoot. “I will miss the version of the man I once knew — someone who was so warm and loving. He was lovable, funny, silly, self-deprecating, and incredibly talented,” she wrote in part. “I loved every scene we did together that day. He always kept me on my toes, and never delivered a line the same way twice, forcing me to become a better actor by listening.”

Carpenter added: “I will always remember him in my mind, in his trailer with the door wide open, in his rocking chair, smoking a cigarette and listening to music. From his trailer, which my window faced on the lot, I could hear all the bands that embody the ’90s but are also, for me, tied to Nicky’s memory. Bands like: Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, STP, Foo Fighters, OMC, Green Day, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Sublime, Creed, Barenaked Ladies, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Lauryn Hill, Blink-182, 311, Blur, Garbage, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls I miss those days and I cling to those memories of him today.

Alyson Hannigan, who starred alongside Brendon in all seven seasons of the series Buffyhe wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram Friday. Under a photo of them, she wrote: “Dear Nikki, Thank you for the years of laughter, love and dodgeballs. I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you. Rest in peace.”

Emma Caulfield Ford, who joined during the show’s third installment and portrayed Scooby gang member Anya Jenkins, took to her Instagram Stories on Friday night, writing: “My heart is so heavy. I can’t put into words yet how this has hit me.” She shared a clip of Brendon in the series, adding: “Let this clip where we give our all have room. Rest Nikki. Rest. I love you.”

David Greenwalt, who was a writer, director and executive producer on the show, also paid tribute in a statement shared with Hollywood Reporter“They were the Beatles, a truly great band for a new generation: Sarah, Nicky, Ali and Charisma. Mr. Weedon was, of course, George Martin for all of us. Nicky was an original, funny long-ball player, able to leap towering emotional changes in one fell swoop. Overflowing with timing and talent, Mr. Brendon never stopped bouncing, weaving and bonding with everyone alike. It will never come again like this, but we have to see it and breathe and live it with Nicky by our side and not taking it away.” Sunday.

Brendon’s death comes just over a year after his own Buffy Actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died at the age of 39.

Read more tributes to Brendon below.