It's been a tough time for Buffy fans (myself included). Hulu has cancelled the pilot for a revival series, and most tragically, Nicholas Brendon, who played Buffy's best friend Xander Harris in the Scooby Gang, has died aged 54.
Brendon's family confirmed in a statement on social media that "he passed in his sleep of natural causes."
His family added: "He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.
"Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art."
Brendon was open about his health struggles, including a heart attack, and underwent two spinal surgeries for cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition that can affect movement as well as bladder and bowel function.
The actor also lived with a stutter, later advocating the cause as a spokesperson for the Stuttering Foundation of America.
The late actor had also opened up about his struggles with substance addiction, alcoholism and mental health issues.
His family told The Hollywood Reporter (THR): "While it's no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing."
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the titular slayer, paid tribute to Brendon with one of Xander's quotes: “They'll never know how tough it is … to live so near the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me." She added: "I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, arguably one of the greatest television series of all time, is long overdue for a rewatch on Disney+.
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