‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’: Why Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Kids Think She’s the ‘World’s Biggest Disappointment’

When Buffy the Vampire Slayer hit theaters in 1992, the movie was a modest success. But its box office take — $16 million against a budget of $7 million — wasn’t enough to warrant a TV series. Of course, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the rare instance of a TV show improving on the movie it’s based on. And the show singlehandedly made Sarah Michelle Gellar famous.

Sarah Michelle Gellar created a TV icon on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

Stepping in for the movie’s Kristy Swanson, Gellar spent seven seasons fighting the forces of darkness. Part of why Buffy the Vampire Slayer eclipsed the movie version is the vision of showrunner Joss Whedon. But Gellar’s performance on the series consistently elevated the material even moreso.

Without her iconic turn as “the Chosen one,” Buffy the Vampire Slayer very likely would not have become such a success. As it is, the show proved to be one of the most influential of the 1990s. And Gellar was able to expand her career into movies thanks to its success. Hits like Cruel Intentions, Scooby-Doo, and The Grudge made the actor a bonafide movie star.

Now she’s revealed the 1 reason her kids finally think she’s cool

Apparently, Gellar’s successful career, however, hasn’t alone been enough to impress her kids. As she told The Kelly Clarkson Show in a recent interview, Gellar has finally found a way to win over her children. And as it turns out, she has a recent binge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to thank.

“We just started. I had never thought to show it to them. They asked during quarantine. They were trying to find shows to binge. And I was like, ‘okay.’ I didn’t even know if they’d be into it, but they are like so into it. Except I’m the world’s biggest disappointment for them because they’ll always ask questions and I’ll be like ‘I don’t remember. I’ll have to text someone and ask.’ They think they know it better than I do at this point.”

Gellar has two children — a son and a daughter — with husband Freddie Prinze Jr. The couple married in 2002 and have appeared in a few movies together. Most notably, the real-life lovebirds play Daphne and Fred in the live-action Scooby-Doo movies.

The ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ reboot is still in development

Although many 1990s movies and TV shows are getting the reboot treatment, fans nostalgic for Gellar’s version shouldn’t hold their breath for a revival. In fact, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is in the works. But none of the show’s original cast members are — at least so far — involved.

Perhaps that might change as the project’s development continues. By the sounds of it, the new show could be set in the same universe as the original show. And in that case, the door could be left wide open for Gellar and her castmates to bring their fan-favorite characters back.