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At the height of her career, Sarah Michelle Gellar made a rare Hollywood move.
The former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star revealed she walked away from acting for nearly a decade after a series of life-changing events reshaped her priorities.
“I had my second child. I was on ‘The Crazy Ones.’ Robin [Williams] passed away,” she told People in an interview cover story. “And then I just … I think my world shifted. It was this moment of, ‘Holy s—, things change in a moment.’ For the first time I wanted a break, and I had never wanted a break before.”
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Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is seen in the NoMad area on March 16, 2026, in New York City. (Aeon/GC Images/Getty Images)
For Gellar, who built a career defined by constant work in Hollywood, the decision marked a major turning point.
“I was so defined by my work and my career that that was the propeller,” she said. “And I’m so glad that I did, because it’s time I can never get back with my kids.”
The actress, who has been married to Freddie Prinze Jr. for more than two decades, leaned into family life during her time away — embracing motherhood and a slower pace outside the spotlight.
She also credited her husband and therapy with helping her find balance.
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Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals why she took a nearly decade-long break from acting after having her second child with husband Freddie Prinze Jr. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Knott’s Scary Farm)
During that period, Gellar said she learned the importance of taking time for herself — something she hadn’t prioritized earlier in her career.
“And therapy!” she added, noting Prinze encouraged her to carve out space for personal well-being.
Now, Gellar said she’s in a completely different place.
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“I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and I’ve got nothing left to prove.”
After years focused on family, the actress made a return to Hollywood, stepping back into the spotlight with a renewed perspective.
Gellar is a judge on Netflix’s reboot of “Star Search,” while also returning to her roots in the thriller genre with the sequel “Ready or Not 2.”
The projects mark a full-circle moment for the actress, who built her legacy as a strong female lead in genre-defining roles.
Sara Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Stewart Head, Seth Green starred in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” (Getty Images)
Gellar, who skyrocketed to fame after starring in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” additionally explained why a planned reboot has been scrapped.
The Hollywood actress had been quietly developing a reboot with Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao and said she was finally ready to step back into her iconic role.
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“I’ve been asked since the day I left to return to Sunnydale,” Gellar said. “It never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do. And then four years ago, Chloé… comes into my life.”
She added, “In one meeting, she makes me say yes… It was like I was stepping back in time.”
But the project stalled after filming a pilot.
Sarah Michelle Gellar starred in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” starting in 1997. (Getty Images)
“No one saw this coming,” Gellar said during the South by Southwest festival, alleging one executive derailed it.
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“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.”
Fans reacted immediately.
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“The fans are why I wanted to do it in the first place,” Gellar explained.
“To thank them, to show them, and to be there for them, because that’s what ‘Buffy’ was about. ‘Buffy’ was about chosen family, and that you may feel like you don’t belong in the world, but there’s someone out there that sees you. And for me, it’s always been about me seeing those fans,” Gellar added. “This past weekend, it’s been about those fans seeing me.”
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“I’m going to hold my head high and keep going… That’s what Buffy Summers would do.”
The actress starred as the popular character Buffy for seven seasons, starting in 1997 until the show came to an end in 2003. Her character inherited the mission of destroying vampires and other demons from her town of Sunnydale, which was built on a gateway to the realm of the demons.