Sarah Michelle Gellar took to Instagram early Saturday morning to pay tribute to her longtime Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Nicholas Brendon, who passed away Friday at the age of 54.
“They’ll never know how hard it is for those who don’t get picked. Living so close to the spotlight and never stepping into it. But I do know that because no one is looking at me, I see so much more than anyone realizes,” Geller wrote, sharing a photo of herself and Brendon. “I met Nicky. I know he’s resting peacefully in his big rocking chair in the sky.”
This quote comes from a conversation between Brendon’s character Xander and Michelle Trachtenberg’s Dawn in Season 7 of Buffy. Mr. Trachtenberg passed away in February 2025 at the age of 39.
Fellow Buffy star David Boreanaz also remembered Brendon on Instagram, saying, “There are people you work with, and there are people you share time with. Nick was the latter. There are little moments on paper, like the laughs between takes, the looks that say you get this, the quiet understanding of coming on set and working together.” But those are the things that last. He had the real, not perfect, not polished, just the real thing. And in this business, that’s more important than most things. You can always choose how long someone stays in the story, just that they were here… ”
Brendon’s family announced his death in a statement on Friday, saying, “We are saddened to hear of the passing of our brother and son Nicholas Brendon. He passed away in his sleep from natural causes. Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years, Nicky has developed a passion for painting and art. He loved to share his unique talents with his family, friends, and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and had a constant desire to create. At the time of his death, he was optimistic about his future. We ask for privacy as we mourn his death and celebrate the life of a man who lived with passion, imagination, and heart.”
In WB’s cult classic, Xander was one of Buffy’s closest allies in the fight against the forces of darkness. Brendon was popular among the cast for his loyalty to his friends and sarcastic sense of humor. His other most famous TV role was playing ex-hacker Kevin Lynch in episode 21 of “Criminal Minds.” On the film front, Brendon appeared in Demon Island, Unholy, and an adaptation of Charles Bush’s Psycho Beach Party with co-stars Amy Adams and Lauren Ambrose.
