Sarah Michelle Gellar pays shattering tribute to Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Nicholas Brendon after death at 54

Sarah Michelle Gellar touchingly remembered her late Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Nicholas Brendon on Instagram Saturday - the day after his death aged 54.

Brendon played Xander Harris, the fan favorite sidekick to Gellar's title character, through all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1997 to 2003.

His family indicated Friday in an edited version of their Instagram statement that he had 'passed in his sleep of natural causes.' 

An earlier version of the statement had revealed: '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.' 

The nature of the 'diagnosis' was unclear, but Brendon had been frank in public about a number of health issues he had suffered, such as a congenital heart defect, addiction and a fall that resulted in the spinal condition cauda equina syndrome.

Gellar, 48, reacted to the news of his death by posting a 1998 photo of the two of them together along with a message memorializing both him and his character.

She started by quoting one of Xander's famous lines: 'They’ll never know how tough it is to be the one who isn’t chosen. To live so near to the spotlight, and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody’s watching me.' 

Gellar then added her own message in reference to the quotation: 'I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.'  

In their statement on his death, his family praised him for his passion for art and his 'enthusiastic talent' as they shared photos of him acting as well as some of his paintings.

'Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years,' the statement read. 

'In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art,' it continued. 'Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.' 

His family described the multi-hyphenate artist as '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.' 

'Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination and heart,' his family members concluded in their joint statement. 

'Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.' 

The statement shared by the late actor's family was edited, but an earlier version published just hours earlier suggested that Brendon was going through treatment for an unspecified diagnosis at the time of his death.

In 2022, the actor previously revealed that he had suffered a heart attack and was subsequently diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. 

He previously opened up about his addiction struggles, explaining that also played a role in his ongoing health battles, including cauda equina syndrome.

Following a serious fall he had in February 2021, according to the Los Angeles Times, he suffered from cauda equina syndrome — the compression of a collection of nerve roots located at the bottom of the spinal cord, per the Cleveland Clinic — and was required to undergo multiple corrective spinal surgeries over the years.

Late last year, Brendon also underwent 'knee surgery,' according to his Facebook post in November 2025. 

In Buffy, Brendon played the lovable sidekick to Gellar's titular character, and together, they appeared in all seven seasons of the hit supernatural drama series, which aired from 1997 to 2003. 

He also played recurring roles on Criminal Minds as well as in Kitchen Confidential, a sitcom starring Bradley Cooper and based on Anthony Bourdain's same-name memoir aired on Fox for only one season. 

In addition to his major television roles, he starred in the 2000 film adaptation of Charles Busch's Psycho Beach Party alongside Lauren Ambrose and Amy Adams.

He also starred in the 2002 thriller Demon Island, the 2007 horror film Unholy and the 2013 sci-fi flick Coherence. 

Following his time on Buffy, Brendon's struggles with substance abuse and mental health became public, resulting in a string of arrests including prescription fraud.

Starting in 2010, he was charged with offenses ranging between felony vandalism, resisting or obstructing officers, criminal mischief and felony corporal injury to a spouse, with the latter ending in a plea deal and three-year probation. 

His recovery journey was intertwined with the arrests as he checked into rehab and opened up about his struggles with mental health and addiction over the years.

Shortly after the tragic news was announced, his costar Alyson Hannigan was among the first to pay tribute to Brendon on social media. 

The actress, who played Willow Rosenberg in Buffy, took to Instagram as she remembered some of their fond memories. 

'My Sweet Nicky, thank you for years of laughter, love and Dodgers,' she wrote alongside a photo of them hugging and crying during an emotional scene.

'I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you. RIP,' she wrote alongside emojis of a broken heart and a crying expression. 

Emma Caulfield, who played Brendon's love interest in the series, also posted a tribute on her Instagram Story. 

'My heart is heavy. I can't put into words just yet how this has hit me,' she wrote about her costar alongside a clip of a scene of them dancing during the famous musical episode from season six. 

'Let this clip of us giving it our all be a place holder,' she wrote. 'Rest Nicky. Rest. I love you.'