Entertainment
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Star Shares Her Character’s Biggest Fear
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
While the titular hero of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an expert at staking vamps, that doesn’t mean they never scare her. For example, the Season 1 episode “Nightmares” confirmed that Buffy’s biggest fear was being buried alive by The Master, a kind of archvampire and the show’s first Big Bad. While all fans are familiar with that memorable episode, most don’t realize that Buffy actor Sarah Michelle Gellar shares her character’s biggest fear of being buried alive.
Buffy And Sarah’s Biggest Fear
We know about Gellar’s fears thanks to a 1998 interview with Rolling Stone where she elaborated on “Nightmares.” According to the Buffy star, she shares her character’s biggest fear because she is irrationally scared “of cemeteries and being buried alive.” In fact, she even tried to wriggle out of filming the scene with The Master, but thanks to “miscommunication,” she ended up shooting that story beat anyway and reawakening her old trauma.
In the words of Buffy’s lead actor, she had to experience her character’s biggest fear because her initial objection to the producer “never got relayed,” possibly due to just how late they were filming. As Gellar remembers, it was “four in the morning, and “they basically made me do it.” Unlike the characters in “Nightmares,” facing her own fear didn’t help the actor conquer it…instead, she “was hysterical” during filming and now looks back with dread on that infamous shoot.
If you’re a longtime fan of the show, then you know that this series has plenty of stunts and other dangerous moments that could instantly ruin an actor’s day (if not their life) should something go wrong. Despite that, though, Gellar remembers this as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done for my job, ever.” She might have Buffy’s biggest fear, but the fact that Gellar made it through the shoot and made the scene look so convincing is proof that she also has the Slayer’s courage in the face of adversity.
Just how hard was it for Sarah Michelle Gellar to bring Buffy’s biggest fear to life? She noted that she “cried the whole way home” about the “horrible” experience, but the actor still maintained a sense of humor about this harrowing tale. “It’s really hard to be a vampire slayer if you’re scared of cemeteries,” she said.
Another way that Gellar maintained her sense of humor about all of this is by contrasting herself with some of her show’s spookier fans. As she pointed out, “some people find cemeteries a turn-on,” so much so that they “like sex in cemeteries.” However, this entire scene was her own nightmare come true because it combined her two biggest phobias: cemeteries and getting buried alive.
Interestingly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer never really returned to the topic of the character’s biggest fear. In subsequent seasons, we would see Gellar’s character face a giant snake, a cyborg, a god. Heck, we see her keep one apocalypse after another from tearing the entire world apart. But Buffy herself rarely gets buried alive like in “Nightmares”…unfortunately, the character does spend a lot of time in cemeteries, which means Gellar had to continue facing at least one of her greatest fears on a regular basis.
Knowing that Buffy’s actor shares the character’s greatest fear honestly gives “Nightmares” a bit more resonance. It was already one of the show’s better Season 1 episodes, but knowing that it forced Gellar to fight her own fears has given us new respect for one of Hollywood’s greatest actors. As for us, we’re not all that scared of being buried alive because we share Xander’s greatest fear: killer clowns.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
