Charisma Carpenter has never looked better. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer star has barely aged a day in her latest Instagram photos, showcasing an insight into her recent vacation with fans.
The 56-year-old actress, best known for playing lovable Cordelia Chase on the iconic 90s TV show and its spin-off Angel, was pictured relaxing with her pet dog, rocking an eye-catching orange bikini with a geometric striped print.
© InstagramThe halterneck style highlighted her incredible figure and was perfectly paired with a matching bandana covering her long brunette hair. She showed off her age-defying looks by going makeup-free and wearing a large pair of tortoiseshell glasses.
Charisma wrote: "Another wonderful week at the lake: sunning, paddleboarding, swimming, observing ducks, taking afternoon walks, discovering brave deer, exploring a new Mediterranean cookbook with gorgeous fish and produce from wonderful sources, attempting to get Cris more familiar with water dog life, and binging The Agency with Michael Fassbender and Jeffrey Wright.
"Making it out to my friend’s family winery (@whitesilowinery ) was a highlight, too. It’s been a lovely summer. I never want it to end. As for ocean life vs. lake life… leaning toward lake life. Plus, it’s so much closer to the city.
"These are the things that make working hard all worth it. To be fortunate enough to relax, recharge, and come back ready to dig deep again and again. Thank you, G!".
© InstagramThe comments section was soon flooded with compliments from fans, who branded her more "beautiful" than ever. "Been crushing on you since ‘97!! Still smart, beautiful and loving life," one wrote.
Charisma's life since Buffy and Angel
Charisma has long been a favorite among fans. Although she first graced screens as the shallow high school queen bee Cordelia Chase in Buffy, her transformation into a selfless hero on Angel cemented her status as a Buffyverse icon.
© InstagramHer bouncy blow-dry inspired a legion of girls to copy her haircut, not to mention her incredible 90s wardrobe, which is still popular with the younger generation who are discovering the show for the first time.
Leaning into the current trend for nostalgia, Charismas has embarked upon a mammoth rewatch of both series, exploring her thoughts in her podcast, The B***h is Back.
The star is a regular on the fan convention circuit, too, making appearances at Comic Con Manchester, HellmouthCon and PCX Austin this summer alone.
© Alamy Stock PhotoSharing a number of photos from their epic Buffyverse reunion, Julie Benz, who played Darla on the show, showed what a fabulous time was had by all.
Despite the levity of her recent appearances, Charisma previously hit the headlines for speaking out about the toxic behind-the-scenes work culture on the Buffy and Angel sets and her difficult relationship with show creator Joss Whedon.
She branded the showrunner "casually cruel" and accused him of calling her fat when she was four months pregnant, before unceremoniously writing her off the show.
© InstagramJoss has since denied the fat-shaming allegations and said he was "bewildered" by her claims, although he admitted to being "not mannerly" in his interactions with her on set.
Charisma is still acting and will soon be making her theatrical stage debut as Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor for the Southern Shakespeare Festival in February 2027.
