The cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer has paid tribute to Anthony Head, who has died at the age of 72. British actor Anthony starred as Rupert Giles in seven seasons of the hit TV series, Buffy's Watcher and mentor.
"'Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok.' Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok," wrote Sarah Michelle Gellar, who starred as the titular slayer. "But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you. Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world."
© Sarah Michelle GellarSarah shared a series of pictues of her and Anthony throughout the years, including with her husband Freddie Prinze Jr.
"This cut is so deep I fear it can never heal. Oh Tonal… I am so grateful to have had you in my life! I want to say a million wonderful things about you and yet I can’t seem to find the words that would do you justice. I love you so much and will miss you forever. RIP," shared Alyson alongside a picture of the two of them in their early years on the show.
"RIP... he was so kind and generous of a soul," David Boreanaz, who worked with Anthony on the first three seasons of the hit show, shared on Stories.
© Sarah Michelle GellarSa"There’s a hole in the World. Anthony Head has passed on from us. He was an unflaggingly kind and steady presence on the set of Buffy, and the best actor in the cast," wrote James Marsters, who joined the show in season two as the vampire Spike.
"He was the best of us. I was lucky to have known, and learned from him. He left the world a better place for his presence. Thank you Tony for all you gave."
Emma Caulfield, who played the lovable demon Anya, shared a selfie she had taken with Anthony in 2011, eight years after the show had ended.
"This was taken on the London Underground in 2011. I went to visit my friend Tony on the set of The Iron Lady. We had lunch, hit up a record store, had dinner and drinks and laughed until our sides hurt. It was a perfect day," she wrote.
"There were many of these moments with this amazing human who I was lucky enough to call my friend for 27 years. He was kind and wise and a guide in troubled times. You were so loved. Impossible to caption. You are so missed."
Charisma Carpenter, who starred in Buffy for three seasons as Cordelia Chase and then appeared in all five seasons of Angel, wrote a lengthy tribute in which she called Giles "the father figure [viewers] needed but didn’t have at home".
"Tony was an icon long before I met him on set, something I came to appreciate fully as a young actress new to the business after being cast as Cordelia. How fortunate I was to have worked with someone of his caliber and talent," she shared. "I remember meeting him in the production office for the first time and being completely thrown off by his hippie-vibe demeanor, with a touch of punk-rock flair. He had an earring, Converse high-tops, and a pair of loose-fitting, boldly striped pants. There wasn’t a trace of Giles to be found, which was a testament to his gifts.".
She shared that once, ants took over her trailer, and "Tony suggested asking the ants to leave instead. I mean it when I say he respected every living thing. I can’t think of a finer example of a truly good human being."
© Sarah Michelle GellarJ. August Richards, who starred in the Buffy spin-off Angel, wrote: "To the wonderful, #AnthonyStewartHead, Rest in Peace… My condolences to his family, friends and everyone who knew and loved him. In our limited interactions, he was always incredibly warm and kind. A true gentleman."
"We lost one of the good ones today," added Amber Benson, who joined in season four as Tara.
© WireImage"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head," his daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, said in a statemen on Friday, June 5.
"He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family. It has been, and forever will be, an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many."
© FilmMagicThe statement continued: "We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in – he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.
"Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind, but we know his legacy will live on, in the shows he was a part of, and in the audiences that love them. How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us."
They concluded: "We kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this difficult time."
© Disney General Entertainment ConAnthony's most recent role was as former Richmond FC owner Rupert Mannion, the ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham's character Rebecca, in football comedy Ted Lasso. His other notable roles were the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon in Merlin, the father of Prince Arthur.
Anthony's death comes just six months after his partner of 37 years, renowned animal-welfare advocate Sarah Fisher, died in December 2025.
Emily and Daisy confirmed the loss of their "extraordinary, kind and talented mother" in a statement on Facebook in January.
© Alamy Stock PhotoHis passing also comes three months after his Buffy co-star Nicholas Brendan, who starred as Xander Harris, died at the age of 54.
"We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes," the family's statement read.
"'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.' I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky," penned Sarah Michelle in tribute, referencing one of Xander's most famous quotes.
