Sunnydale was well-represented at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, with Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz reuniting on stage to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ premiered,” Boreanaz began, to which Gellar replied, “Yes. For those of you keeping track at home, I had just turned two.”
The duo then poked fun at the ludicrous age gap between their characters, human Buffy and vampire Angel: “When you think about it, it’s kind of crazy,” Boreanaz said. “A teenage girl chosen by fate to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness? And then she falls in love with a vampire with a soul, carrying around a couple hundred years of regret?” After establishing that Angel was 241 years old, Boreanaz suggested that he and Buffy had a “May-December romance,” but Gellar corrected him and called it “more like a May-December 1787 romance.”
Much to the delight of fans everywhere, Boreanaz added, “I always thought that Buffy and Angel were endgame,” though Gellar was quick to squash those hopes. “Well, I guess we won’t find out!” she said with a shrug, alluding to Hulu’s recent cancellation of the “Buffy” reboot. She then gave a quick “thank you” to those in the audience who got the joke.
Sadly, several major “Buffy” cast members have died in recent years — Michelle Trachtenberg in February 2025, Nicholas Brendan in March 2026, and Anthony Stewart Head in June 2026 — and Gellar and Boreanaz did take a moment at the Emmys to acknowledge those who are no longer present to celebrate the franchise’s milestone.
“It has been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew, and we feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people,” Gellar said.
She and Boreanaz presented the award for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, which ultimately went to Matthew Rhys (Netflix’s “The Beast in Me”). His fellow nominees included Riz Ahmed (“Prime Video’s “Bait”), Jason Bateman (Netflix’s “Black Rabbit”), Charlie Hunnam (“Netflix’s “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”), and Oscar Isaac (Netflix’s “Beef”). For more of this year’s results, check out TVLine’s list of 2026 Emmy winners.