Sarah Michelle Gellar Looks Back on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ for Show’s 22nd Anniversary: ‘I Am Eternally Grateful’

Over two decades ago, Sarah Michelle Gellar first wielded Mr. Pointy when she starred as the demon-slaying heroine in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. America loved the show so much that it ran for seven seasons before airing its last episode in 2003 and has lived on thanks to reruns and streaming. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, March 10, Sarah posted a photo of herself as Buffy to remember the iconic program that played a big part in her career.

“Clearly March is a huge month in my life. 22 years ago today, the show that changed my life, debuted on a little known network, the WB,” the 41-year-old wrote. “To everyone that took a chance on me and this show, thank you. And to all the fans, that watched from the beginning and to those just discovering, thank you for keeping this show and this character relevant. I am eternally grateful to be your chosen one. (Even though I was originally chosen to be Cordelia lol).”

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In an interview with The Wrap, Freddie Prinze Jr.‘s wife recalled her favorite memories from the Joss Whedon series. She said: “For me, the beauty of the show was the madness and horrors of high school manifesting in actual literal horrors.” Sarah also revealed in a past Reddit AMA that her favorite episode from the series — which also starred Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan and other familiar faces — was “The Prom.” 

“I just love that whole story, and I thought it just encapsulated the show so well. It was beautiful and heartbreaking,” she gushed. In the episode, Sarah attended the prom and had to end up killing a couple of “hellhounds” before it ruined the magical night for the students. Buffy was so beloved that a diverse reboot is currently in the works, per Deadline. 

“I had the greatest privilege to bring Buffy to your TV screens for the first time,” Sarah wrote on Instagram two years ago while celebrating Buffy‘s 20th anniversary. “As an actor, you wish for that one role where you can leave your mark and forever be remembered, with Buffy I got so much more. She’s a feminist challenge to gender hierarchy. Buffy may have been the Chosen One, but I was the lucky one.”

While starring as Buffy, Sarah played another notable role: Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions. Just last week, she celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 1999 film by posting about it on her Instagram. “Well, 20 years later I may be even more proud of this film,” Sarah wrote. “Not very often do you get to be a part of cinema, that holds the test of time.”