Sarah Michelle Gellar stepped away from Hollywood for eight years following the passing of her friend and iconic actor Robin Williams.
For many years, Sarah Michelle Gellar was frequently on screens and the fans couldn’t be happier. She was a regular presence in the lives of Buffy The Vampire Slayer lovers, with the supernatural drama TV series running for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003. Hollywood roles like in Scooby-Doo, in which she co-starred alongside husband Freddie Prinze Jr., followed. Her relative absence throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, on the other hand, struck fans as a shame but stems from the death of beloved figure Robin Williams…
Sarah Michelle Gellar was deeply affected by Robin Williams’ death
Robin tragically passed away after taking his own life in 2014, and fans were quick to celebrate all he had achieved across his 63 years of life, providing so much entertainment and joy to friends, family, and millions of strangers who idolized him not only for his work but his spirit.
Sarah was a friend of his but also a colleague, the pair having worked together on the sitcom The Crazy Ones from 2013, which ended up being Robin’s final TV role. The pair played father and daughter.
During an interview with People, Sarah reflected on the decision to remove herself from the spotlight of acting in the wake of Robin’s passing.
“When I had kids — and it was right after Robin passed away — there was just so much going on in my life and I just said, ‘I need to take a break,'” she admitted.
“I need to be here for these early formative years of my kids’ life. I needed that break to be the parent that I wanted to be.”
A personal tragedy can certainly help influence your approach to prioritization, and Sarah ultimately felt that it was imperative to be there for children more, even if it meant time away from doing what she’s been doing her whole life: acting.
Sarah Michelle Gellar returned after she ‘started to really miss’ acting
Taking eight years away from role after role, Sarah admitted she “started to really miss
it, but it’s also finding the right opportunity, something that speaks to you that also speaks to your audience”.
However, her triumphant return came as part of the American supernatural teen drama Wolf Pack, which premiered on Paramount+ last year.
Although it was a lengthy amount of time away, it’s great to have her back.
She spoke to People again in a later interview, reinforcing she has Robin to thank for the extra time she afforded herself to spend with the kids.
“I just said, ‘What am I doing? Like, my kids are really young. I’ve lived my whole life, I don’t want to miss this… I don’t want to be gone when Rocky takes this first step,'” she remembered.
“That’s what made me take all those years off was Robin. Not just him, but just you know, those moments in your life stop you in your tracks.”
If you are affected by any issues raised in the article or would like someone to speak to, please call the Samaritans for free on 116 123. You can also email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch in the UK. In the US, please visit Samaritans USA for more information.
You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text 741741 to get in touch with the Crisis Text Line. Americans can now call or text 988 to reach out and speak to a counselor.
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