Alyson Hannigan spoke out following the death of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Anthony Stewart Head.
“This cut is so deep I fear it can never heal,” Hannigan, 52, admitted in a poignant Instagram post on Saturday, June 6.
The duo starred together for seven seasons on the cult classic supernatural horror series, in which Hannigan played wiccan hero Willow Rosenberg and Head portrayed Buffy’s watcher Rupert Giles.
“Oh Tonal…I am so grateful to have had you in my life,” Hannigan’s tribute went on. “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.”
Buffy’s lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar offered Hannigan support in the post’s comment section, writing, “He loved you so dearly Aly.”
Anthony’s daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, announced on Friday, June 5, that their father died following a battle with pneumonia.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head,” they revealed. “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
Their statement continued, “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. 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.”
Many of the most iconic stars from Buffy — including David Boreanaz, Eliza Dushku, James Marsters and Emma Caulfield — reflected on the life and legacy of their late costar following the announcement of his death.
“Tony H ~ For every scene & time shared, I give thanks. Rest in love and peace, kind sir. A dear one,” Dushku, 45, shared via her Instagram Story.
Gellar, 49, quoted an iconic scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in her own memorial message for Anthony.
“‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok.’ Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok,” she wrote via Instagram on Friday. “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.”
The Buffy community has endured significant loss in recent years. Michelle Trachtenberg — who played Buffy’s sister Dawn Summers — died from complications of diabetes mellitus at age 39 in February 2025 while Xander Harris actor Nicholas Brendon died at age 54 from a multitude of medical issues in March. (An autopsy report obtained by Us Weekly determined that Brendon had atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with acute pneumonia and previous myocardial infarction, a.k.a. heart attack, as a contributing factor.)
