Charisma Carpenter NOT Returning as Cordelia in the BUFFY Reboot

Filming for the pilot of the highly anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival for Hulu is currently underway. Both the original star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and the new slayer, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, have been spotted on set. The pair has even shared videos of their slayerific workouts. But despite rumors, one classic Buffyverse cast member won’t be returning. At least, not yet. Via Comic Book, we’ve learned that Charisma Carpenter, who played “mean girl” turned Slayer ally Cordelia Chase on both Buffy and Angel, is not a part of the new Buffy series. Here’s what Carpenter had to say to the Buffy fandom via TikTok post:

Hey, I get asked this a lot: ‘Are you doing the reboot?’ And I thought I would address it. I am not in the reboot. I am not in the pilot. I don’t even know if the show has been picked up to go to series. I assume it will be…. I have not had a conversation with any of the powers that be to include Cordelia at this point.

Many assumed the name of Carpenter’s Buffy rewatch podcast, The Bitch is Back, was a code to the fans that Cordelia would soon return. But Charisma Carpenter maintains that it is not the case. We should note that just because Charisma Carpenter’s Cordelia isn’t in the pilot of the Buffy reboot, or even the first season, doesn’t mean her character won’t ever return. Sarah Michelle Gellar has maintained that she wants every former major cast member to return at some point. Even those characters who have died. And that includes Cordelia, who died in the 100th episode of Angel back in 2004. But clearly, since the series mostly focuses on new characters, they have to establish them first. After that, we hope that the 1999 graduating class of Sunnydale High can return in style.

Fingers crossed that even though Charisma Carpenter’s Cordelia is not returning in the Buffy reboot right now, she will sooner rather than later.