My mother was a monster and my father was no one at all to me.

When I was growing up, my role models had to be something other than the people around me. If I had a father at all, he was Rupert Giles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fictional guardian.

Obviously, Giles was never real, and his performer was never really Giles. But I remained deeply grateful to Anthony Stewart Head for playing a role that had meant so much to me at a time when abusers had effectively isolated me from any true positive influence.

Today, I learned that Anthony died two days ago on Friday, and it hits a little like it did when I lost one of my favorite uncles—a man who sometimes protected me from my mom—to a drive-by shooting while I was still in need of a father figure.

....

#BuffyTheVampireSlayer #AnthonyStewartHead #RupertGiles #Grief #MentalHealth #Healing #WritingCommunity #TraumaRecovery #PersonalStory #Fandom #RestInPeace

BBC Breakfast hosts close live show with emotional tribute to Anthony Head

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bbc-breakfast-hosts-close-live-37257169

Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar leaves fans 'heartbroken' with Anthony Head tribute

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/sarah-michelle-gellar-anthony-head-37256457

Rest well, Anthony Head - thank you for Giles, your voice, and your kindness.

#anthonystewarthead #rupertgiles #portrait #speedpainting #study #inmemoriam

I wish he could, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApyJdymNnOs

#AnthonyStewartHead #Buffy #RIP #RupertGiles #OnceMoreWithFeeling

Anthony Head's family confirm cause of death as Buffy star dies aged 72

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/anthony-head-cause-of-death-37255892

BBC The One Show presenters pay tribute to two stars after 'sad' deaths

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bbc-one-show-presenters-pay-37256064

Sad news again today. Like many others of my generation, I discovered Anthony Stewart Head through Buffy (even though 'Repo! The Genetic Opera' will always have a little piece of my weirdo heart too). He was a prolific actor and musician whose career in film, TV, and theatre spanned decades.

What made his portrayal of Giles stay with so many of us was the heart, vulnerability, sarcasm, and complexity he brought to the role. Someone endearingly socially awkward, yet fiercely protective, stepping in as the accepting, supportive father figure that the Scooby Gang could always rely on, and perhaps that many people wished they had around, as well. The show's found family dynamic resonated with tons of young viewers, for many reasons, and Giles was undeniably at the centre of it.

By all accounts, he seems to have been a genuinely kind and accepting guy in real life too: the story of him reaching out to a trans fan who was struggling and was sad because all his convention photos and autographs were signed to his deadname, inviting him over to his farm to spend the day, and printing new photos to sign for him, is proof of that (https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/12/20/anthony-stewart-head-trans-fan/). It’s nice to know he was just as decent of a person as the character we all loved. Rest in peace, Watcher.

#AnthonyHead #AnthonyStewartHead #Buffy #BuffyTheVampireSlayer #TV #Television #Giles #RupertGiles