A lot of people like to brag and say that they march to the beat of their own drummer. Very few, however, ever manage to put their money where their mouth is — but not Sarah Michelle Gellar .
She’s been a trailblazer, an icon, as well as a role model for young women for nearly 25 years. Get to know her better by checking out these 10+ facts about Sarah Michelle Gellar that fans didn’t know.
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1. Sarah’s first job was a commercial for Burger King!
From the time she was barely old enough to walk and talk, Sarah has been working toward her dream of becoming an actress.
I wonder if she still gets free Burger King?
It was one of the first examples of shame-advertising in the U.S..
McDonald’s wasn’t happy about it, either! They sued Burger King for slander and named Sarah Michelle in the injunction!
She was even forced to testify in open court as to the legitimacy of the claims made in the commercial.
2. As a child, Sarah was bullied constantly.
As a young girl, Sarah Michelle attended the prestigious Columbia Grammar and Prep School.
She was constantly teased and belittled by her classmates, so much so that Sarah Michelle was forced to change schools.
3. She and Selma Blair are still best friends.
Sarah and Selma set the world ablaze during their heated makeout session in the ’90s cult classic Cruel Intentions .
Fun fact: from the first day that they met, Selma gave Sarah the nickname “Scarah.”
4. Sarah is an Emmy winner!
You’re not crazy — Buffy the Vampire Slayer was never nominated for an Emmy.
But long before she became the Slayer of Sunnydale, Sarah Michelle was a soap opera superstar! She won for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in a Drama Series.
5. She really can figure skate.
Not only can Sarah Michelle kick butt like Buffy but she also skates in real life too!
As it turns out, Sarah’s daughter also shares her passion for ice skating. So Sarah Michelle reached out to gold medalist Michelle Kwan for a lesson!
6. Sarah’s guilty pleasure TV show is something we can all appreciate.
Sarah admitted (albeit reluctantly) that she just can’t seem to get enough of The Bachelor !
Regardless of her schedule or wherever she happens to be in the world, it’s one of her favorite ways to relax and unwind.
7. Buffy is in the TV history books.
The series was groundbreaking for a number of different reasons. Buffy the Vampire Slayer thrust a strong female protagonist into the supernatural action fray for the first time.
It was a giant step forward for feminism.
8. Sarah has a black belt in Taekwondo
It turns out that Sarah actually did some of her stunts and fight choreography on Buffy the Vampire Slayer .
She’s studied martial arts, as well as street fighting for several years.
9. She met her then future-husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., on the set of *I Know What You Did Last Summer*.
I am so excited that fall has finally arrived because now I have an excuse to watch what’s quite possibly the best slasher flick of the ’90s!
Sarah and Freddie didn’t start dating until three years later.
10. Vampire slayer by night, homeschool hero by day!
COVID-19 rocked the world to its core. In the midst of the global quarantine, Sarah sprang into action and dedicated herself to furthering her children’s education.
With a little help (and a lot of wine ) Sarah made it through.
11. Sarah co-founded her own bakery!
Foodstirs is a junk-free bakery dedicated to providing healthy, delicious, and nutritious treats!
All of their offerings are low in sugar, certified organic/non-GMO, and they also use fair-trade chocolate!
12. Video game addiction threatened her marriage!
Freddie Prinze Jr. became utterly obsessed with the popular RPG, World of Warcraft (who hasn’t, am I right?).
It got so bad that Sarah Michelle had to join a support group called Widows of Warcraft!
13. She has a very odd and unique hidden talent.
Sarah is a self-proclaimed master of the parabolas. As you can see, she holds her own fairly well.
According to Sarah, she learned how to juggle on set in between takes as a way to fight the boredom.
14. Sarah is a vocal advocate for mental health and wellbeing.
Quarantine, for some, was an incredibly difficult and challenging time. Many people’s mental health suffered — including Sarah’s.
She never shied away from this fact and spoke honestly about her own tips and strategies to cope with anxiety.
15. She’s dedicated to finding a cure for MS.
Multiple sclerosis is a disabling disease . In layman’s terms, your brain slowly loses its ability to communicate effectively with your spinal cord.
Selma Blair, Sarah Michelle’s best friend, was diagnosed with the disease in 2018. Since then, Sarah Michelle has arranged a meal train so that Selma never has to worry about cooking.
16. Sarah’s a citizen of Springfield!
Sarah Michelle made a cameo appearance in season 24’s “The Wandering Juvie.” She played Gina Vendetti , Bart’s prison-bound love interest.
It may not go down in the history books but it’s still one of the better episodes in the latter half of the series.
17. She followed in the footsteps of a superhero!
When Sarah Michelle turned 21, she signed a deal with the international skincare and cosmetics company, Maybelline.
She was the first celebrity to endorse the brand since Linda Carter . For those who don’t know, Linda starred on the TV version of Wonder Woman .
18. She’s got a pretty good singing voice.
In what seemed like a truly bizarre move at the time, Joss Whedon decided to go ahead with an all-singing, all-dancing episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer .
To Sarah’s credit, she refused to accept the help of a voice double. That’s really her singing!
19. Her highest-grossing film may surprise you.
I’ll save you the trouble — it isn’t Cruel Intentions . It isn’t I Know What You Did Last Summer either.
Sarah’s most popular film (according to the box office numbers) is Scooby Doo .
20. Sarah Michelle was a muse.
Sarah made a cameo appearance in Stone Temple Pilot’s video for their single “Sour Girl.”
Sarah Michelle was a huge fan of the band at the time (who wasn’t?) and leaped at the opportunity.
21. She’s turned down several major roles in TV and film.
You might be shocked to learn that Sarah was offered the starring role in Romeo + Juliet . She also said no to starring opposite Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in Fight Club .
She even refused to appear in Gangs of New York ! Who says no to Scorcese ? No one!
