Sadly, Hollywood and the world at large have lost yet another beloved actor in Anthony Head, who died this week at the age of 72. Head’s death was confirmed by his family, and the beloved performer died due to complications from pneumonia. Known best for his roles on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, Head has been widely mourned by fans thus far. Many of the late actor's co-stars are also now paying tribute to him, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, as she shared an emotionally candid post.
Sarah Michelle Gellar And Other Buffy Stars Honor Anthony Head
Head played the role of Rupert Giles (mostly known as just “Giles”) and was a regular cast member for the show’s first five seasons before recurring throughout the final two. Giles is a “watcher,” who serves as a mentor to Gellar’s young slayer, Buffy, and, in time, the two form a surrogate father-daughter relationship. Evidently, that connection extended beyond the show as well, based on the sweet sentiments Gellar shared about Head on Instagram. The actress shared a series of sweet photos as well as caption about not being “OK”:
‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok’ Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok. 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.
Giles is arguably one of the supernatural horror show’s most lovable characters, and he dishes out invaluable wisdom to the characters throughout the course of Buffy’s seven seasons. While the writers deserve plenty of credit, Head’s warm performance really makes the character work, and he also seemed to endear himself to his co-stars while making the series. Emma Caufield, who played Anya Jenkins on the show, also shared some warm words about Head on Instagram:
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Also joining the series of tributes to Head was Angel actor David Boreanaz. When taking to Instagram, Boreanaz shared a throwback photo of himself and Head, and he also shared a truly bittersweet message:
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Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the show, paid tribute to Anthony Head as well by sharing photos and a lengthy message on Instagram. While Carpenter admitted to not being as close with Head as some of her co-stars, she also got real about feeling the weight of his loss:
Tony brought life to a character who, for so many, was the father figure they needed but didn’t have at home. Fans far and wide are surely grieving, and for that, I am deeply sorry. I was not as close to Tony as some of the others from the cast were, and it pains me that I have to say “were.” Even so, I am still feeling affected by this loss, and my heart is truly with my fellow cast mates who remained close to him and his family to this day. I’m holding them all in my thoughts and sending love.
Sadly, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer family has lost multiple members in recent years, with Xander Harris portrayer Nicholas Brendon having passed away at 54 due to natural causes just earlier this year. And, in 2025, Michelle Trachtenberg died at 39 due to complications related to diabetes. Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers, a character she played throughout Buffy’s final two seasons.
Ted Lasso Stars Pay Tribute After Anthony Head’s Death
As a member of the Ted Lasso cast, Head played the despicable Rupert Mannion (to perfection). Now, several members of the cast have since spoken out in the aftermath of Head’s passing, including Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein. In a post shared to his Instagram story, Goldstein paid loving tribute to Head:
Keeley Hazell played Bex, Mannion’s girlfriend and eventual third wife on the show, and the actress also posted a tribute to Head on her Instagram story. Hazell’s post contains two photos as well as a lovely message in honor of her on-screen husband:
Sweet sentiments also came from Jeremy Swift (known for playing Leslie Higgins on Lasso) shared a sweet selfie featuring himself and Head on Instagram. See it for yourself below:
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The loss of Anthony Head still feels somewhat surreal at this point, though fans should know that it’s perfectly fine not to be OK like Sarah Michelle Gellar. If anything, though, the outpouring of love for Head is beautiful to see, and I feel confident in saying that his body of work – which includes other TV shows like Merlin and Little Britain – won’t be forgotten.
