Sarah Michelle Gellar may be best known for her work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she has numerous other roles that prove her to be one of the finest actors of her generation. She began her acting career in 1981 at the age of four with a range of television commercials.
Following several stints in soap operas and miniseries, Gellar landed the role of Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which led to roles in major movies such as Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer. From her voice work in Star Wars: Rebels to her villainous turn in Cruel Intentions, Gellar has a varied career, but which roles are her best?
Veronika Decides To Die (2009) - 6.4
Released in 2009, Veronika Decides to Die stars Gellar as the titular character, who, after a failed attempted suicide, rediscovers her passion for life through her experience at a psychiatric facility.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by author Paulo Coelho, the film received a middling reaction from audiences due to its script, but it was praised for Gellar's sympathetic performance. Like much of Gellar's post-Buffy career, Veronika Decides to Die was not a box-office hit, but it is a decent example of Gellar's acting ability.
A Woman Named Jackie (1991) - 6.7
Years before she made audiences feel so many emotions with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gellar portrayed a young Jackie Kennedy in A Woman Named Jackie, a television miniseries that chronicled the life of the future First Lady.
Gellar was just 14 years old during the filming of this series, yet she held her own against seasoned actors with her impressive portrayal. The series went on to receive the 1992 Emmy award for Outstanding Miniseries, arguably thanks to Gellar's layered performance.
All My Children (1970 - 2011) - 6.7
From 1993 to 1995, Gellar played Kendall Hart on the long-running American soap opera, All My Children. Kendall was the long-lost daughter of the popular character, Erica Kane, and she proved to be a hit with audiences.
The role boosted Gellar's popularity and even led to her winning a Daytime Emmy Award. Following her departure from the show due to her desire to pursue other projects, Gellar returned to the series for one episode in 2011 as a mentally ill patient who described seeing vampires, a nod to the widely popular series, Buffy.
The Air I Breathe (2007) - 6.8
While The Air I Breathe may not be considered one of Sarah Michelle Gellar's best films, nor was it received that well by critics, the movie did allow Gellar the opportunity to play a character that is wholly different from others she has portrayed.
The movie features four protagonists: Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Forest Whittaker, and Brendan Fraser, who each represent a different emotion. Gellar represents Sorrow as a struggling singer who has experienced traumatic events in her life and possesses a blood type that is needed by Bacon's character. It sounds pretentious, which is the main criticism of the somewhat messy plot.
Cruel Intentions (1999) - 6.8
During her stint as Buffy Summers, Gellar acted in several movies that are now considered classics in their respective genres. Whether it be Scream 2 as Cici, or I Know What You Did Last Summer as Helen, Gellar proved time and time again that she has the talent for any kind of role.
One such role is Kathryn Merteuli in Cruel Intentions, a controversial movie that showcased a different side to Gellar's acting ability. Kathryn is the step-sister of Ryan Phillipe's Sebastian, who goads him into seducing their school's headmaster's daughter. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie amassed $76 million at the box office on a budget of $10 million, proving it to be a hit.
Ringer (2011) - 6.9
Sarah Michelle Gellar's first television role after the wildly successful Buffy was a short-lived CW show, Ringer. The series followed the protagonist, Bridget, played by Gellar, who takes over her identical twin's glamourous lifestyle after her death.
The series was a thriller that boasted a complicated plot with complex character work, plot twists, and exciting revelations. The CW canceled Ringer after just one season, citing low ratings as their reason. There were numerous online petitions set up to bring the show back, particularly due to its cliffhanger ending.
The Crazy Ones (2013) - 7.1
Another short-lived series that Gellar worked on in her post-Buffy career was The Crazy Ones, alongside the late Robin Williams. Despite previously showing her comedic chops, the series was a departure for Gellar, as it was a fully-fledged sitcom.
The series follows the workers of an advertising agency in which Williams and Gellar play father and daughter, Simon and Sydney. Critics praised the heartwarming chemistry between Gellar and Williams but criticized the lackluster plot. Geller went on to receive a People's Choice Award for her work on the show.
Swans Crossing (1992) - 7.5
In 1992, Sarah Michelle Gellar portrayed Sydney Rutledge in Swans Crossing, a short-lived soap opera that centered around a town of the same name and its scheming, manipulative teenage inhabitants.
Gellar starred alongside underrated actor, Mira Sorvino, as well as some other famous faces. For a soap opera, the series was surprisingly short, at just 65 episodes, as it was canceled due to low ratings despite the showrunners' attempts to transform the series into an exciting thriller.
Star Wars: Rebels (2014 - 2018) - 8.0
From 2015 to 2016, Sarah Michelle Gellar had a brief run portraying the voice of Seventh Sister in the animated series, Star Wars: Rebels. Seventh Sister was one of the best characters in Star Wars: Rebels, despite appearing in just six episodes.
Gellar's character was an Inquisitor whose goal was to track down Rebellion figure, Ahsoka Tano. As a fan of Star Wars, in general, it is evident that Gellar was passionate about the role, which shined through in her performance. It gave her the opportunity to take her career in a different direction, leading to her role in Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997 - 2003) - 8.2
Ultimately, Sarah Michelle Gellar will forever be known as the iconic Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While her work on the series never received prestigious awards attention, it is clear that it resonated with audiences.
Buffy was hugely influential on numerous modern television shows and continues to be, as much of vampire-related media bears similarities to the show that popularized the genre. Buffy was complex, as she was emotionally vulnerable whilst being strong and resilient, proving Gellar's arguably incomparable talent.