Anthony Head’s ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Co-Stars Pay Tribute to the Late Actor

Anthony Head's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" co-stars have paid tribute to the late actor on social media, honoring his legacy and the indelible mark he left on cast members and fans alike.

Anthony Head's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" co-stars have taken to social media to honor the actor following the news of his passing. Head was beloved for his portrayal of Rupert Giles — Buffy's Watcher, father figure, and mentor — in the cult classic series.

Throughout his run on the supernatural teen drama, spanning the late '90s to the early 2000s, he starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy), Nicholas Brendon (Xander), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), James Marsters (Spike), the late Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn), and more.

Gellar took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message accompanied by a carousel of photos with Head, drawing on one of her most iconic lines from the show.

"'Tell Giles I figured it out and I'm ok.' Well I don't have it figured out and I'm not ok," she wrote. "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."

Hannigan also expressed her grief in a touching tribute alongside a sweet throwback photo of her and Head. "This cut is so deep I fear it can never heal. 💔," penned the "How I Met Your Mother" star.

"Oh Tonal…I am so grateful to have had you in my life!" she continued. "I want to say a million wonderful things about you and yet I can't seem to find the words that would do you justice. I love you so much and will miss you forever. RIP."

Marsters shared a photo of himself and Head on set in full costume alongside an emotional farewell. "There's a hole in the World. Anthony Head has passed on from us," he wrote. "He was an unflaggingly kind and steady presence on the set of Buffy, and the best actor in the cast."

"He was the best of us," Marsters added. "I was lucky to have known, and learned from him. He left the world a better place for his presence. Thank you Tony for all you gave."

David Boreanaz, who played Angel in the series, used his Instagram Stories to pay his respects. "RIP. He was so kind and generous of a soul," he wrote.

Eliza Dushku, who played Faith, also shared a tribute on her Instagram Stories, writing, "Tony H, for every scene and time shared, give thanks. Rest in love and peace, kind sir. A dear one."

News of Head's passing emerged on June 5, 2026. His daughters, Emily and Daisy, announced his death in a statement to the BBC, revealing that he died surrounded by family after suffering complications from pneumonia.

"It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many," the statement read.

Beyond "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Head was also recognized for his role on "Ted Lasso," where he played Rupert Mannion — the cantankerous former owner of AFC Richmond who relinquishes the club to his wife, played by Hannah Waddingham, amid their divorce.

The British-born actor's other credits include the role of Prime Minister in the sketch comedy "Little Britain" and Uther Pendragon in the fantasy adventure series "Merlin."

Though he became best known for his television work, his career had its roots in theater, stretching back to the 1970s — a passion that never left him.

As his daughters fondly recalled, "We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in — he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades."