Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Sarah Michelle Gellar has paid tribute to her former co-star Anthony Head, following his death at the age of 72. The actor is one of many big names to have spoken after Head's daughters, Daisy and Emily, confirmed his passing.
Taking to Instagram to share a series of photos from over the years, Gellar quoted her character's famous line, "Tell Giles I figured it out and I'm ok", before adding: "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," she continued.
James Marsters, who played Spike, posted his own tribute on Instagram, writing: "There's a hole in the World. Anthony Head has passed on from us. 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. 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," he concluded.
Emma Caulfield, who portrayed Anya, recalled a "perfect day" with Head in 2011, sharing: "There were many of these moments with this amazing human who I was lucky enough to call my friend for 27 years."
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"He was kind and wise and a guide in troubled times. You were so loved. Impossible to caption. You are so missed," she continued, while Angel actor David Boreanaz called Head a "kind" and "generous soul".
Head also starred in Ted Lasso, and names from the Apple TV series have paid tribute too, with Brett Goldstein calling him a "brilliant actor" as well as "infinitely charming, kind, fun and a joy".
Jeremy Swift, also from the sports comedy-drama, shared a selfie of the pair of them, captioning it: "Goodbye Tony, we adored you, Rest in Peace my friend."
Russell T Davies - who worked with Head on Doctor Who - described him as "so wise, so kind, so classy", adding that "he'll be missed and remembered across the world."
Author Harlen Coben, who worked with the star on The Stranger, said: "You'll be reading a lot of wonderful things about him in the coming days. Believe them. He was charming and erudite and funny and open and friendly and so damn talented.
"He brought joy and warmth and sparkle and wonder to every room he entered. Everyone in the cast and crew of The Stranger adored Tony. It was an honour to call you a friend. We are all heartbroken."
In a statement today, Emily and Daisy Head said their father had "passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family", adding that their "grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind."
"But we know his legacy will live on, in the shows he was a part of, and in the audiences that love them," they continued. "How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us."
Head's long-term partner Sarah Fisher, an animal welfare advocate, passed away in December 2025 at the age of 61. The couple's daughters are both actors.
Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.
