There is a new chosen one.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong has been cast in the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. Armstrong will be starring opposite the original slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar in the series, which has received a pilot order at Hulu.
Gellar announced the news on social media with a touching video of her breaking the news to the 15-year-old actress.
“From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side,” Gellar said. “To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room.”
Lilla Zuckerman and Nora Zuckerman, who will be writing and producing the series, also praised the decision.
“We are so overjoyed to have found this generation’s slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she absolutely blew us away — there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one,” they said.
Gellar will be reprising her role as Buffy Summers, a slayer tasked with fighting vampires and other forces of evil that plague Sunnydale High. Early reports note Gellar will only appear in a recurring capacity and will not be leading the new series. Buffy will likely offer some mentorship to Armstrong’s slayer, who was described in casting materials as “an introverted high-school student,” per Deadline.
The pilot will be directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. Gellar will executive produce the series alongside Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.
Gellar previously opposed the thought of reviving the iconic series. That is, until she met Zhao.
“I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there,” she vowed when the new series was announced.
