Charisma Carpenter, widely known for her role as Cordelia Chase in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, continues to captivate fans decades after her iconic TV appearances.

The 54-year-old actress recently shared a festive lingerie photo on social media, showcasing her timeless beauty while posing in a pink silk bra and underwear set next to a Christmas tree.

Accompanying the photo, Carpenter playfully captioned, “Merry CharisMAS,” a nod to her name.

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The post garnered attention from fans and celebrities alike, with actress Rebecca Gayheart and model Paulina Porizkova among those liking the post.

The actress, who also starred in Charmed and posed for Playboy magazine in June 2004, remains active in the entertainment industry and returned to the spotlight in 2023 with her reprisal of Cordelia Chase in the Audible Original series Slayers.

Carpenter’s return to the Buffyverse came after her public allegations against the show’s creator, Joss Whedon, in 2021.

She accused Whedon of creating a “hostile and toxic” work environment, claiming he called her “fat” while she was four months pregnant and threatened to fire her.

Carpenter’s accusations prompted several co-stars to speak out and condemn Whedon’s behavior in 2022.

Despite her reservations, Carpenter joined the Audible project Slayers, an alternate universe story set in the Buffy world.

The series, helmed by Amber Benson (who portrayed Tara Maclay in Buffy), marked Carpenter’s first return to the beloved franchise since her departure.

Speaking to Us Weekly at New York Comic Con in October 2023, Carpenter revealed her initial apprehension about re-entering the Buffyverse. “I had a little bit of apprehension when I first was asked to join,” she said. However, those concerns were alleviated after hearing Benson’s enthusiastic pitch. “Those emotions and feelings, open wound feelings, were immediately assuaged by Amber’s enthusiasm.”

Carpenter shared that her character, Cordelia Chase, holds a special place in her heart, shaping her both professionally and personally. “I have lived with Cordelia,” she said. “I performed her for about 10 years of my life, and I feel she, as a character, informed me, the woman that played her.”

The Expendables star also described how playing Cordelia empowered her during challenging times.

“It’s rich to me,” Carpenter said, reflecting on how Cordelia’s strength influenced her. “The idea of coming into my own power as a young woman through a character that then I ended up using that power in a way to speak out against the creator of that power.”

Carpenter emphasized the importance of finding one’s purpose and using it to create positive change, a central theme of the Buffyverse. “What I mean to say is that in a lot of ways, Cordelia gave birth to Charisma and really informed who I am today,” she said. “It was so powerful that I was able to do very hard things at a very critical time in my life.”

Decades after Buffy the Vampire Slayer wrapped, Carpenter continues to be a fan favorite, balancing her public persona with personal reflections on her career and experiences.

Her return to the Buffyverse in Slayers has offered her an opportunity to revisit a role that defined her career while addressing the challenges she faced along the way.

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