Sarah Michelle Gellar 'Grateful' to Shannen Doherty for Being There for Her Kids During Covid

06/02/2024 22:02

"I was really struggling with how to give them that freedom and that room to be kids and have adventures," Gellar told Doherty while appearing on the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum's podcast.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is singing Shannen Doherty's praises.

While appearing on this week's episode of Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum thanked Doherty for helping her and her family out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You gave my children such a life in Covid and I was really struggling with how to give them that freedom and that room to be kids and have adventures," Gellar, who shares daughter Charlotte, 14, and son Rocky, 11, with husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., told Doherty.

"And you opened your home to us in COVID in a way that I will for the rest of my life be grateful for," she continued.

Gellar said the Beverly Hills, 90210 star, with whom she was in a Covid "pod" during the pandemic, gave her kids some fun and joy in what proved to be an otherwise difficult time -- and gave stressed out parents like Gellar and Prinze Jr. a break.

"You gave them adventures and just, freedom. And I can never repay that because that was such a difficult time, and so seeing my kids that happy and giving me a break," Gellar explained. "People don't know this, but Shannen sat there sometimes while they were on Zoom school and helped them and we would have blackouts and she would plan adventures."

"It was such a special time," she added. "And while that time period was so stressful and I never want to repeat that -- I never want homeschooling again -- there are times where I miss that slow life and just being able to be like that and having your kids spend that time with you too, right?"

Elsewhere on the podcast, the pair reminisced over their time on WB -- Gellar on Buffy and Doherty on Charmed -- and the bond they built during what was a competitive time period for women in TV.

"When we met, the time period that we met, wasn't really that much of a female-friendly time period -- at all," Doherty recounted. "And yet you really, I kind of want to say, took me under your wing, right?"

Holly Marie Combs Defends Shannen Doherty After Alyssa Milano Denied Being Behind Charmed Firing

She continued, "We did that big WB promo shoot, and you kind of just scooped me under your wing like a baby bird, and you're like, 'We got this. We got this.' And that continued throughout my career, and more importantly, throughout our lives."

While it was out of her comfort zone to go up to another woman and try to make friends, Gellar said that it came, initially, out of being a huge fan of Doherty.

"I honestly -- I think I was just such a fan. I think that's how it actually started. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to you," Gellar said of the start of what would turn into a decades-long friendship.

"Any time that I've gotten a job, or you've gotten a job, or anything significant has happened in our lives -- it's been nothing but love and support," Doherty added.