- Actress chosen will be well known to fans of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
- Sarah Michelle Gellar videoed the moment the announcement was made
- New slayer will have Buffy alongside her as a mentor
After months of speculation, it has finally been revealed that Ryan Kiera Armstrong has been chosen as the new slayer in the reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As revealed by Deadline, Armstrong – best known for her roles in Star Wars: Skeleton Key and Firestarter – will take on the role of the slayer in the as-yet-untitled pilot that is being made for Hulu.
Armstrong’s character will be mentored by the star of the original show, Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong – developing reputation
Armstrong has already developed a strong reputation in the acting industry, despite being just 15 years of age. She first gained attention on the Canadian series Anne with an E, which she began acting in at just 7 and ran from 2017-19. In 2021, she was in the cast of horror anthology series American Horror Story: Red Tide.
More recently, she has appeared in films including Firestarter (2022), Wildflower (2022) and The Old Way (2023). However, her real breakthrough came in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024) where she played Fern.
Gellar has already praised Armstrong for her acting abilities. “From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side,” she 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.
It was Gellar who broke the news to Armstrong – a moment that was captured on video. “I’m so honoured, thank you for trusting me,” said Armstrong, who had burst into tears at the news.
Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, who are writing and executive producing the pilot, have also praised Armstrong, saying they were “overjoyed to have found this generation’s slayer.” They then added: “She absolutely blew us away – there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one.”
Little detail still on Buffy reboot
While we now know who the new slayer will be, those behind the project are still giving little away about the plot of the new show. We don’t even know the name of Armstrong’s character, although apparently in the casting materials she is described as ‘an introverted high school student, according to Deadline.
You can find out all we know about the Buffy reboot here.
