Sarah Michelle Gellar & David Boreanaz Win Most Nostalgic Reunion At 2026 Emmys

From "Charlie's Angels" to "The Parent Trap," there were multiple miniature cast reunions at the 2026 Emmys, but one seemed to excite fans most of all: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and her former co-star David Boreanaz, who played Angel, presented the award for outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie. During the early seasons of the popular teen drama, Boreanaz was a love interest for Gellar's character, forming a story arc that would resonate with fans long after it ended.

It has been decades since we saw the cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" together on screen; the show went off the air in 2003. Boreanaz wasn't a part of the original show after Season 3, though he did have cameos in a few later episodes and the finale, and went on to star in the spinoff starring his character called "Angel." After such a long time, fans of the show absolutely loved seeing the two actors together again. One person posted on X: "Bangel, my first ship! I love them. Sarah and David looking wonderful here, this is wonderful."

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Someone else wrote: "The true Buffyverse ship that matters, Buffy and Angel. Sarah and David had such incredible chemistry on Buffy. And it could never be replicated in other partners they moved to." While another summed up the feeling so many of us had seeing them together — "Instant [Nostalgia]." 

Not only did Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz present the award together, the two of them took to the red carpet together, sweetly walking hand in hand and posing before the show. At one point, a photographer asked for them to kiss — presumably for old times' sake. However, they laughed off the request, and Gellar said, "I don't think his wife will appreciate that," via X. Boreanaz has a somewhat complicated relationship history, including while he was on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but he's been married to Jaime Bergman since 2001. For her part, Gellar has been married to Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002.

To this day, Gellar and Boreanaz have a good off-screen relationship. In an interview with People in March 2026, Gellar looked back at footage and photos of the two of them. "David and I had such a goofy, foolish ... there was nothing method about either of us," she said. "We still are when we get together. It's just a very goofy, silly relationship, which plays out entirely different on camera."