Sarah Michelle Gellar: “Charlotte Is My Best Friend”

In the December 2011 issue of Self Magazine, Sarah Michelle Geller reveals how her priorities have changed over the years.

Gellar claims she has learned not take life to seriously.

“I’ve learned that you’ve got to take life a little less seriously. All my priorities have changed. I give myself permission to enjoy my job, but not let it take over.”

She admits when she was young her job defined who she was, but now that she is older she has learned to have more fun.

“I was 18 years old when I started Buffy, and work was my everything. Back then, no actor had worse hours than I did. Now I don’t work on weekends anymore. Everybody knows you can’t sway me on that point, so nobody even tries. Plus, my perspective on work has changed: Work doesn’t define who I am. I love what I do, but I don’t feel a burning pressure anymore. And because I’m working for fun, I get to enjoy it. I’d watch Ringer if I wasn’t on it! Of course, it’s not as much fun when you know what’s going to happen. It takes some of the excitement away.”

Gellar calls daughter, Charlotte her best friend and tries to spend all her free time with her. Although, she realizes she can’t define herself as only Charlotte’s mother.

“Charlotte is my best friend, and any free time I have, I want to spend with her. But while it’s easy to forget yourself, I can’t define myself as only Charlotte’s mother—one day, she’s going to be an adult, and then where am I? Like in any other relationship, you have to remember who you are through all this. After she goes to bed at 7:30, I might take a bath or read. And Freddie and I get our time together, too. Relationships are like flowers: They need attention to grow and develop. You have to make time to be there for the other person. Luckily, Charlotte’s a sound sleeper, so once she’s down, we can have friends over and have dinner and conversation and not worry.”