Eliza Dushku doesn’t look like this anymore! Buffy The Vampire Slayer star who turned her back on fame reveals transformation after she retreated from the spotlight

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She’s the US actress who rose to fame in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Fans might not recognize Eliza Dushku, as she looks quite different now after being out of the public eye for nearly ten years.

Recent photos on social media reveal Eliza, age 44, with long, highlighted hair – a noticeable change from the shorter, chocolate-brown hairstyle she had as Faith Lehane in the popular TV show Buffy.

Eliza seems to be living a more laid-back lifestyle, frequently posting on social media without makeup and in comfortable clothes.

Though she appears very different from her time playing the character who often opposed Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy, Eliza still looks remarkably youthful.

After leaving her career in the public eye, Eliza exchanged the glamorous world of Hollywood for a much simpler life.

She’s a certified psychedelic-assisted therapist and recently earned a master’s degree in counseling and clinical mental health from Lesley University.

She took to Instagram in April to mark the occasion with a series of graduation photos.

She wrote in her caption that graduating with her master’s degree felt like fulfilling a long-held dream, not just completing a task.

I’m feeling truly fulfilled and energized after years of personal growth and rebuilding my life. I’m incredibly grateful for where I am now.

‘To my highest self – for taking this wild leap away from everything I knew and making it happen.’

According to a 2024 Boston Magazine interview, Eliza Palandjian is working with her husband, real estate developer Peter Palandjian, to fund innovative research and clinical trials exploring the benefits of psychedelic substances.

She explained that she was able to change her life’s path to prioritize her own well-being, with the goal of then being able to help others heal.

I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t tell you how much this has changed me, bringing me a sense of calm and renewed energy. It’s become incredibly clear that this is what I’m truly meant to do – my real purpose in life.

She’s also an executive producer on a new Netflix documentary called In Waves and War. It looks at how therapies using psychedelics can help veterans dealing with PTSD and other traumatic experiences.

Eliza’s last television appearances were in 2017, with roles in both Netflix’s The Saint and CBS’s Bull. She played J.P. Nunnelly on Bull.

She left Hollywood that year after alleging sexual harassment by her “Bull” co-star, Michael Weatherly.

I was absolutely devastated when all those accusations came out – and even though Michael said they weren’t true, everything just changed. They completely wrote Eliza’s character off the show, just like that! I heard they cancelled her contract as a main cast member immediately, it was awful. I still can’t believe they did that to her, she was the best part of the whole thing!

After mediation with CBS, Eliza received a confidential settlement of $9.5 million, which was approximately the amount she would have earned had she continued on the show for four more seasons.

Michael issued an apology to the Times for how he acted towards Eliza, explaining that he’d made some jokes about parts of the script while they were filming their show.

I was really embarrassed when Eliza said my jokes and the way I spoke made her uncomfortable, so I apologized right away.

I was really glad to hear him say that he’d thought things over and realized what he said wasn’t funny or okay. He genuinely apologized and expressed how sorry he was for the hurt he caused Eliza, and that meant a lot.

Eliza became well-known in 1998 after landing the role of Faith, a strong-willed and defiant character, on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Playing the character of Faith until 2003 made her incredibly popular with fans and established her as a promising actress in Hollywood.

She also reprised the role in the Buffy spin-off Angel. 

After her role in Buffy, Eliza appeared in the popular movie Bring It On (2000), which quickly became a fan favorite.

In her personal life, Eliza married Peter in 2018, and the couple has since welcomed two children.

The family now lives in Boston, where Eliza was born, and they’re happily settling into life outside of Hollywood.

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2025-11-25 04:28