Sarah Michelle Gellar is once again remembering her longtime Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar, Nicholas Brendon, following his death at age 54.

“It’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy when you lose anyone at any point. It’s a bigger tragedy when you lose someone way sooner than needs to be,” Gellar, 48, said during a Rome press conference for her new movie, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, on Monday, March 23.

The Buffy icon continued, “This business is very tough. We’ve had, I think … it feels like we’ve had more tragedy than other shows, but that’s probably not the case. It just feels that way because it’s personal and it’s in our faces.”

Gellar went on to acknowledge Brendon’s contributions to the success of Buffy, which ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. Brendon played Buffy’s sidekick Xander Harris for all seven seasons.

“He was an integral part of Buffy and that never goes away,” she said. “And I think as actors, we talk a lot or think a lot about legacy, and he brought so much joy to so many people on that show, and that lives on.”

Brendon’s family announced his death on Friday, March 20, in a statement to Us Weekly.

“We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon,” the statement said, adding that Brendon died in his sleep of “natural causes.”

“Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years, Nicky has found his passion in painting and art,” the statement continued. “Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

The actor’s family acknowledged he had “struggles in the past,” which were “no secret,“ but Brendon was “on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis.” Brendon was “optimistic about the future” before his death, the family said.

“Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart,” the statement concluded. “Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.”

Gellar first reacted to news of Brendon’s death in an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, March 21.

“‘They’ll never know how tough it is to be the one who isn’t chosen. To live so near to the spotlight, and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody’s watching me,’” Gellar wrote, quoting Brendon’s Buffy character. “I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.”