LGBTQ

Buffy the Vampire star Nicholas Brendon suffering ‘paralysis in his genitals and legs’

Actor Nicholas Brendon. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon is struggling to walk after suffering from “paralysis in his genitals and legs”.

A representative for the actor, who played token straight white man Xander Harris in the beloved television show, confirmed to the Daily Mail that the 50-year-old’s consistent back pain has now spiraled into paralysis.

His “deep-seated medical problems and immense pain” have also forced him to cancel promotional work for his upcoming film, Wanton Want.

Brendon is now awaiting scans on his back and ground areas and will have major back surgery in only days.

“Right now he is concentrating on his health,” manager Theresa Fortier told the publication. “He is not doing promotion for the film.

Buffy icon Nicholas Brendon saw health worsen in jail, manager says

“This past week and a half, things have turned drastically worse. He is suffering from paralysis in his genitals and private parts.

“He has had difficulties with flying. Sadly, his condition means he needs surgical intervention for his increasing problems.

“I wish he was on the mend and able to promote this movie.”

The Criminal Minds icon is understood to be suffering from Cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition in which the end of the spinal cord is compressed, causing severe swelling and cutting off movement and sensation of the genitals, bladder and bowel.

His worsening health comes after Brendon was arrested last month in Indiana for using a fake ID in an attempt to purchase prescription drugs.

The authorities charged him with felony prescription fraud as well as a misdemeanor for failing to properly identify himself when pulled over by police – he flashed cops a California ID card claiming his name was Kelton Schultz.

Schultz, Brendon’s family name, is Brendon’s identical twin brother.

But his time at Vigo County Jail exacerbated his health condition throughout August. Fortier claimed he was made to sleep on a concrete floor during his stint: “During the arrest, they were not quite careful with his condition,” she added.

Earlier this year, Brendon initially declined to address explosive allegations against Joss Whedon’s conduct by fellow co-star Charisma Carpenter as he was suffering from a paralysed anus and penis and had to undergo emergency spinal surgery as a result.