Fans of the iconic 1990s television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer would be hard-pressed to recognise Eliza Dushku today. The actress, who famously played the rebellious slayer Faith Lehane, has undergone a remarkable transformation since stepping away from the Hollywood spotlight nearly a decade ago.
A New Look and Life Beyond Hollywood
Recent social media posts reveal a dramatically different Eliza Dushku at 44 years old. Gone are the chocolate brown shoulder-length locks that defined her character Faith. Instead, she sports long, flowing highlighted hair and embraces a much more relaxed appearance, often going makeup-free and dressing casually.
Despite looking worlds away from her days as Sarah Michelle Gellar's on-screen foil, the actress maintains an ageless quality that still hints at the star who captivated audiences in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
From Actress to Mental Health Pioneer
Eliza's transformation extends far beyond her physical appearance. She has completely reinvented her professional life, trading acting for mental health advocacy and research. She recently completed her master's degree in counselling and clinical mental health at Lesley University, achieving certification in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
In an emotional Instagram post from April celebrating her graduation, Eliza wrote: 'Graduating with my master's degree feels like more than an achievement—it feels like a deep calling realised. True growth, energy, and passion – manifested.'
She continued: 'After nearly a decade of inner work and building a new life, I'm so grateful for this moment in time. To my highest self – for taking this wild leap away from everything I knew and making it happen.'
Groundbreaking Work and Personal Life
Together with her husband, real estate developer Peter Palandjian, Eliza is funding significant research into psychedelic therapies. According to a 2024 Boston Magazine interview, the couple supports clinical trials exploring the potential of psychedelics in mental health treatment.
Eliza explained her career shift: 'I had the means to shift directions and choose a course in my life that focused on healing myself so that I could help heal others. I would be remiss if I didn't now share the transformation and the peace and the passion that I have. This is absolutely so clearly my real calling, my real purpose.'
Her commitment to mental health extends to her role as executive producer of a new Netflix documentary, In Waves and War, which examines the effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies on veterans struggling with PTSD and trauma.
Eliza's departure from Hollywood in 2017 followed her allegations of sexual harassment against Bull co-star Michael Weatherly, which he denied. The incident led to her being written out of the show, though mediation with CBS resulted in a confidential settlement of $9.5 million – approximately what she would have earned over four seasons.
Weatherly later apologised in a statement to the Times: 'When Eliza told me that she wasn't comfortable with my language and attempt at humour, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologised. After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate.'
In her personal life, Eliza married Peter Palandjian in 2018, and the couple have since welcomed two children. They've established their family home in Boston, Eliza's birthplace, enjoying life away from the glare of Hollywood while making meaningful contributions to mental health research and treatment.
