Shannen Doherty dissects the "Charmed" drama - "Alyssa Milano drove us apart"
They were enchanting on screen, but their off-screen interactions were anything but charming.
Now, US star Shannon Doherty has shared her experiences working with the "Charmed" leading actresses. The bond between the three was far from magical.
In her podcast "Just the Facts," Shannon Doherty invited Holly Marie Combs, her "Charmed" colleague and friend, as a guest. The two shared an intimate friendship that had blossomed even before they portrayed witch sisters on the hit show.
However, the arrival of Alyssa Milano, the third witch sister, threw their relationship into turmoil. Doherty recalls, "She tried to pull you away from me."
At the time, Shannon Doherty's father John Thomas was battling cancer and was "constantly hospitalized." And girlfriend Holly Marie Combs also fought her battles, having undergone surgery to remove a uterine tumor.
Production was halted, and Doherty planned to visit Combs in the hospital after her procedure. But her co-star Milano didn't make it easy for her.
Doherty recalls, "I waited an extra 24 hours to visit you. But then it wasn't made easy for me to come in." She continues, "I was even told I wasn't allowed in."
Shannon Doherty, who shone in her role as Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210" from 1990 to 1994, felt alienated. "Alyssa and her mother were blocking people from seeing you, and you didn't know it at the time. I remember you texting me: Dude, are you still coming to see me?"
Doherty confesses to feeling "lost" during the filming of the second season. The emotional turmoil eventually led to a rift between the friends, with Doherty admitting to crying "every single night" during that period.
Reflecting on the past, Holly Marie Combs puts the events in perspective, "We all had days where we struggled, and we all had good days."
She is aware of why Alyssa Milano's family may have had such a profound impact on her during that time. She recalls, "I grew up with teenage parents and didn't have a big family. When a family approached me, it was tempting for me."
Despite the animosity, Shannon Doherty remained friends with Holly Marie Combs even after her departure from TV.
In 2001, Doherty made the decision to leave the show voluntarily, with her character Prue dying after three seasons. Disappointed, she expressed her desire to work with co-stars who genuinely cared about each other and looked forward to every workday.
When asked about the allegations, Alyssa Milano admitted in 2021, "A lot of our struggles came from feeling like we were competing and not in a sisterhood, which the show was about. I have a certain amount of guilt. I really could have been a better friend."
Not quite a picture-perfect ending.
Also check out:
- Shannon Doherty's podcast "Just the Facts" featured Holly Marie Combs as a guest, reigniting memories of their friendship and the challenges they faced during the filming of "Charmed."
- Alyssa Milano's actions, including allegedly preventing Shannen Doherty from visiting a sick Holly Marie Combs, caused strain between the actresses.
- John Thomas, Shannen Doherty's father, and Holly Marie Combs were both dealing with health issues during production, adding to the emotional stress on set.
- Alyssa Milano's proximity to Doherty and Combs may have stemmed from her complicated family background, as she "grew up with teenage parents and didn't have a big family."
- Milano later acknowledged the tension between the women, expressing her regret at not creating a more supportive and sisterly environment on set.
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- In 2023, it was finally confirmed that Alyssa Milano's actions led to Shannen Doherty's departure from "Charmed." Milano had provided an ultimatum to the producers that one of them had to be let go, threatening to sue them. The decision was made to kill off Doherty's character, Prue, instead, and Doherty herself confirmed that Milano was behind her exit.
- The tension between Doherty and Milano was reignited in 2020 when they publicly feuded on Twitter over politics. Rose McGowan also joined in, accusing Milano of profiting off the #MeToo movement and creating a "toxic" environment on the set.
- The departure of Shannen Doherty and the subsequent killing off of her character had a significant impact on the show's dynamics. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Tiffani Thiessen were offered the role of Prue but turned it down, and the decision was made to kill off the character instead.
- The tension between the actresses continued even after the show ended. In 2025, Milano revealed that she no longer speaks to Rose McGowan due to McGowan's publicly hurtful comments about her and her family.
