Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano, co-stars of the hit television series Charmed, have one of the most intense and fascinating behind-the-scenes dramas and on-set feud stories in Hollywood. Despite earlier communications from her team, conveying a different narrative, Doherty recently made headlines when she revealed that she was fired from the show.
Throughout two episodes of her recently released podcast, Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty, the actress chatted with longtime friend and co-star Holly Marie Combs, who played the former’s sister in Charmed. Doherty candidly shared her experience of playing Prue Halliwell.
She claimed that tension arose between her and Alyssa Milano, who played the third sister, Phoebe Halliwell, because of a rivalry over pay and publicity. Doherty affirmed that she left the show because, if the producers did not fire her, Milano would sue them, claiming that the workplace was toxic. The producers eventually agreed to face legal action.
Charmed: Shannen Doherty Unmasked Her Fiery Exit
Almost 17 years after their fantasy comedy series Charmed concluded, Shannen Doherty, 52, is speaking out about her alleged feud with Alyssa Milano. The actresses portrayed the roles of sisters/witches from 1998 to 2006 alongside Holly Marie Combs. According to Entertainment Tonight, “drama on set” with Milano caused Doherty to leave the show after three seasons in 2001.
The Heather actress is finally opening up about the conflict that arose between her and the Who is the Boss? star during the latest episode of her podcast, Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty. Since Holly Marie Combs was Shannen’s guest on the episode, she also chimed in.
Combs claimed that Milano used coercion to force the producers to fire Doherty after just three seasons. Jonathan Levin, the producer of Charmed, reportedly told Combs that Milano had approached him with an ultimatum:
“He said, you know, ‘We’re basically in a position where it’s one or the other. We were told [by Alyssa] that it’s [Shannen] or me, and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment.”
Meanwhile, Doherty added:
“One can’t keep telling the same story over and over and over again, when it’s not the truth. My representatives, I remember them looking at me at the time and said, ‘No, no, no, your career won’t survive another firing, so we’re just going to say that you chose to leave’. I remember I started laughing, going, ‘Who is going to believe that I’m crazy enough to leave a hit show?’”
Doherty, Milano, and Combs were among the cast members of Constance M. Burge’s fantasy drama TV series. After three seasons, Doherty’s character was killed off, and Rose McGowan took over; the latter remained with the show until Season 8.
Read more: Every Fan-Favourite TV Show Family That Hated Each Other In Reality
Alyssa Milano Discussed Her Relationship With Shannen Doherty
Alyssa Milano addressed their ongoing feud in response to Shannen Doherty, stating that in 2021 they were “cordial”, and in contact with each other “every couple of months”. She informed Entertainment Tonight.
“I would say we are cordial. You know, I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had. I think a lot of our struggle came from feeling that I was in competition rather than it being that sisterhood that the show was so much about. And I have some guilt about my part in that.”
Even though the 51-year-old actress acknowledged that she still feels some guilt for her involvement in their conflict, she continued to communicate with Doherty after learning of her breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. Milano shared (Entertainment Tonight):
“When I heard about her diagnosis, I reached out to her. And I will send her DMs every couple of months to just check in. I have respect for her. Great actress, loves her family so much, and I just wish I could’ve felt strong enough in who I was to recognize that back then.”
The WB first aired the series on October 7, 1998, and it ran until May 21, 2006. The Charmed Ones, a group of three sisters/ witches, are the focus of the television series. They use their combined ‘Power of Three’ to defend innocent people from demonic creatures like warlocks and demons.
Charmed is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
