Shannen Doherty Addresses Friction with "Charmed" Co-Star Alyssa Milano: "There Was a Lack of Female Support"
by Andy Swift
Dec. 11, 2023


For fans of "Charmed", or for any avid consumer of ’90s pop culture, Shannen Doherty‘s early exit from The WB’s supernatural drama after just three seasons was legendary.

It marked the second time she dramatically parted ways with producer Aaron Spelling — the first time being on "Beverly Hills, 90210", from which she was fired after four seasons — and rumors about a behind-the-scenes feud with co-star with Alyssa Milano kept the tabloids churning.




More than two decades after her final episode of "Charmed" aired, Doherty is addressing those rumors on her new podcast Let’s Be Clear.

The Dec. 11 episode welcomes Doherty’s longtime friend and former TV sister Holly Marie Combs for the first of a two-part discussion about their careers, their relationships and everything in between.




On the topic of her friction with Milano, Doherty essentially boils it down to an atmosphere of “competitiveness,” similar to one she experienced working on "90210".

She recalls her co-stars on the Fox soap being “super mad” at her for doing a Rolling Stone cover without requesting that the entire cast be included. Her feeling at the time was, “It’s the cover of Rolling Stone. I’m not saying no to it.”




Even though "Charmed" was considered an ensemble show, Doherty points out that it “was originally sold to The WB based on [her], so that’s just going to be there.”

Milano didn’t join the cast until after "Charmed" had been picked up to series; Lori Rom, the actress who played Phoebe Halliwell in the pilot, allegedly parted ways with the role over not wanting to play a witch for religious reasons.

“It was happening [again] of the competitiveness kicking in,” Doherty says. “I’m not saying with [Holly], I’m saying with Alyssa and myself. There was a lack of female support. I’ve had the same publicist for I don’t even know how long, Leslie Sloane, and she could come on the podcast and be like, ‘Shannen never cared about somebody else getting a cover.’ It just wasn’t in my wheelhouse.”




Doherty understands that Milano addressed their issues in her 2021 book Sorry Not Sorry, but she adds, “Obviously I’m never going to read her book, because it’s [titled] Sorry Not Sorry, so right there it tells me you’re not friggin’ sorry. Why even mention something in that case?”

Doherty says that working on "Charmed‘s" second season (1999–2000) was especially difficult, as that competitive energy began to affect her on a personal level. Combs was dealing with a serious health situation, which she detailed in an episode the House of Halliwell podcast, and Doherty alleges that Milano and her mother prevented Doherty from visiting Combs after her surgery.




After reminding Combs about how much time she spent in hospitals due to her father’s health issues, Doherty explains:

“Hospitals scared me to death, and I waited 23 hours after your surgery to go, and then it wasn’t even easy for me to get in. I was being told I couldn’t even get in by Alyssa and her mom. They were blocking people from seeing you. At the time, you didn’t know. I remember you texted me and were like, ‘Dude, are you going to come to see me?’ I felt your pain of feeling like I had abandoned you, but I also felt my anger at the situation of not being allowed to come see you.”

As Doherty puts it, this family “swooped in and caused this weird divide between the two of us, which then continued throughout Season 2. I think I cried every single night of Season 2.”




Combs agrees that "Charmed‘s" second season was difficult for everyone because “there was a lot going on behind the scenes.”

She didn’t have a big family, so “when a family swooped in and basically tried to adopt me, it was very seductive for me. And I wanted everybody to get along. I wanted the show to be successful. There were no angels. There were no demons. We all had bad days. We all had good days. We all could have behaved better at certain points. But there was a lack of awareness of a bigger, broader picture of just being grateful to have a job, and to be doing something that we liked, and to be in a position of power to do something that we liked. It was not something that happens easily or normally or routinely.”

https://tvline.com/news/charmed-shannen-doherty-alyssa-milano-feud-explained-1235097386/

Cliff notes (https://www.reddit.com/r/charmed/comments/18fxm78/what_we_learned_in_lets_be_clear_with_shannen/) in no (https://thecharmedcafe.proboards.com/thread/13763/shannens-podcast-clear?page=2) particular order (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/shannen-doherty-drops-some-charmed-tea-on-her-podcast.5466460/):


Lori Rom left the show because her church didn’t want her to be in a show about witchcraft. They found this out when Lori no-showed to a TV Guide photoshoot to promote the show. Shannen respect’s Lori for not compromising her religion.

Brad Kern rewrote every script, so most of the shows cliché dialogue that the actresses felt didn’t feel natural and not intended for young women came from his rewrites.

Constance was the only female executive who visited the set, the cast stayed late to work on the show with her and she was eventually pushed out ‘creatively and financially’ by the male executives who micromanaged the show.

Constance was very particular and protective of the characters and their characterization because they based on her real life sisters, it was strict to the stage where Holly had to ask her to loosen up a little so she could have more freedom creatively to act the character.

Brad Kern wrote Shannen a letter apologizing for his part in her firing.

Alyssa began being competitive with Shannen for press attention and for her friendship with Holly. When Holly was in and out of the hospital in Season 2 Alyssa and her mother repeatedly turned Shannen away from the hospital prompting Holly to send Shannen angry texts asking If she’s ever going to visit, this caused a rift between Holly and Shannen on Season 2 of Charmed where Shannen said she cried every evening because Alyssa had driven a wedge between her and her best friend.

Alyssa’s family basically adopted Holly during Season 2 of Charmed, Holly didn’t grow up with a conventional happy childhood so she felt seduced by being embraced by such a family unit. This led to Holly being isolated from Shannen in Season 2, straining their friendship.

Aaron Spelling refused to acknowledge how he treated Shannen on 90210 and basically behaved like it never happened.

Shannen refused to even read the script for Charmed because Spellings name was on it, Holly found it on the backseat of Shannen’s car, read it and convinced her to pursue it.

Shannen was asked to play Piper, Holly was asked to play Phoebe, both disagreed and wanted to play Prue and Piper respectively because they were closer to the actress’s real life ages.

Season 3 is Shannen’s favorite season.

Season 1 is the season where all three leads got along the most.

Spelling’s producers had constant daily fights with the cast by trying to tell them what to wear and how to have their hair. The producers wanted the actresses to sit down shut up and wearing wear skin tight over-sexualized outfits and got aggressive when told no.

Shannen’s agent got repeated calls from the producers telling her agent to tell Shannen to shut up and stay in her lane whenever Shannen wanted to work collaboratively on improving the show. Shannen listed other projects where the cast worked collaboratively with the directors and writers and said Charmed was massively out of touch and she was regretting going back to a Spelling show because behind the scenes nothing had changed or evolved, they still ran TV shows like it was the '80s.

Shannen Doherty is very ill, possibly facing death.

I just don't understand why she feels the need to revisit or rehash the past. It just seems like a lot of negativity and neither of them seem to have the ability to bury their axes.

Why embrace the negativity when a person is in need of good vibes?

Shannen Doherty is very ill, possibly facing death.

I just don't understand why she feels the need to revisit or rehash the past. It just seems like a lot of negativity and neither of them seem to have the ability to bury their axes.

Why embrace the negativity when a person is in need of good vibes?

http://www.agcwebpages.com/BLINDITEMS/2023/DECEMBER.html

155. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 12/13 **8** (https://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2023/12/blind-item-8_13.html)

Think about how much dislike if not hate there must be for a former co-star if you still hold a grudge while you are slowly dying from a disease. There were some terrible wrongs done. Shannen Doherty/Alyssa Milano/”Charmed” (Shannen Doherty says Alyssa Milano and her family caused tension on Charmed set (https://ew.com/shannen-doherty-blames-alyssa-milano-family-charmed-drama-holly-marie-combs-8414556))

Holly confirmed (https://pagesix.com/2023/12/18/entertainment/holly-marie-combs-confirms-alyssa-milano-had-shannen-doherty-fired-from-charmed/) that Alyssa had Shannen fired.

Holly confirmed (https://pagesix.com/2023/12/18/entertainment/holly-marie-combs-confirms-alyssa-milano-had-shannen-doherty-fired-from-charmed/) that Alyssa had Shannen fired.
I'm not surprised at all.

Holly confirmed (https://pagesix.com/2023/12/18/entertainment/holly-marie-combs-confirms-alyssa-milano-had-shannen-doherty-fired-from-charmed/) that Alyssa had Shannen fired.

Holly Marie Combs confirms fan theory that Alyssa Milano got Shannen Doherty fired from Charmed (https://nypost.com/2023/12/18/entertainment/holly-marie-combs-claims-alyssa-milano-had-shannen-doherty-fired-from-charmed/)

Combs recalled on Doherty's Let's Be Clear podcast Monday questioning executive producer Jonathan Levin about why Doherty was axed from the 1998-2006 The WB drama after Season 3. “He said, ‘We didn’t mean to — but we’ve been backed into this corner — we’re basically in this position where it’s one or the other,’” Combs recalled Levin’s explanation." Combs added: “‘We were told (by Alyssa) it’s her or (Shannen) and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment.’” Combs further alleged that Milano, 50, had previously spoken with a human resources staff member to build her case against her co-stars and had allegedly “documented every time she felt uncomfortable on set.”

“Alyssa Has Threatened To Sue”: Shannen Doherty’s Charmed Firing Explained By Original Stars (https://screenrant.com/charmed-shannen-doherty-firing-alyssa-milano/)

Charmed (https://screenrant.com/tag/charmed/) actress Shannen Doherty was reportedly fired from the show after season 3 following threats made from fellow co-star Alyssa Milano.

It seems that "Charmed" will be remembered for all of the infighting rather than the show itself.

Charmed Actor Reveals Being "Blackmailed" To Stay Following Doherty's Season 3 Exit (https://screenrant.com/charmed-holly-marie-combs-blackmailed-shannon-doherty-season-3-exit/)

Charmed star Holly Marie Combs reveals she was "blackmailed" to stay on the show following Shannen Doherty's alleged firing after season 3.

How Alyssa Milano Got Shannen Doherty Fired From Charmed (Allegedly) (https://www.looper.com/1477419/how-alysssa-milano-shannen-doherty-allegedly-fired-charmed/)

Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs are telling their side of the story of what happened with Alyssa Milano on the set of "Charmed" in 2001.

HQEzC6aOwRw

Explaining the two episodes “Let’s Be Charmed…with Holly Marie Combs” and “Let’s Be Charmed…with Holly Marie Combs (Part 2)” on the Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.

Shannen Doherty is very ill, possibly facing death.

I just don't understand why she feels the need to revisit or rehash the past. It just seems like a lot of negativity and neither of them seem to have the ability to bury their axes.

Why embrace the negativity when a person is in need of good vibes?

Shannon is defending her legacy. She can't depend on someone standing up for her when she is gone. People, most who have never met her, have been very harsh about her behavior since she was young.

Alyssa Milano denies getting Shannen Doherty axed from Charmed: 'I did not have the power to get anyone fired' (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13041847/Alyssa-Milano-denies-getting-Shannen-Doherty-fired.html)

C25AQxjgY81

Shannen Doherty Fights Tears while Responding to Alyssa Milano’s Denial of "Charmed" Firing: "There is No Revisionist History Happening"
by Michaela Zee
Feb. 5, 2024


Shannen Doherty fought back tears as she addressed Alyssa Milano‘s recent comments about not being involved in Doherty’s “Charmed” exit.

During a panel alongside co-stars Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan at MegaCon Orlando on Sunday (via EW), Doherty spoke about the claims she made on her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, in which she alleged that Milano played a pivotal role in her firing from the fantasy drama series.

“Holly and I, we were not mean on the podcast,” Doherty said. “In fact, we went in and we edited out anything that we felt would cause more drama. We simply told the truth because the truth actually does matter. But we wanted to try to save you, the fans, from heartbreak as much as humanly possible.”




Doherty continued: “At this point in my life with my health diagnosis — I’m sorry if I start crying — with fighting horrific disease every day of my life, it is also incredibly important to me that the truth actually be told as opposed to the narrative that others put out there for me.”

Doherty said she and Combs “told our truths and we are standing by our truths,” adding, “There is no revisionist history happening.”

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/shannen-doherty-responds-alyssa-milano-denial-charmed-firing-1235898933/

Holly Marie Combs is "Disappointed" in Alyssa Milano's Denial over Shannen Doherty's Exit
by Jessica Wang
February 6, 2024


Alyssa Milano's never-ending clash with her "Charmed" costars continues to brew.

Holly Marie Combs is defending herself against what she's called "many continuing attacks" against her and Shannen Doherty after Milano denied involvement in Doherty's 2001 exit from the show.




In a lengthy Instagram post shared Monday night, Combs said she was "a little shocked and a little disappointed, especially by the things [Milano] posted the next day while texting me simultaneously words to the contrary."

Reiterating that her claims about Doherty's firing was "not revisionist history," Combs said "this is just the history" Milano "didn't want people to know about, and the history Shannen wasn't ready to talk about until one month ago."

Though she's tried to "shield the audience from our differences to protect something that indeed and still does have a heartbeat of its own," Combs said she has "a big problem with injustice."

“I heard that Alyssa said she did not have the power to fire anyone which is ironic because this was actually all about power," she continued. "But let’s go with that and let me explain what she did have the power to do. She had the power the stop the process at any time."




Combs claimed "there was a case being built" against Doherty, "a case Alyssa and Alyssa alone had the power to stop. . . She had the power to say no, just as Shannen had said, no, I don’t want you to replace Alyssa when posed with the same option."

Combs called Rose McGowan, who replaced Doherty as her long-lost half-sister Paige Matthews after Doherty's Prue was killed off in the season 3 finale, a "beacon" during a "dark time for me."

She added, "And now Rose and Shannen have a growing friendship and support system all their own which makes my little black heart grow."




Combs told "Charmed" fans not to despair, adding, "You are our only common denominator. Charmed was made for all of you and the truth of the matter is we all are, despite our differences, incredibly grateful for this dysfunctional family in every way."

In Combs' comment section, McGowan wrote: "Sometimes a mess has to be made for things to be cleaned up. This for me is way bigger than a TV show, it goes to years of continuous behind the scenes character assassination and targeted reputation smearing because of narcissistic pathological jealousy. I wish none of it had to be this way. I remain proud of everyone involved for the magic we wove and the magic created worldwide. Truth is uncomfortable, but magic never dies."

https://ew.com/holly-marie-combs-disappointed-alyssa-milano-firing-comments-shannen-doherty-8559674

77h2PBaLpu4

Heya! I know I just kind of covered this topic last week, but I wasn't really happy with it, and I don't feel the other two videos I've done on this subject were really as in-depth as I would have liked - and such a complex relationship deserves - so I figured we'd do one more deep dive into the subject before moving on to happier things next week!

As always, thank you so much for watching and all relevant articles are listed below! There are a LOT of them, but I tried to organize them as much as possible!

AQZr9S9mGAU

AxFsB9vGazg

vt2tGKuJnEs

Hi, guys! As you've probably heard, Shannen Doherty has finally started her podcast and she and Holly Marie Combs (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/holly-marie-combs-hits-back-at-alyssa-milano-on-charmed-drama-in-lengthy-post.5517901/) revisited the events that took place behind the scenes of Shannen's exit from Charmed, and boy was it a rollercoaster! So I thought this week we could take a deep dive into the podcast, and discuss the good, the bad, and the bs. But please do not send any hate towards anyone discussed in the video! I really do wish everyone the best and hope they can have peaceful, happy lives moving forward!

It's a long one for sure, so thank you so much for watching if you do! As always, the articles and clips referenced in the video are linked below if you'd like to check them out!