Inside Shannen Doherty's Messy Relationship With Her Charmed Co-Stars

Shannen Doherty's experience on "Charmed" wasn't nearly as enchanting as her character, Prue Halliwell's mystical storylines. As the big sister to a coven of powerful witches, Prue possessed otherworldly powers, a heart of gold, and widespread admiration. However, Doherty's "Charmed" colleagues didn't always hold her in such high esteem, a feeling that was definitely mutual. In 2001, Doherty slammed Alyssa Milano, Phoebe Halliwell, for negativity on set. "I mean, what do we do? Say a few lines, sit in our trailers and get paid a fortune," she shared with Details Magazine about her co-star (via the New York Post). "And yet there was a person there that bi**hed about her job, day in, day out." Unfortunately, Doherty's death from breast cancer means those bonds will forever be broken.

That said, many of Doherty's former "Charmed" co-stars have shared their condolences. On Instagram, friend Rose McGowan, who portrayed Paige Matthews on the WB show, wrote: "Shannen Doherty had the heart of a lion. Passion for craft is often mislabeled as trouble. Shannen was passion." She continued, "Rest now warrior, we will never forget you dear sister." Meanwhile, Milano, who shared the longest and most contentious bond with her onscreen big sister said, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: "It's no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core [she] was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of." She continued, "The world is less without her." 

Unfortunately, Doherty and Milano feuded up until the former's death.

Decades-old drama might not be relevant in the grand scheme of an actor's life, but the drama between Shannen Doherty and some of the "Charmed" alumni persisted until a few months prior to her death. However, it started back in the early 2000s. Although Shannen played Prue, one of the central Halliwell witches, she was written off the show following Season 3, which concluded in May 2001. Following her departure, Doherty shared some choice words for "Charmed" producer Aaron Spelling, her former "Beverly Hills, 90210" boss. "The lack of appreciation he's showing for me as a human being and as an actor is overwhelming," she said of Aaron to Details Magazine (via the New York Post).

Doherty walked back her decision to skip over Aaron-produced projects after he axed her from "90210," partially because of her feud with his daughter, Tori Spelling. "I was very trepidatious of working with Aaron Spelling again and getting involved because they burned me really badly on '90210,'" said Doherty on  the December 11, 2023 episode of  "Let's Be Clear With Shannen Doherty." "I was probably carrying around a lot of resentment and anger still." However, Doherty's friend and future "Charmed" co-star Holly Marie Combs talked her into taking the gig, leading to a surprising encounter between her and the producer. "He just walked in and [it was] as if nothing happened... It was like 'Kiddo! Let's do this project together. It's gonna be great!'" Unfortunately, that was not the case.

According to Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano contributed to her firing, which was initially framed as a voluntary dismissal. "The narrative that I 'quit' was assigned to me by other people," Doherty shared on the December 17, 2023 episode of her podcast. Holly Marie Combs, who also appeared on the episode, co-signed Doherty's account, claiming that producer Jonathan Levin blamed Milano for Doherty's firing. "Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment," said Levin, according to Combs. "Because she [Milano] went to the therapist or the mediator or the corporate mediator ... she built a case for herself," thus giving herself a supposed legal advantage. 

Doherty and Combs' claims came about two years after Milano admitted to contributing to her and Doherty's long-broken bond while working together. "You know, I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had," Milano shared with ET in 2021. As for the source of the tension? Milano felt like she was in a competition and didn't embrace the sisterhood themes within the show. "And I have some guilt about my part in that." Milano, who revealed she periodically DM'ed Doherty, also sent her some well wishes amid her cancer diagnosis. "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," she added. 

But has Milano ever taken responsibility for Doherty's firing?

Alyssa Milano doesn't agree with the narrative crafted by her co-stars. In February 2024, Milano responded to Doherty and Holly Marie Combs' podcast episode, along with added commentary regarding co-star Rose McGowan, who she's also butted heads with. "And I think we all know I'm talking about Shannen [Doherty's] podcast and Holly [Marie Combs] and Shannen doing it together, the things that Rose [McGowan] has said in the past," she said (via Collider). Although she didn't directly bring up Doherty's firing, she admitted that she wasn't happy with the lingering conflict. "I'm the most sad that a show that has meant so much to so many people has been tarnished by a toxicity..."

Milano outright denied getting Doherty fired on Instagram. "The studio, Aaron Spelling, and network made the decision to protect the international hit that was 'Charmed.' I did not have the power to get anyone fired," Milano wrote after detailing the mediation process, which was enacted onset amid her struggles with her co-stars. Milano also threw a little shade at Doherty by bringing up the fact that the show continued to be successful even in her absence. "Once Shannen left we had 5 more successful seasons and I am forever grateful," she continued. She also subtly implied that the mediator that investigated their onset interactions also influenced Doherty's firing. "It was then recommended by this mediator ... what changes should be made if the show was going to continue."

Holly Marie Combs swiftly took to Instagram to respond to Alyssa Milano's claims in defense of Shannen Doherty. "In the spirit of not being the quiet one or the middle child anymore," Combs wrote referring to her "Charmed" character, Piper Halliwell, "I feel the need to defend myself after many of the continuing attacks that have ensued since Alyssa stepped out on the stage and essentially called Shannen and I liars." She continued, "This is just the history she didn't want anyone to know about." She also denied Milano's previous assertion about the rehashed drama. Furthermore, she challenged Milano's claims that she wasn't powerful enough to get Doherty booted from the show. "And when the producers said ok we will let Shannen go, Alyssa had the power to say no I don't want that. But you did not."

During a different panel, alongside Rose McGowan and Combs, Doherty also addressed Milano's denial about her "Charmed" firing. "There is no revisionist history happening in the truth I know we told," said Doherty, who went onto imply that Milano took her livelihood from her because she wanted to be the star of their cult classic show. While Doherty was on the show, her character, Prue Halliwell, was considered the leader of the supernaturally-gifted sisters, but Milano gained a more prominent role in her absence. After claiming that the cast had protected this truth for several years, McGowan then chimed in with some words of wisdom from comic Katt Williams: "Winners do not let losers rewrite history."

The main "Charmed" cast members may have defended Shannen Doherty, but Alyssa Milano also had allies on the set of the show. In February, former "Charmed" writer, Krista Vernoff corroborated Milano's claims about dealing with an unpleasant set environment while working on "Charmed." "There was a great deal of bullying on that set. And you were not one of the bullies. Plain and simple. They can spin it how they want to but it's spin," wrote Vernoff underneath Milano's Instagram post. Actor Misha Collins, who guest-starred on one episode, also showed support for her. "Alyssa was patient and nice to me the whole time in spite of my obvious short comings," wrote Collins about his one-episode arc.

Vernoff's claim arrived a few years after Milano and Holly Marie Combs had a mini "Charmed" reunion on "Grey's Anatomy," where Vernoff was working at the time. "It was incredible to see Holly and Alyssa work together again," Vernoff shared with People in 2019. "There's a playfulness when they work together — a joyful, sibling-esque quality that just instantly came back to life. They are powerful women, forces of nature, and I so deeply admire their political activism." She also revealed that she enjoyed the light chemistry they shared, although years had passed. Unfortunately, Doherty wasn't a part of the special "Grey's Anatomy" episode, but this side project is proof that the surviving cast members could make up in the future under the right conditions.

May Doherty rest in peace.