Alyssa Milano, known for her role as Phoebe in the beloved WB series “Charmed,” recently addressed the allegations that she played a part in Shannen Doherty’s departure from the show back in 2001. Speaking at a panel hosted by Collider, Milano expressed her sadness regarding the situation.
While not directly denying the claims, Milano acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances, stating, “I don’t think it’s really that I’m sad for me or for my life or how it does or does not affect my life. I’m the most sad for the fans.” She went on to express her disappointment that the show, which held such significance for many people, has been marred by ongoing toxicity. Milano further lamented the inability of people to move past the issues and simply celebrate the success of a show that meant so much to all involved.
Shannen Doherty, alongside Milano and Holly Marie Combs, was an original cast member of “Charmed.” Doherty’s character, Prue, was written out of the series after three seasons and replaced by Rose McGowan’s character, Paige.
Rumors surrounding Milano’s involvement in Doherty’s firing began circulating in December after Doherty revealed on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear,” that she had been asked to leave the show due to an alleged ultimatum given by Milano to the producers. Doherty claimed that a feud between the actors led Milano to present the ultimatum to “Charmed” producers, threatening to sue for a hostile work environment if they did not comply.
Combs, a guest on Doherty’s podcast, confirmed Milano’s role in Doherty’s departure. She shared that a “Charmed” producer, Jonathan Levin, had informed her that Milano had indeed approached him with the ultimatum. Combs recounted Levin telling her, “‘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.'”
The feud between the actors reportedly originated from issues surrounding the promotion and marketing of the show’s first season. Doherty claimed that there was a lack of female support when the advertising primarily focused on her, despite Milano and Combs also being lead characters.
Milano addressed the past traumas she had experienced during the show’s production, mentioning that she had worked hard to heal from those experiences. She expressed her intention to be a healed person who helps others heal, acknowledging that hurt people often end up hurting others.
Despite the tensions of the past, Milano expressed her hopes for reconciliation in the future. She pondered, “Do I wish that we could all sit on a stage? Yeah, because again, this was like almost a quarter of a century ago. How is it possible to continue to hold on to that?”
The original “Charmed” series aired for eight seasons from 1998 to 2006. It was created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company, Spelling Television. In 2018, a reboot of the series premiered on the CW, featuring Madeleine Mantock, Melonie Diaz, and Sarah Jeffery.
To read more about Alyssa Milano’s response to Shannen Doherty’s firing from “Charmed,” visit F5mag.com.