Charmed Star Shares Thoughts on Feud with Alyssa Milano

Shannen Doherty’s tenure on the cult TV series Charmed was notably marred by a well-publicized feud with co-star Alyssa Milano. Cast as Prue Halliwell, Doherty joined the show after her stint on Beverly Hills, 90210, with Milano and Holly Marie Combs playing her sisters, Phoebe and Piper Halliwell. Together, they formed a trio of witches in the popular series.

Doherty departed from the show after three seasons, amid swirling rumors of backstage tensions between her and Milano. The issue, however, remained largely unaddressed by the cast until Doherty spoke openly about it on her podcast, Let’s Be Clear, in December 2023. She described Milano as “competitive” and accused her of creating an awkward divide between her and Combs.

Milano confirmed the extent of their chilly relationship, admitting there were times when they would walk onto the set and not speak to each other. A mediator was reportedly enlisted to resolve their differences, but the discord persisted. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Doherty alluded to the strife, citing “too much drama and not enough passion for the work” as her reasons for leaving.

Though she refrained from directly mentioning Milano, Doherty expressed her affection for Combs, saying, “She is one of my best friends and I love her dearly. And there were never, ever, ever any problems between the two of us, and we will always be pals.” This further hinted at the tension predominantly being between Doherty and Milano.

The topic resurfaced when Combs appeared on Doherty’s podcast, alleging that Milano had her co-star fired by issuing an ultimatum to the producers. Milano later refuted these claims while addressing fans at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida. She expressed her sorrow over the ongoing negativity surrounding the show, which she felt continued to overshadow its legacy more than two decades later.

Standing her ground, Combs reiterated her claims via social media, saying, “This is not revisionist history. This is just the history she didn’t want people to know about.” Doherty, dealing with her own health struggles, emphasized her desire for the truth to be known rather than the narrative others had spun.

In her podcast, Doherty addressed accusations of on-set hostility, recounting, “I lived a year after that sort of replaying everything in my brain and really trying to find those moments – and I couldn’t find them. I don’t ever remember being mean to [Milano] on set.” Despite their contentious history, there were moments when the relationship between the co-stars appeared amicable. For instance, in a special episode of Charmed, Milano remarked on their initial connection, saying, “I feel that we’re incredibly lucky that the three of us found each other.”

Source: various sources