Charmed – the hit fantasy drama that aired for eight seasons on The WB – is still widely considered a cultural touchstone by man. In the years since the show wrapped its run in 2006, the cast has shared behind-the-scenes details about their experiences – both negative and positive. At the end of 2023, series alum Shannen Doherty made a major claim, as she alleged that former co-star Alyssa Milano is the reason she was fired from the show. Milano didn’t immediately respond to the allegation at the time, yet the actress has now addressed it.
Shannen Doherty, who played Prue Halliwell during the show’s first three seasons, said that her exit was the result of a feud between her and her former co-star. As she stated on an episode of her Let’s Be Clear podcast, her on-screen sister gave the producers an ultimatum. The Phoebe Halliwell actress allegedly said that due to supposed tension between her and Doherty, one of them had to be fired and, she supposedly said that if she was let go, she’d sue over a hostile work environment. Doherty then alleged that her agent told that her departure would be framed as though she chose to leave the show willingly. The Mallrats alum apparently scoffed at the idea but ultimately went along with it.
The subject was brought up to Alyssa Milano when she appeared at MegaCon Orlando. While the actress didn’t explicitly deny the claim made by her former scene partner, she did express sadness over the fact that drama still surrounds the show so long after its conclusion. In her exact words, which were captured by RoJay Armstead and shared to YouTube:
The Charmed cast member also opened up about how she’s personally tried to deal with the tumultuous situations that stemmed from her time on the show. She told the crowd in Orlando that she’s had to put in some work in order to put the “trauma” she’s experienced behind her. Additionally, she shared one wish that she holds:
For her part, Shannen Doherty said during the podcast that she didn’t remember ever being "mean" to Alyssa Milano while on set. As for why she chose to share this latest information about why she was let go from the show, Doherty - who’s been discussing her stage 4 cancer diagnosis as of late – conveyed that she was tired of conveying a “narrative” that was not her truth.
Shannen Doherty apparently also had drama with another former alum from the show – Rose McGowan, who replaced Doherty following her departure. While the two seem to be on generally good terms today, McGowan previously spoke about their "feud," saying that they were pitted against each other by outside forces in the entertainment industry.
Despite the rumors and drama that continue to swirl around the show, its legacy has lived on. Its enduring popularity is arguably what prompted The CW to debut a reboot in 2018. The OG Charmed stars seemed to be mostly fine with the notion of a new series, though Holly Marie Combs later shared some salty words. The show ultimately ran for four seasons before it was canceled in 2022.
Whether the original cast will ultimately be able to resolve their differences remains to be seen. In the meantime, Alyssa Milano – as she later explained during her panel – hopes that the drama doesn’t "ruin" the love for the show. If the response from the people in attendance is any indication, there still seem to be fans who enjoy the series regardless.
All eight seasons of Charmed can be streamed using a Prime Video subscription.