Charmed star Shannen Doherty says Alyssa Milano and family caused ‘weird divide’ between her and Holly Marie Combs
Former Charmed star Shannen Doherty, 52, opened up on her podcast Let’s Be Clear with former co-star Holly Marie Combs, 50, about the behind-the-scenes drama that went down during the making of the popular fantasy series. Doherty revealed that tensions on the set were stirred up by none other than her fellow co-star Alyssa Milano, 50, and her family.
Doherty, who played Prue Halliwell on the show from 1998–2001, spoke out about the alleged efforts by Milano and her mother to drive a wedge between her and Combs, who played Piper Halliwell. Doherty accused Milano of trying to pull Combs away from her, causing a “weird divide” between them.
The 52-year-old star also shared details about her off-screen troubles, including how her late father was frequently in and out of the hospital and how she was often blocked from seeing Combs following her surgery.
Combs, who underwent surgery on her uterus due to cancer concerns, explained that her difficult upbringing made her susceptible to the warmth of Milano’s family during that time. She also expressed regret for the tensions that arose on set, saying she wished for everyone to get along. She made it clear that there were struggles from all sides but a lack of awareness of the bigger picture.
This is not the first time allegations of tension among the cast of Charmed have come to light. Rose McGowan, who joined the show after Doherty left, detailed the “very stressful environment” on set, saying that she had panic attacks due to the pressure she was under.
Despite these revelations, Doherty and Combs have stayed on good terms, even co-starring in the 2015 travel series Off the Map With Shannen & Holly. Doherty’s relationship with Milano has also seen improvement, with Milano taking responsibility for the strained relationship and expressing her “guilt about [her] part in that.”
Milano admitted, “A lot of our struggle came from feeling that I was in competition rather than it being that sisterhood that the show was so much about. And I have some guilt about my part in that.”
The podcast Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty airs every Monday and is available for streaming on various platforms.