Alyssa Milano Accused of Orchestrating Shannen Doherty's Exit from 'Charmed', Claims Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs accuses Alyssa Milano of being responsible for Shannen Doherty's dismissal from 'Charmed,' alleging that Milano played a role in getting Doherty fired from the popular WB show
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Holly Marie Combs is claiming Alyssa Milano threatened to sue the higher-ups of Charmed if Shannen Doherty wasn’t fired from the WB series.
"[Producer Jonathan Levin] said, 'It wasn't our intention to [fire Shannen], but we found ourselves in a difficult position. It was essentially a choice between the two,'" Combs, 50, shared on Doherty's "Let's Be Clear" podcast episode on Monday, December 18. "'We were informed by Alyssa that it's either her or [Shannen], and Alyssa threatened to sue us for creating a hostile work environment.'"
Combs recounted that she and Levin had this conversation during a meeting where she requested to depart from the show following Doherty's departure. She mentioned that she expressed to the producer that she never "wanted to do" Charmed without Doherty, which allegedly led Levin to become emotional and disclose the reasons behind Doherty's, 52, dismissal.
Combs also claimed that Milano, 51, had been gathering evidence against her and Doherty, allegedly documenting every time she felt uncomfortable while on set. Combs expressed surprise at Milano's allegations, stating that she couldn't recall any public confrontations or harsh words exchanged between the three.
"It all happened behind the scenes, in a trailer. None of our crew or guest stars noticed or reported anything," she said before praising Doherty and how beloved she was on set. "Every director would work with you again, and every crew member had a great time working with you. By today's standards, it wouldn't be acceptable."
Combs observed that there are individuals in the entertainment industry who exhibit inappropriate behavior and manage to avoid consequences. She emphasized that this did not occur within the cast of Charmed.
During its eight seasons from 1998 to 2006, Combs played Piper Halliwell, the middle sister. Milano portrayed the youngest sibling, Phoebe, and Doherty played Prue, the eldest. Doherty's character was abruptly killed off at the end of season 3 and replaced by Rose McGowan as the long-lost half-sister, Paige Matthews.
“We have had a long and prosperous relationship with Shannen and we didn’t want to hold her back from what she wanted to do,” stated Spelling Television in a 2001 announcement of Doherty’s departure. “We wish her all the best and much-continued success.”
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Doherty’s departure from the show was initially shrouded in mystery, but she later revealed that it was due to the reported conflict with Milano and the overall negative atmosphere on set. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she stated, "There was too much drama and not enough passion for the work. I’m 30 years old and I don’t have time for drama anymore. I'll miss Holly a lot and that’s really the only thing I want to clear up."
During her podcast conversation with Combs on Monday, Doherty expressed that it would be irrational for anyone to leave a successful show that provided them with substantial income and a positive work experience.
After leaving the show, Doherty mentioned that she spent a year reflecting on her time there, but was unable to recall any negative interactions with Milano. She suggested that potential conflicts over her personal website or unequal pay may have influenced the perceived tension between them.
Combs voiced support for Doherty's efforts to maintain positivity among the three on-screen sisters, and suggested that Doherty's past tensions during her time on Beverly Hills, 90210 may have contributed to her dismissal from Charmed. Combs mentioned that Doherty had previously raised concerns about growing tension and expressed to producers a desire to prevent a repeat of past conflicts. She also pondered whether the knowledge of Doherty's previous firing from 90210 led to her dismissal from Charmed, considering the show continued despite her departure.
Combs and Doherty suggested that Milano's accusations led to the exit of the BH90210 actress. However, Milano has denied having knowledge about why Doherty left the show, stating in a 2013 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, "I don't know if she got fired, we never really found out what happened." She also admitted that there were "definitely some rough days" between the three women.
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Milano claimed that the close friendship between Combs and Doherty was a contributing factor to the issues, stating, "Holly and Shannen were best friends for a decade before the show began, so it felt very much like high school. I would have hoped that in our thirties, it wouldn't still feel that way."
In 2021, Milano admitted to ET that she and Doherty were on "cordial" terms and took "responsibility for a lot" of the issues between them. "I believe much of our conflict stemmed from a sense of competition rather than the sisterhood that the show was supposed to represent. I feel guilty about my role in that," she confessed.
We has reached out to Milano for comment.
