The world is mourning the loss of Shannen Doherty, the beloved actress known for her roles in "Charmed" and "Beverly Hills, 90210." On July 14, Alyssa Milano paid tribute to her former co-star and shared her complex feelings about their relationship.
“It’s no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of,” Milano, 51, told Us Weekly. “She was a talented actress, beloved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her.”
Doherty, who was 53, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Her publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed the news: “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease.”
The two actresses starred together on "Charmed" as sisters Prue and Phoebe Halliwell, alongside Holly Marie Combs as Piper. The series, which began in 1998, was a hit with fans, but Doherty left after the third season. Earlier this year, their complicated history made headlines again.
In December 2023, on Doherty’s podcast "Let’s Be Clear," Doherty and Combs alleged that Milano was responsible for Doherty’s departure from the show. Combs recalled producer Jonathan Levin telling her, “We’re basically in this position where it’s one or the other. We were told [by Alyssa] it’s her or [Shannen] and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment.”
Milano responded to these allegations at a Megacon panel in February. “I will just say that I’m sad,” she said. “I am the most sad that a show that has meant so much to so many people has been tarnished by a toxicity that is still to this day almost a quarter of a century later still happening.”
On social media, Milano emphasized that she “did not have the power” to fire Doherty. “This is 15 movies and 13 TV shows ago for me,” she wrote. “This was 11 years before my 15-year marriage and 13 years before having my first child. This was so long ago that any retelling of these stories from anyone is just revisionist history.”
Doherty, addressing Milano’s remarks at a different panel during MegaCon, shared her perspective. “At this point in my life, with my health diagnosis — sorry if I start crying — with fighting a horrific disease every day of my life, it is also incredibly important to me that the truth actually be told as opposed to the narrative that others put out there for me,” she said.
“There is no revisionist history happening in the truth that I know we told. What somebody else may call ‘drama’ is an actual trauma for me, that I have been living through it for an extremely long time. And it is only through my battle with cancer that I decided to address this trauma and be open and honest about it so that I can actually heal from a livelihood that was taken from me, a livelihood that was taken away from my family, because someone else wanted to be No. 1 on the call sheet. That is the truth.”
Milano’s heartfelt tribute and reflection on their relationship offer a poignant reminder of the impact Doherty had on her life and the lives of countless fans. Despite their past conflicts, Milano’s words reflect a deep respect and admiration for her co-star, highlighting the complexities of their relationship and the enduring legacy Doherty leaves behind.
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