How Alyssa Milano Got Shannen Doherty Fired From Charmed (Allegedly)
The WB's witchy series "Charmed" is predicated on themes of sisterhood, but that was far from the case behind the scenes. The Halliwell sisters, originally played by Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Alyssa Milano, are a coven of witches who protect innocents against the forces of darkness — at least until the end of Season 3. Doherty left "Charmed," which at the time seemed like a personal decision. The truth came out only after years of rumors concerning Doherty's behavior on set. Most "Charmed" fans know that due to pressure from Milano, production let the "Beverly Hills, 90210" star go.
Combs further contextualizes the situation on a two-part December 2023 episode of "Let's Be Clear," Doherty's podcast. Producer Jonathan Levin explained to Combs at the time that even though they didn't want to lose Doherty, creatives felt they had no other choice. Combs quotes Levin as saying, "We were told [by Milano], 'It's her or me,' and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment." Milano had alleged that Doherty made her feel uncomfortable on set, an allegation that Combs had no idea was an issue until Doherty left the series.
Doherty agrees, stating she has no recollection of tension on set that would have led to harassment claims. Milano has in recent years acknowledged that she was culpable for competitiveness behind the scenes. But while the trio is seemingly copacetic currently, the "Charmed" fallout followed Doherty for a long time.
Doherty would handle things differently now
There are two sides to every story, but Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs seem to agree that they didn't go out of their way to make things difficult for Alyssa Milano. "I don't ever remember being mean to her on set," Doherty recalls on her podcast. "I remember an episode I directed where she did something on the Christmas break, and they asked me to work around some things with her, and I had no problem with it." Combs tried to leave the series in solidarity with Doherty, but the creatives behind "Charmed" wouldn't allow it. They threatened to take legal action if the star tried to leave.
The difficulties for Doherty went beyond losing her job. Doherty states that when Combs was in the hospital during the filming of the early seasons, Milano and her family tried to stop Doherty from visiting her friend in the hospital. Combs was confused that Doherty wouldn't visit her, unaware of the drama behind the scenes.
At the time of Doherty's departure, she stated that she was tired of on-set drama, but she now says she would not have tackled the issues the same way if she had been older. "I definitely would've sued, and I would've been honest about the situation because the rumors followed me regardless," Doherty said. The actor endured years of gossip surrounding her workplace demeanor and has only received vindication for her side of the story decades later.