Alyssa Milano is addressing “the elephant in the room” that she had “Charmed” costar Shannen Doherty fired from the show in 2001.
During a panel in Florida this week, that was captured and posted online by an audience member, Milano opened up about the claims, noting that she wanted to be "thoughtful" in her response.
"I will just say that I’m sad," Milano said, before explaining, “I don’t think it’s really that I’m sad for me or for my life or how it does or does not affect my life. I’m the most sad for the fans."
"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,” she said.
Although the actor didn't officially deny the claims that she was involved in the ousting of Doherty, the 51-year-old did say she felt “sad that people can’t move past it" and "celebrate" the show's success.
“I have worked super hard in my life in the last 25 years to heal all of my trauma, and that’s not just all the trauma that I experienced while shooting but all of my trauma," she explained. "I’ve worked really hard to heal bits because I understand that hurt people hurt people and my intention is to be a healed person that helps heal people.”
Milano then invited the idea that the three former costars — herself, Doherty and Holly Marie Combs — could all sit together on a stage at some point because “this was like over a quarter of a century ago.”
“How is it possible to continue to hold onto that?” she asked, before issuing an apology, saying, “I ... want to take accountability and apologize for whatever part I played in the situation.”
The actor added that she doesn’t know “how else to fix it” and called the situation “heartbreaking.”
On an episode of the “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty” podcast released Dec. 18, 2023, fellow former costar Holly Marie Combs said a producer told her that it wasn't their intention to fire Doherty, but that they were “backed into this corner” by Milano.
“‘We were told it’s her or (Shannen) and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment,’” Combs said of the producer's remarks.
Combs clarified, though, that the exchanges among the actors weren't done in front of the producers, but rather, behind the scenes.
“There (were) no even harsh words exchanged. It was all behind the scenes, it was all in the trailer,” she said. “It was nothing that anybody or any of our guest stars ever noticed or noted.”
After three seasons, Doherty left “Charmed” and was replaced by Rose McGowan’s character, Paige. Doherty previously attributed her departure to “drama,” according to a 2001 ET interview.
“There was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work,” she said at the time.
Milano addressed her co-star’s departure in a 2001 interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying, “I think it’s hard when you put two very different people together. I’m very laid-back and passive. I have my Buddha. I come in here and meditate. (Shannen has) got a lot of energy, she’s very headstrong, she wants to get the job done.”
But 20 years later, Milano told ET in a 2021 interview that the two of them were on better terms.
“I would say we are cordial. You know, I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had,” she said at the time. “I think 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.”
“I have respect for her,” she later added. “Great actress, love her family so much, and I just wish I could’ve felt strong enough in who I was to recognize that back then.”
However, Doherty hinted during her podcast that she doesn’t expect a reconciliation with Milano any time soon.
“I heard that she addressed it [the competitiveness] in her book,” Doherty said, referring to Milano’s 2021 book “Sorry Not Sorry.” “Obviously, I’m never reading her book because it’s (called) ‘Sorry, Not Sorry.’ So right there it tells me you’re not freaking sorry.”
During another episode of her podcast released Dec. 11, 2023, Doherty spoke with Combs, 50, about the behind-the-scenes tension on the early 2000s hit — specifically the “lack of female support” with Milano.
During the first season of “Charmed,” Combs underwent surgery to remove a uterine tumor, per Entertainment Tonight, which brought filming to a temporary stop.
Doherty explained on her podcast that she tried to visit her friend and fellow actor in the hospital post-procedure, but said Milano got in the way.
“I waited 24 hours after your surgery to go, and then it wasn’t even easy for me to get in. I was being told I couldn’t even get in by Alyssa and her mom," Doherty said. "They were blocking people from seeing you but at the time, you didn't know.”
Following the situation at the hospital, Doherty and Combs experienced a strain in their relationship that led into the next season of the show.
“I remembered you texted me and were like, ‘Dude, are you going to come and see me?’ And I can feel your pain of feeling like I’d abandoned you,” Doherty said to Combs. “But I also felt like my anger at the situation of not being allowed to come see you, and how sort of family had swooped in and caused this sort of weird divide between the two of us that then continued throughout Season Two where I think I cried every single night of Season Two.”
TODAY.com had previously reached out to Milano about Doherty’s podcast remarks but did not receive a response.
As the original “power of three” sisters on the show, Doherty played Prue, Combs portrayed Piper and Milano took on Phoebe, all of whom discovered that they were witches.
When Doherty asked her about her take on the drama surrounding Season Two, Combs took a rather neutral position, but didn't shy away from admitting there was tension.
“There was a lot going on behind the scenes,” she began. “I wanted everyone to get along. I wanted the show to be successful. There were no angels. There were no demons. We all had bad days we all had good days. We all could have behaved better at certain points.”
