Following years of on-set tension between the two actors, Milano now states that their relationship is "cordial".
The recent reboot aside, 'Charmed' has a soft spot in our hearts as one of those late '90s/early '00s supernatural dramas we can't help but re-watch via Amazon Prime. However, it's widely known that not all of the high jinks drama was kept in front of the screen. In a recent interview, 20 years after the series premiered, Alyssa Milano has opened up about the "guilt" she feels for her former co-star Shannen Doherty.
Milano played the role of Phoebe Halliwell in the series, who was (for the first three seasons) the youngest of the three witching sisters; Doherty played Pru, the oldest sibling; while Holly Marie Combs played middle sister, Piper. The tension between Milano and Doherty escalated during filming, culminating in the latter quitting the show. Her character was replaced from season four onwards by Rose McGowan, a long-lost younger half-sibling of the original trio, Paige.
Following her exit from the series, Doherty said to Entertainment Tonight at the time: "There was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work."
Alyssa Milano has now made reference to Shannen Doherty leaving the series due to the behind-the-scenes drama on the set of 'Charmed' 20 years after it happened.
"I would say we are cordial," Milano told Entertainment Tonight about their relationship. She continued: "You know, I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had. 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."
Milano previously said to Andy Cohen in 2013 about the drama: "I don't know if she got fired, we never really found out what happened. I can tell you that we were on the air with her for three years and there were definitely some rough days.
"Holly and Shannen were best friends for like 10 years before the show started so it was very much sort of like high school. I would hope that in our thirties it wouldn't feel like that anymore."
Following this comment, both Doherty and Combs denied there was any "high school" antics at play on set.
Shannen Doherty, who starred in 'Beverly Hills 90210' and its 2019 revival, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, which has sadly mutated into stage-four cancer.
Speaking about her co-star's cancer battle, Milano said: "When I heard about her diagnosis, I reached out to her. And I will send her DMs every couple of months to just check-in."
