Shannen Doherty unveils the truth about her departure from Charmed after years of deception
Doherty emphasized, "It's impossible to keep recounting the same narrative repeatedly when it deviates from the truth."
Charmed (Source: Variety)
In the latest installment of the "Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty" podcast, released this Monday, the actor chose to be transparent about her departure from the cherished WB series. In a candid conversation with her former "Charmed" co-star, Holly Marie Combs, Doherty confessed that contrary to her previous claim of voluntarily leaving after the third season in 2001, she was, in fact, fired from the show.
Behind the Deception
She provided insight into the reason for fabricating the claim of leaving voluntarily, stating, "My representatives, I recall them looking at me and saying, 'No, no, no, your career won’t survive another termination, so we're just going to say that you chose to depart.' I remember bursting into laughter, thinking, 'Who would believe that I'm crazy enough to walk away from a successful show?'"
Regarding her decision to finally disclose the truth about her exit from the series, Doherty explained, "Repeating the same narrative endlessly, especially when it's not the truth, becomes untenable." In the episode, Combs recounted a conversation she had with "Charmed" producer Jonathan Levin, where he purportedly informed her that Milano had threatened legal action, asserting a hostile workplace environment unless Doherty was dismissed from the show.
On-Set Dynamics
Combs emphasized that Milano's mention of potential legal consequences would not be considered acceptable by contemporary standards. She highlighted that there were no instances of confrontations or hostile exchanges between Doherty and Milano on the set.
Doherty, contributing to the discussion, affirmed her recollection, stating that she doesn't recall ever being unkind to Milano during their time on set. She pointed out an occasion when she went out of her way to accommodate Milano's needs for a "Charmed" episode that Doherty directed, expressing her kindness and understanding.