Rose McGowan Opens Up About Her Biggest Regret in Her Friendship with the Late Shannen Doherty

Mar. 15, 2025

Rose McGowan (left) and Shannen Doherty (right).Photo:Gerardo Mora/Getty

Gerardo Mora/Getty

Rose McGowanreflecting on her friendship withShannen Dohertyone month after her death.

In a new episode ofLet’s Be Clear,the late actress’ podcast, McGowan opened up about what she misses most about Doherty. Talking about their complicated relationship, McGowan, 50, explained that the two had been on good terms for a long time, and she wished people had known that.

“I do regret not doing the podcast with her, but at the same time, I think because so much of our relationship had played out publicly, that to have that period of time just for us was really special,” she said.

She also shared another regret: not having more time with Doherty beforeshe died at age 53 in Julyfollowing nearly a decade of living with cancer.

“I wish I could have gotten to know her sooner,” she admitted. “I don’t know how that would have happened, but I wish we could have. We both despised corporate feminism, as I call it, like slogans, and fake activists, and people that are just doing it for the clicks and and the glory, but without actually putting in the work and the trauma that it takes to do that work.”

Rose McGowan (left) and Shannen Doherty (right).Gerardo Mora/Getty

McGowan was cast as Paige Matthews onCharmedin 2001 and stayed on as one of the leading stars until 2006, when the show came to an end. She replaced Doherty (Prue Halliwell) after her departure at the end of season 3, following rumors of on-set and off-set tensions between Doherty and co-starAlyssa Milano.Despite having their owncomplicated relationshipin the past, McGowan said on the podcast that Doherty was an inspiration to her. She explained that like herCharmedpredecessor, she preferred directing to acting and appreciated Doherty’s openness about her experiences in the entertainment industry.

TheJawbreakerstar then recalled her last interaction with Doherty.

“About a month before she died, we got to be together just alone, just me and her, for the first time ever, and for the first time in 25 years,” she shared. “It was so cool, and we just actually didn’t want the night to end. And it was both wholesome and – that word is so dorky, but here we are — it was sweet.”

She continued: “She told me stuff that I’d never known, and I told her stuff that she didn’t know. And she had some questions for me, and I answered them and vice versa.”

Shannen Doherty.Charley Gallay/Getty

Charley Gallay/Getty

McGowan also said Doherty had told her she was looking into trying a new “experimental treatment” for her cancer at the time.

“I had a feeling when she said about the treatment, I just had this feeling that this was not really going to go well, and she looked frightened for the first time,” McGowan revealed. “She was frightened. And I gave her a big hug, and I told her I loved her.”

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“Shannen was such a joy to have attend our conventions,” 90s Con co-founders Christina Figliolia and Liliana Kligman said in their statement. “Fans loved meeting Shannen and she was definitely a Con favorite. We are so honored that ‘House of Halliwell’ wanted to share their stories at 90s Con. It will give both fans and our ‘90s Con family a chance to remember this amazing young woman.”

source: people.com