Alyssa Milano breaks her silence on Shannen Doherty’s death at 53 after ‘Charmed’ feud
Alyssa Milano paid tribute to Shannen Doherty after the “Beverly Hills, 90210” star’s death at age 53.
“It’s no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of,” Milano, 51, said about her “Charmed” co-star in a statement to The Post on Sunday.
“She was a talented actress, beloved by many and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her.”
Doherty died Saturday after a years-long battle with breast cancer. She was 53.
Her publicist, Leslie Sloane, shared the news in a statement to PEOPLE on Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” Sloane said. “The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
Doherty, Milano and Holly Marie Combs starred on “Charmed.”
The show, about a trio of sisters who are witches, aired on The WB (now The CW) from 1998 to 2006.
Doherty left the series after Season 3 and was replaced by Rose McGowan.
In December, Combs, 50, claimed that Milano got Doherty fired from “Charmed.”
“We were told [by Alyssa] it’s her or [Shannen] and Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment,’” Combs recalled producer Jonathan Levin allegedly telling her about Doherty’s firing in the early 2000s on Doherty’s podcast.
Additionally, Doherty claimed that Milano and her mother, Lin, stopped her from visiting Combs in the hospital after she had a tumor removed from her uterus.
Milano’s mom denied the duo’s claims.
The “Who’s The Boss?” star addressed the accusations at a “Charmed” panel at MegaCon Orlando in February.
“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 at the time. “I’m sad that people can’t move past it. I’m sad that we all can’t just celebrate the success of a show that meant so much to all of us.”
She also said she wished that she could be on stage with Doherty and Combs, especially because she feels she has apologized for “whatever part [she] played in the situation.”
Milano shared a much longer statement on Instagram at the time, saying she never had the power to get anyone fired.
“Everything was documented,” she claimed of her time on set. “There was a professional mediator (I was told Holly and Shannen would not participate in any mediation) and an on-set producer/babysitter who were both brought in to investigate all claims.”
“I did not have the power to get anyone fired. Once Shannen left we had 5 more successful seasons and I am forever grateful.”
Krista Vernoff, who, per IMDb, was a producer on the show between 2002 and 2003 — after Doherty departed — supported Milano under her post.
“There was a great deal of bullying on that set. And you were not one of the bullies,” she wrote. “Plain and simple. They can spin it how they want to but it’s spin.”
Doherty responded to what Milano said during a different panel at MegaCon.
“At this point in my life, with my health diagnosis, with fighting a horrific disease every day of my life, it is also incredibly important to me that the truth actually be told as opposed to the narrative that others put out there for me,” the “Beverly Hills, 90210” star said.
“There is no revisionist history happening in the truth that I know we told. There’s no brush flinging or shoe flinging. There is no lateness to set. There is no mediator for months on end,” Doherty added.
