Actress and activist Rose McGowan has levelled serious new allegations about her time starring in the popular supernatural series Charmed, claiming network executives subjected her to invasive body checks and legal intimidation.
Allegations of Body Scrutiny on Set
In a candid interview on the We Need to Talk podcast, McGowan, now 52, stated that brass at The WB network, which aired Charmed, would closely inspect her physique at the start of each new season. She acted on the show from 2001 to 2006, replacing Shannen Doherty and joining co-stars Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs.
"They would circle around me to check my weight when I came back from season to season," McGowan claimed. "I think it was just really inspecting their product, you know. There was no chill with it. It was completely fine to be that way."
She observed that while the industry now pays lip service to being different, she remains sceptical about whether Hollywood has truly changed. McGowan, who currently lives away from the spotlight in Mexico, suggested the entertainment industry is no longer the major global force it once was.
Claims of Legal Threats and a Toxic Environment
Beyond the alleged body monitoring, McGowan recounted a disturbing incident where she claims she was threatened with a lawsuit designed to cripple her financially if she tried to leave the series. According to her account, after a friend in the art department was fired for allegedly smoking cannabis on set, she questioned executives.
"If I smoke a joint, will you fire me? Can I leave?" she recalls asking. The response, she alleges, was a warning: "If you go work at a pharmacy, we'll sue you. No matter what job you get, we'll take your wages for the rest of your life, and then we'll go after your family."
Her appearance on Charmed marked a television comeback after she says she was blacklisted from films following a $100,000 settlement with Harvey Weinstein in 1997 over sex crime allegations. McGowan's public accusations against Weinstein in 2017 were a catalyst for the global Me Too movement.
Strained Co-Star Dynamics and Me Too Cynicism
McGowan also offered a blistering appraisal of her former co-star Alyssa Milano, who helped popularise the 'Me Too' phrase in Hollywood. "I don’t like her," McGowan stated. "Because I think she’s a lie."
This tension echoes past reports of conflict on the Charmed set. Shannen Doherty, whom McGowan replaced, previously claimed she was fired after a feud with Milano culminated in an ultimatum and threats of a lawsuit over a toxic workplace—an account Milano has denied.
McGowan expressed cynicism towards the mainstream Me Too movement, criticising the "Hollywood fakery" of stars wearing black at the 2018 Golden Globes as a protest gesture. Her interview also touched on her belief that Harvey Weinstein may not be serving his 16-year sentence in a standard prison facility.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Warner Brothers and Rose McGowan for comment.
