Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs proved to be so much more than just coworkers during their 40-year friendship.
After meeting in the 1980s when they were both working actresses, the Charmed costars developed a bond that extended far beyond the small screen. Through cast feuds, health scares and other surprises, the pair maintained a deep friendship.
“You give her the hits and she just keeps on coming because she’s never been stronger,” Combs said on a July 2023 episode of the “House of Halliwell” podcast when discussing Doherty’s cancer diagnosis. “She feels really good.”
Combs also expressed her excitement that Doherty was able to receive her own iHeartRadio podcast, where she was able to speak her truth about her reality while navigating cancer.
“When people try to silence her or me, we just get a little louder,” Combs said. “I’m really happy to say she’s going to be doing a podcast. I think it will be good for her.”
On July 13, 2024, news broke that Doherty had died at the age of 53 after a lengthy battle with cancer. As Hollywood mourns her death, look back at Doherty’s friendship with Combs:
Life Before ‘Charmed’
In a December 2023 episode of the “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty” podcast, Doherty and Combs explained that they had been close friends way before they were cast on Charmed. Combs found herself doing small handyman repairs in Doherty’s apartment before she found herself traveling with her friend’s family to Ireland. Doherty later revealed she pushed for Combs to be cast as Piper on Charmed.
The Charmed Ones
Doherty and Combs became household names after starring in Charmed, which ran from 1998 to 2006. In the first three seasons, the duo played sisters on the small screen before Doherty’s character was killed off. “Prue was a very, very, very strong woman. I was a really strong woman. I played her as that,” Doherty shared at a 90s Con event in March 2023 when discussing her character. “I think that did have a definitive impression upon a lot of younger women who were watching the show, to grow up with that sort of inner strength and to help their families and take care of their families. We’re very much about empowering women and empowering women within the show.”
Not-So-Charming Exit
In 2001, Doherty exited the series after three seasons of playing eldest sister Prue following rumors that she and Milano were not getting along. She remained friends with Combs.
Over the past four decades, Doherty and Combs shared plenty of positive moments. At the same time, the pair admitted to having some “issues” during their friendship. In a December 2023 episode of the “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty” podcast, Doherty alleged that Alyssa Milano, who played youngest sister Phoebe, and her family caused tension between her and Combs on the set of Charmed in 1999.
“There were no angels, there were no demons. We all had bad days, we all had good days,” Combs reflected during the episode. “We all could have behaved better at certain points but there was a lack of awareness of a bigger broader picture.”
Keeping In Touch
Combs and Doherty frequently reunited long after Doherty left Charmed. They embraced on the red carpet in 2012 at Us Weekly’s Hot Hollywood Style Event and even took a 2014 trip to Paris together.
Holly Marie Defends Shannen
For many years, there were discussions about why Doherty really left Charmed. In late 2023, the actress and Combs alleged that Milano was the reason behind Doherty’s firing.
After Milano denied the accusations, Combs stood up for her longtime friend in a social media post. “Although I have long wanted the girls to just get along for the sake of something bigger than all of us combined, it was not in the cards. Clearly,” she wrote via Instagram in February 2024. “We are all very different and equally headstrong which was the essence of Charmed to begin with. I often yelled at one or the other to lay off the other many a time. … Being the middle child sucks.”
Shannen and Holly Marie’s Final Project
On July 8, news broke that Doherty had signed on as a cohost for the “House of Halliwell” rewatch podcast with Combs and Drew Fuller. Us Weekly confirmed episodes of the Charmed rewatch podcast will still be released after Doherty’s death.
“This show, this character, this podcast meant so much to Shannen she couldn’t wait to share it with Charmed fans everywhere,” iHeartRadio wrote in an episode description. “We want to honor her memory and fulfill Shannen’s wishes by airing the first five episodes she recorded before her passing. She was passionate about this project and proud to have played Prue Halliwell, we hope these episodes offer some comfort for everyone who loved her.”
