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Rose McGowan has a message for rival Shannen Doherty as she battles cancer

"We were the good ones".

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Rose McGowan is trying to heal the rift with cancer sufferer Shannen Doherty after replacing her on TV series Charmed 15 years ago.

The actress took to Instagram and posted a cartoon drawing of herself and Shannen, who is fighting breast cancer, and blamed Hollywood for making them rivals.

In a message addressed to Shannen, 45, she wrote: “Dear @theshando Someone made this of us & I wanted to share it with you as it made me reflect.

“We have a funny history. As young women we were pitted against each other for society’s pleasure. The rules of Hollywood engagement brainwashed into us were truly vile.

“The men & brainwashed women in our business made it so we couldn’t be friends, I regret that.”

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Shannen left the series about sister witches after the third season in 2001, amidst reports of a fall-out with co-star Alyssa Milano.

She went on: “We were cast in this weird fake reality show where we were supposed to be enemies. I resented it greatly. I regret not being awake enough to articulate this to you at the time.

“Fear was drilled into me from day one in this town & you were the barometer by which my behaviour was judged.

“I was under a microscope, one false move and I’d be branded ‘difficult’ just like you. I think we all know what happens when girls here get out of line.

Read more: Actress chronicles brave battle with breast cancer 

“I wilfully remained enigmatic & un-engaged. The Bad Girl Shaming you received at the hands of the media was merciless.”

She added: “I had to prove I wasn’t as bad as you or I’d get the axe, too. But we were never the bad ones, it was them, the Beige Brained White Dudes in Charge.

“Well f*** them. Damn them for f***ing with our minds & careers just because their mysogynistic belief systems couldn’t sanction two strong females in a traditionally subservient role-actress.”

“I refused to give them the cat fight they so wanted. Shannen, we didn’t know it yet, but we were the good ones.

“Two boss young women that scared the ‘faux-liberals in provincial Hollywood, for that sin we got burned at the media stake, egged on by Hollywood who believe the press they start.

“There was a strongly inferred threat of me being blacklisted in tv as I’d been in film. Instead of understanding that we were a different breed, they tried to crush us, but they couldn’t.

“I send you strength. ⚒#rosearmy #BRAVE #shannendoherty #typos4life”.

Now that, is lovely.

Image result for charmed
Rose replaced Shannen in Charmed

Rose was drafted in as a replacement lead actress, playing Paige after Shannen departed the show.

Shannen is now nearing the end of radiation treatment and chemotherapy, having undergone a single mastectomy.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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