Rose McGowan Pens Powerful Open Letter To Shannen Doherty About Their Relationship

Shannen Doherty and Rose McGowan, both Charmed alums, were often viewed as being enemies of sorts due to the fact that McGowan replaced Doherty after three seasons on the show. As Doherty battles cancer, she is not the only one who has been inspired to reevaluate life’s priorities.

On Tuesday, McGowan posted a thoughtful and heartfelt open letter to her fellow actress on Instagram.

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“As young women we were pitted against each other for society’s pleasure,” the 43-year-old actress wrote. “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. 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.”

McGowan revealed that Doherty being written out of the show served as a lesson to her not to act out, according to Entertainment Tonight. She admitted she lived in fear on the set because she didn’t want to be labeled “difficult.”

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. 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 behavior 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. I willfully remained enigmatic & unengaged. The Bad Girl Shaming you received at the hands of the media was merciless. Global media shaming is real AF, as you know. Fuck them all & their machine, too. You cast a long shadow over my life. We were both cast in a fake real life role, that of the Bad Girl. 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 fuck them. Damn them for fucking with our minds & careers just because their misogynistic 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

A photo posted by Rose McGowan (@rosemcgowan) on Sep 13, 2016 at 8:32pm PDT

“Fear was drilled into me from day one in this town & you were the barometer by which my behavior was judged,” she shared. “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.”

While McGowan’s letter began as a rant against the sexism of Hollywood, the actress had a more personal reason for writing the post. She wanted Doherty to know she stood with her as she battles cancer.

“Shannen, we didn’t know it yet, but we were the good ones,” her post continued. “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.”

This article first appeared on Womanista.com