Julian McMahon and Shannen Doherty briefly dated while starring on ‚Charmed.‘ Both passed away after battling cancer, leaving behind lasting legacies
Julian McMahon and Shannen Doherty briefly dated during the making of their classic TV series Charmed.
Tragically, the Charmed costars died within one year of each other after they both battled cancer. Doherty passed away at 53 in July 2024, while McMahon’s death was confirmed nearly one year later on July 4, 2025. The actor was 56.
The former couple reportedly got together during Charmed’s third season in 2001, which turned out to be Doherty’s last playing Prue Halliwell. At the time, Doherty’s departure – and the on-screen death of her character – were blamed partially on off-screen tension with costar Alyssa Milano, who played Prue’s sister, Phoebe Halliwell. (Rose McGowan was eventually cast as a long lost Halliwell sister, Paige, to essentially replace Doherty’s Prue.)
Doherty and McMahon’s dating situation during Charmed season 3 may have been especially complicated since McMahon played Milano’s on-screen love interest, Cole Turner. McMahon was also going through a divorce from first wife, Baywatch star Brooke Burns, at the time.
Doherty addressed the tense Charmed set environment during a December 2023 interview with former costar Holly Marie Combs on her “Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty” podcast.
