History Trivia / Charmed1998

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/BrianKrause, Julian [=McMahon=] and Kerr Smith all auditioned to play Andy first.

** Victor Bennett was played by Tony Denison for his first appearance, and James Read in all subsequent ones. They also played him rather differently - Denison's Victor was more confident, while Read tended to play Victor as someone in over his head in magical matters.

** Jennifer Rhodes and Creator/ShannenDoherty definitely look like they could be grandmother and granddaughter respectively. Likewise the resemblance between Doherty and Emmalee Thompson (who plays Prue as a young child) is uncanny. There is also a big resemblance between Finola Hughes and Alyssa Milano (mother and youngest daughter respectively). This is especially notable in season 4 when the two have similar hairstyles. And rounding off the SABC, James Read as Victor has a resemblance to his middle daughter Holly Marie Combs.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Brian Krause, Julian [=McMahon=] and Kerr Smith all auditioned to play Andy first.

** Alyssa Milano had dated Eric Dane, who played Jason, for a while. As such, she channeled her real life emotions during their break-up scene (they had split up long before this).

** Elsewhere averted with other English accented characters portrayed by actual Brits - Neil Roberts (Rex), Gildart Jackson (Gideon), Stephanie Beacham (Martha), Desmond Askew (Gith), and Siobhan Flynn (Melody).

* ActingForTwo: Michael Bailey Smith played Belthazor, the Source and a handful of other demons on the show.

** Shannen Doherty was eventually written off the show after a feud with Alyssa Milano. (Similar circumstances had led her to be written off her previous series ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'' as well.) She has alleged in interviews that the clashes came from both of them being promised the lead role on the show.
** Earlier in the first season, it was rumored that the reason TW King was written out was because he and Doherty didn't get along either.

** Milano was notoriously difficult to work with and known on the set for being a prima donna, which only exacerbated her aforementioned feud with the equally-combative Doherty.
*** In August of 2020, Creator/RoseMcGowan [[https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1181329/rose-mcgowan-claims-alyssa-milano-made-the-charmed-set-toxic-af went on a tirade on Twitter]], accusing Milano of making the set "toxic af".

* ThrowItIn:
** Producers weren't happy with Rose [=McGowan=] dyeing her hair red before the fifth season. She sarcastically suggested they explain it as a potion or spell blowing up on her...which is exactly the excuse the show used.
** It was a similar case with Alyssa Milano chopping off her hair for her 30th birthday - during the hiatus between Seasons 5 and 6. Rather than having her wear a wig, they threw in a couple of lines referencing Phoebe cutting her hair.

** Although she had difficulties with several people, the biggest reason Creator/ShannenDoherty left according to most sources was due to several disagreements with Alyssa Milano, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment apparently saying something to the effect of]] "either she goes or I do". How different would the show have been had it been Alyssa who left instead?

*** In August of 2020, Rose McGowan [[https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1181329/rose-mcgowan-claims-alyssa-milano-made-the-charmed-set-toxic-af went on a tirade on Twitter]], accusing Milano of making the set "toxic af".

** Milano was notoriously difficult to work with and known on the set for being a prima donna, which only exacerbated her aforementioned feud with the equally-combative Doherty. She would find herself in controversy years after the show ended after co-opting Tarana Burke's "Me Too" movement when the allegations against Harvey Weinstein started to come out, and then feud with co-star Rose [=McGowan=], who was one of the first actresses who came out with an accusation against Weinstein.

** Doherty is a skilled but combative actress who was eventually driven from the show after a feud with Milano. She has alleged in interviews that the clashes came from both of them being promised the lead role on the show.
** Earlier in the first season, it was rumored that the reason TW King was written out was because he and Shannen didn't get along either.
** Creator/ArminShimerman stated at a con that the ''Charmed'' actresses were the most-difficult performers he'd ever worked with on TV.
** Milano was notoriously difficult to work with and known on the set for being a prima donna. She co-opted Tarana Burke's "Me Too" movement and found herself in the spotlight again when the allegations against Harvey Weinstein started to come out. She promptly lost her feminist status when she gave a bizarre interview in which she crapped all over co-star Rose [=McGowan=], who was the first actress who came out with an accusation against Weinstein, apparently out of pettiness.

** Shannen Doherty is still best known as Prue Halliwell, or else Brenda Walsh on ''90210'' depending on how old the fan is. Most of her work after she left ''Charmed'' was below the radar and she is usually touted as '''Charmed'' star Shannen Doherty'.

** Creator/RoseMcGowan (Paige) was always eager to point out that she just liked having a steady paycheck. But she later said that most of her issues stemmed from the long shooting hours and how little personal time she got as a result. She did say she'd be open to a reunion, so it seems she has some affection for the show.
*** Since her [[https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/101919257/not-so-charmed-an-nz-exclusive-extract-from-brave-by-rose-mcgowan history with Harvey Weinstein]] became public, she's been far more open that a lot of her misery on the set stemmed from still trying to cope with being a sexual assault survivor, that the grueling schedule caused her even more strain on top of coping with PTSD, and that she largely did ''Charmed'' because Weinstein had been blacklisting her from Hollywood and she needed the work. In her autobiography in the wake of Weinstein's exposure, she also added that she took the role completely seriously and she was still grateful to people that liked and related to Paige even if it represented one of the darkest parts of her life.

** [[spoiler: Phoebe and Paige spending most of the finale dead]] is because Alyssa Milano needed time off to visit family during filming - while Rose [=McGowan=] was also filming ''Film/PlanetTerror''. "Forever Charmed" was filmed before "Kill Billie Vol. 2" due to them having to TrashTheSet at the end.

** Creator/TiffaniTheissen (who had replaced Shannen on ''Beverly Hills, 90210'') and Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt were approached to become TheOtherDarrin for Prue. After they both declined, producers decided to create a new character. Rose [=McGowan=] however was always the first choice for Paige.

** Holly Marie Combs nearly left the show at the same time as Shannen Doherty, but stayed on once she was granted a pay rise to $60,000 per episode.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Doherty is a skilled but combative actress who was eventually driven from the show after a feud with Milano. She has alleged in interviews that the clashes came from both of them being promised the lead role on the show.
** Earlier in the first season, it was rumoured that the reason TW King was written out was because he and Shannen didn't get along either.

** Milano was notoriously difficult to work with and known on the set for being a prima donna. She co-opted Tarana Burke's "Me Too" movement and found herself in the spotlight again with the allegations against Harvey Weinstein started to come out. She promptly lost her feminist status when she gave a bizarre interview in which she crapped all over co-star Rose [=McGowan=], who was the first actress who came out with an accusation against Weinstein, apparently out of pettiness.

** The show runners were annoyed by the network constantly using SexSells to promote the series, feeling they were misrepresenting it.

** Creator/RoseMcGowan really hated Paige's ReallyGetsAround behaviour in Season 5 - where she would be seen with a different guy every week. The main reason being that she disliked having to film these raunchy scenes with actors she had literally just met. This resulted in long term love interests like Richard Montana, Kyle Brody and Henry Mitchell.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Tensions between Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano resulted in Doherty's departure from the show after the third season. She has alleged in interviews that the clashes came from both of them being promised the lead role on the show.

* PlayingGertrude:
** There is a twelve year age difference between Finola Hughes and Jennifer Rhodes, who played Patty and Penny respectively. Semi justified since Rhodes initially appeared as Penny in the present (well the 90s anyway) - and other episodes had her play the character in flashbacks. When a season 6 episode had Paige going back in time to meet a younger Penny, Jennifer Rhodes was too old to believably play Penny at that age - so a younger actress was cast. Of course only ten years separated the events of that episode with a Season 1 episode set in the 70s (where Rhodes played Penny).
** Eighteen years also separate James Read who plays Victor, with Creator/ShannenDoherty who plays the eldest daughter. Since Read was already grey-haired when he appeared on the show, it's believable. Finola Hughes is also only thirteen years older than Doherty but that's justified since she only played Patty before she died.

** Creator/ShannenDoherty and Holly Marie Combs were good friends for years, which is echoed in Prue and Piper being closer to each other than to Phoebe. Piper is also clearly the most distraught [[spoiler: after Prue's death]], which echoes Combs's desire to want to leave the show after Doherty left.

** Actresses Tiffani Theissen (who had replaced Shannen on ''Beverly Hills, 90210'') and Jennifer Love Hewitt were approached to become TheOtherDarrin for Prue. After they both declined, producers decided to create a new character. Rose [=McGowan=] however was always the first choice for Paige.
** In late 2013, soon after news of the reboot series was announced, Alyssa Milano sent out a tweet that floated the idea to her costars of doing a ''Charmed'' reunion movie. Creator/ShannenDoherty responded in the affirmative, also retweeting a fan suggesting funding the project through Kickstarter. After the success of the ''Film/{{Veronica Mars}}'' movie through Kickstarter, the possibility is there.

** Brian Krause, Julian [=McMahon=] and Kerr Smith all auditioned to play Andy first.

** Since her [[https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/101919257/not-so-charmed-an-nz-exclusive-extract-from-brave-by-rose-mcgowan history with Harvey Weinstein]] became public, she's been far more open that a lot of her misery on the set stemmed from still trying to cope with being a sexual assault survivor, that the grueling schedule caused her even more strain on top of coping with PTSD, and that she largely did ''Charmed'' because Weinstein had been blacklisting her from Hollywood and she needed the work. In her autobiography in the wake of Weinstein's exposure, she also added that she took the role completely seriously and she was still grateful to people that liked and related to Paige even if it represented one of the darkest parts of her life.

* UrbanLegends:
** There's no definitive answer for why T.W. King left after Season 1. There were rumors of tension between him and Shannen Doherty, with reports of the latter being "very pleased" when he left. Other sources say he left to star in a soap opera instead. And others say he asked for more screen time, but they couldn't find ways to use him.
** It's a rumor that Charisma Carpenter auditioned for the role of Paige. However many others have said that Rose [=McGowan=] was always the first choice for the role, and Creator/HollyMarieCombs said she didn't audition and was offered it straight away.
** In 2013 Shannen Doherty claims that she was asked to appear in the finale but turned it down - not liking what they wanted to do with Prue. This is in spite of others claiming she wasn't even asked beforehand.

* ActorInspiredElement: Paige's romance with Richard was partially the idea of Creator/RoseMcGowan. She also contributed most of Paige's wardrobe in Season 4.

* DyeingForYourArt: Alyssa Milano learned to belly dance for "Y Tu Mummy Tambien".

* MoneyDearBoy: Creator/RoseMcGowan (Paige) was always eager to point out that she just liked having a steady paycheck. But she later said that most of her issues stemmed from the long shooting hours and how little personal time she got as a result. She did say she'd be open to a reunion, so it seems she has some affection for the show.

** Although she had difficulties with several people, the biggest reason Creator/ShannenDoherty left according to most sources was due to several disagreements with Alyssa Milano, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement apparently saying something to the effect of]] "either she goes or I do". How different would the show have been had it been Alyssa who left instead?

* ActorAllusion:
** "Coyote Piper" reveals that Prue was popular in high school, bordering on AlphaBitch. Creator/ShannenDoherty previously played an AlphaBitch in ''{{Film/Heathers}}''.
** Phoebe gets turned into a mermaid in season 5, in a plot that heavily references ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid''. Alyssa Milano was the visual model for Ariel when she was sixteen. Season 2's "Chick Flick" episode also has Phoebe wearing a Miami High Mermaids shirt.
** In "The Jung & The Restless" Paige wonders why she never dreams about Creator/QuentinTarantino. During Season 8 she was also filming ''Film/DeathProof'' and ''Film/PlanetTerror'', and she had scenes with Tarantino in both.
** A season 5 episode has Paige attempting to color-code the Book of Shadows, Piper getting annoyed with her for 'defacing' it. When Creator/RoseMcGowan first joined the show, she would sometimes write her lines or doodle in the prop Book of Shadows between takes - not realizing how much sentimental value it had to the cast and crew.
** In the series finale, Patty says to Victor "how do I look?" when she meets him in the future. Finola Hughes at the time was the host of the TV show ''How Do I Look?''
** Creator/CharismaCarpenter's character Kyra can best be described as an alternate version of her ''Franchise/{{Buffyverse}}'' character Cordelia Chase who was born a demonic seer. To make this a CastingGag Cordelia was a human who willingly became part-demon. Kyra is a demon who wants to become human.

* ActorSharedBackground: At the beginning of the series, Phoebe moves back to California from New York. Alyssa Milano was originally from New York and had to move to California when she became an actress. This makes Piper's line "you've been spending too much time in New York" rather amusing.

** Alastair Duncan, the chameleon demon, is British too.

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: If we're talking Seasons 5-7, Phoebe could be the DesignatedHero or else GoodIsNotNice. Her actress Alyssa Milano is known for being very friendly and bubbly in interviews, and very kind to fans. Similar is Piper, who is a DeadpanSnarker, but Holly Marie Combs was known as the TeamMom on set.