Rose McGowan dispels any rumors of rivalry between herself and Shannen Doherty, a fellow Charmed alum.

The bond between the Halliwell-Matthews sisters transcends their own reality.

Fifteen years after Rose McGowan replaced Shannen Doherty as the third Charmed sister on the WB series, McGowan reached out to Doherty on social media to express support for her on-screen sister, who is currently undergoing a cancer treatment.

“As young women we were pitted against each other for society’s pleasure,” McGowan writes, underneath the graphic showing herself and Doherty with a bald head and a headscarf, respectively.

“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. You and I were pitted against each other, I resented it greatly,” writes McGowan, who has released several industry-critical pieces over the past few years.

She goes on to call out the media’s treatment of Doherty at the time, and acknowledges that she was scared to speak out and risk being branded “difficult” like Doherty had been.

Here’s the full message to Shannen Doherty from Rose McGowan:

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

Fellow former WB actress Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) has also previously released a message of support for Doherty:

My #mondaymuse (and really every day #muse) is my brave friend @theshando. I've always said she is one of the most loyal friends I've ever known, and now while she is facing the toughest journey of her life, she is sharing it with friends she has never met in the hopes of helping other people who are going through the same struggle. That's a true friend #FuckCancer

A photo posted by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on

Shannen Doherty recently appeared at a Stand Up to Cancer event, and told the media that she was nearing the end of her chemotherapy treatment after receiving a mastectomy in May.