It’s hard to believe, but “Charmed” premiered on TV 28 years ago today. Yep, it really has been that long since Prue, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell first discovered they were witches and started protecting San Francisco from demons, warlocks, and pretty much anything else supernatural that came knocking.
The series premiered on October 7, 1998, and ran for eight seasons before coming to an end in 2006. And “Charmed” changed the late ‘90s TV landscape forever. Over the years, the cast changed, the sisters gained new powers, and somehow, Phoebe kept finding herself involved with the darker side.
The series even got a reboot in 2018, although it’s safe to say the original Halliwell sisters still hold a special place in fans’ hearts.
But the real question is: what happened to the stars after “Charmed” ended? Let’s take a look at where some of the show’s biggest names are now.
Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs portrayed Piper Halliwell, one of the Halliwell sisters and a powerful witch. Piper’s powers allowed her to freeze people and, later, blow them up by manipulating their molecules.
She also had one of the show’s biggest romances with Leo Wyatt, a Whitelighter who eventually became her husband.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, Combs joined “Pretty Little Liars” in 2010 as Ella Montgomery, the mother of Lucy Hale’s Aria Montgomery. She remained with the series through its 2017 finale. Since then, Combs has largely stepped away from acting, but she has stayed connected to her “Charmed” roots.
Combs now co-hosts “The House of Halliwell” with Brian Krause and Drew Fuller, where the trio re-watches the series and talks about everything from behind-the-scenes memories to things fans may not have known about the show.
Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty portrayed Prue Halliwell, the oldest sister when the series began. Prue could move objects with her mind and astral project before the character was killed off at the end of Season 3.
After leaving “Charmed” in 2001, Doherty continued acting and returned to the “Beverly Hills, 90210” universe with “BH90210” in 2019. She also became an advocate for cancer awareness after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.
Sadly, Doherty passed away in July 2024 at 53 following her battle with cancer. Her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast continued as a way to honor her memory, with her mother, Rosa, helping carry on the project.
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano portrayed Phoebe Halliwell, who was originally the youngest Halliwell sister. Phoebe had the power of premonition, allowing her to see the future and, sometimes, the past. She eventually gained the power of levitation, too.
Unfortunately, her psychic abilities did not help her realize that her true love, Cole Turner, was a demon in disguise.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, Milano continued working steadily in television and film. She appeared on “My Name Is Earl” before starring in the short-lived sitcom “Romantically Challenged” in 2010.
In 2013, she landed another major TV role as Savannah Davis on ABC’s “Mistresses,” remaining with the series for its first two seasons. She later appeared in “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” “Insatiable,” “Tempting Fate,” and the Netflix movie “Brazen.”
Milano has also become known for her activism and advocacy work while continuing to act, write, produce, and make occasional stage appearances.
Brian Krause
Brian Krause portrayed Leo Wyatt, a Whitelighter who was essentially an angel sent to guide witches on their path. He eventually became an Elder, although his close relationship with Piper was originally forbidden.
Leo had the ability to orb, allowing him to move from one place to another, along with the healing abilities associated with Whitelighters.
After “Charmed,” Krause continued acting, although he mostly moved into guest appearances, independent films, and television movies rather than another major starring role. He appeared in shows including “Mad Men,” “The Closer,” and “Castle” and also lent his voice and likeness to the video game “L.A. Noire.”
Yep, Krause has also stayed closely connected to “Charmed” through “The House of Halliwell,” which he co-hosts with Combs and Drew Fuller. Honestly, getting to hear three of the show’s stars revisit the series together is pretty fun for longtime fans.
Ted King
Ted King, credited as T.W. King on “Charmed,” portrayed Andy Trudeau, Prue’s high school love who returned to her life and became an important part of her discovering herself as a witch.
Andy was an inspector with the San Francisco Police Department, which led to some serious issues as the Halliwell sisters tried to keep their magical lives a secret. He eventually discovered the truth before being tragically killed by a demon at the end of Season 1.
After “Charmed,” King continued building a career primarily in television. He became particularly recognizable to soap-opera fans when he joined “General Hospital” as Lorenzo Alcazar, a role he played from 2002 to 2007.
He later appeared as Danny Roberts on “One Life to Live” (yep, another soap-opera) and took on guest roles in shows including “Fringe,” “NCIS,” “Elementary,” and “Hawaii Five-0.”
Julian McMahon
Julian McMahon portrayed Cole Turner, a half-demon whose demonic side was known as Belthazor. He first appeared in Season 3 after being sent by a demon organization called the Triad to kill the Halliwell sisters.
Cole initially got close to Phoebe because he thought she would be the easiest to manipulate. Of course, that plan did not exactly work out when he fell in love with her and eventually chose to become human.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, McMahon quickly moved into another major television role, playing Dr. Christian Troy on “Nip/Tuck.” The series ran for six seasons and earned McMahon a Golden Globe nomination.
He also played Dr. Victor Von Doom in “Fantastic Four” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” before eventually starring as Jess LaCroix on CBS’ “FBI: Most Wanted.”
McMahon continued acting until his final role in Netflix’s “The Residence.” He passed away in July 2025 at 56 following a battle with cancer.
Dorian Gregory
Dorian Gregory portrayed Darryl Morris for the majority of the series. He started off as Andy’s partner, but that changed after Andy was killed off. Darryl later became the Halliwell sisters’ main contact at the police department.
Basically, he was the man in the know. Darryl often covered for the sisters when they had to get involved in magical situations, even though he was not a witch himself.
After “Charmed,” Gregory continued working in television, although his career shifted increasingly toward hosting and appearances rather than another long-running scripted series. He had already hosted “The Other Half” during his “Charmed” years and went on to host and appear at a variety of television events.
He has also continued making acting appearances and staying connected with fans through conventions and “Charmed”-related events. It seems like Gregory simply expanded his career beyond acting rather than disappearing from the entertainment world altogether.
Rose McGowan
Rose McGowan portrayed Paige Matthews, the secret fourth Halliwell sister and the half-sister of Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Her parents were a witch and a Whitelighter, giving Paige a pretty unique combination of abilities.
Paige had the standard Whitelighter powers, including orbing and healing, but because she was also a witch, she could move other things with her orbs. She eventually gained the ability to generate an orb shield, too.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, McGowan continued pursuing film and television roles, including a particularly memorable turn in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s “Grindhouse” in 2007.
She later appeared in projects including “Conan the Barbarian” and “Once Upon a Time.” Over time, McGowan became increasingly known for her activism and writing. She became one of the prominent voices associated with the #MeToo movement and published her memoir “Brave” in 2018.
Drew Fuller
Drew Fuller portrayed Chris, a mysterious half-Whitelighter, half-witch who arrives in Season 5. But spoiler alert: He turns out to be a Halliwell.
Chris is actually Piper and Leo’s second son, sent back from the future to save it from evil. His storyline is super fun to see play out on-screen, so for those who are behind the times, we won’t spoil it any further.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, Fuller quickly landed another major television role. He joined Lifetime’s “Army Wives” as Trevor LeBlanc, becoming a series regular and appearing in more than 100 episodes.
He also continued working in television movies and independent films, including “The Ultimate Gift,” “The Kane Files,” and Hallmark’s “Love, Fall & Order.”
As mentioned above, Fuller is also part of “The House of Halliwell” alongside Combs and Krause. They discuss behind-the-scenes moments, production stories, memories from being on set, and dive into each episode as they re-watch the series.
Yep, it’s a pretty great way for longtime fans to revisit “Charmed” with people who were actually there.
Kaley Cuoco
Kaley Cuoco portrayed Billie Jenkins, another witch who could project and use telekinesis abilities. The sisters, specifically Paige, meet her in Season 8 while she’s on a mission to try to find her sister, Christy, who was kidnapped by demons when they were younger. We later learn the Triad is once again involved, and not everything is as it seems.
After “Charmed” ended in 2006, Cuoco’s career took off in a major way. Just one year later, she landed the role that would make her a household name: Penny on “The Big Bang Theory.” She remained with the sitcom throughout its 12-season run from 2007 to 2019.
After that, Cuoco took on a very different role as Cassie Bowden in “The Flight Attendant,” which she also executive-produced. She later starred in and produced “Based on a True Story” and voiced the lead character in DC’s adult animated series, “Harley Quinn” while taking on other production-based projects.
Let’s be real, Cuoco’s career is one of the biggest transformations to come out of the “Charmed” cast. She went from appearing in the final season of the supernatural series to starring in one of television’s biggest sitcoms.
Reliving the Halliwell Magic
Twenty-eight years later, “Charmed” clearly still has plenty of fans who want to know what happened to the cast. And honestly, the fact that so many of these stars are still connected to the show in some way makes the anniversary even more fun to celebrate.
So, it seems like the magic of the Halliwell sisters never really disappeared.
At the time of this writing, “Charmed” is available via Pluto TV with a free account or via subscription on Prime Video, Hulu, and Peacock.
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‘Charmed’ Premiered on TV 28 Years Ago Today – See Where the Stars Are Now