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Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan

  • Teen actor

Rósa Arianna McGowan (born September 5, 1973) is a filmmaker, activist and musician. Born in Italy, she was raised in the Children of God cult, before her American parents fled back to the USA when Rose was 10 amid concerns about the community.

Settling in Oregon, McGowan was bullied at school and rebelled against her family. At 15, she legally emancipated herself from her parents and lived in a squat with drag artists, before moving to Los Angeles to try her hand at acting. Commercials, extra work and a small part in 1992’s 'Encino Man' followed, but McGowan walked away from the industry, deciding to work in cosmetology instead.

In 1994, while standing outside of an LA gym with a moody demeanor, she was discovered by a casting director for Gregg Araki’s 'The Doom Generation', believing she’d be perfect for the role of Amy Blue, an apathetic gen-X femme fatale. Her performance became synonymous with 90s punk cool, and she was nominated for Best Debut Performance at the 1996 Independent Spirit Awards.

Landing an agent, McGowan quickly found further roles, among them parts in the slasher hit 'Scream' and cult indies including 'Jawbreaker', 'Going All the Way', and 'Devil in the Flesh'. With her pale white skin and blood-red lipstick, along with a relationship with controversial rock star Marilyn Manson, McGowan was promoted as a bad girl sex symbol for the 1990s, but began to struggle finding mainstream success.

On advice from her management, McGowan joined the cast of the fantasy drama 'Charmed' in its fourth season, replacing the departed Shannen Doherty as one third of a trio of sister witches. After five seasons on the series, McGowan returned to film with roles in Brian De Palma’s 'The Black Dahlia' and the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez double bill 'Grindhouse'.

While 'Grindhouse' garnered McGowan international attention, particularly for her role as a go-go dancer with a machine gun for a leg, it was an unhappy period in her personal life. A relationship with Rodriguez imploded, a car accident forced her to undergo extensive reconstructive surgery, and her father died.

In 2015, McGowan announced that she was walking away from acting to explore other ventures, due to her own traumatic experiences in the industry and her frustration with the quality of work promoted by Hollywood.

Her filmmaking debut, the short film 'Dawn', premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, and in the same year she released her debut single — an atmospheric slice of electronica called RM486. She has since become a prominent activist across social media, launching her own feminist movement known as Rose Army, and continues to work as an artist, filmmaker and musician.

In 2016 Rose was involved in a sex scandal when multiple sex tapes and nude images were leaked online for the world to see as well as exposing her love for recreational drugs. Some seem to think she leaked the tapes and photos herself for more public exposure and others believe it to be the evils of Hollywood who might be outraged by the fact Rose has spoke out against them.

Sex on Screen

Sex on Screen

2023

as Self

When We Speak

When We Speak

2022

as Self

Body Parts

Body Parts

2022

as Self

Mothers of the Revolution

Mothers of the Revolution

2021

as Herself

Letters Live from the Archive: International Women’s Day

Letters Live from the Archive: International Women’s Day

2021

as Self

This Is Pop

This Is Pop

2021

as Self (archive footage)

The New York Times Presents

The New York Times Presents

2020

as Self (archive footage)

QT8: The First Eight

QT8: The First Eight

2019

as Self (archive footage)

Hollywood's Dark Secret

Hollywood's Dark Secret

2019

as Self

This Changes Everything

This Changes Everything

2019

as Self

Rose McGowan: Being Brave

Rose McGowan: Being Brave

2019

as Self

Citizen Rose

Citizen Rose

2018

as Herself

The Sound

The Sound

2017

as Kelly Johansen

The Caged Pillows

The Caged Pillows

2016

as Monday

The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart

2016

as Ariel

The Weight of Blood and Bones

The Weight of Blood and Bones

2015

as Madeline

Mondo Taurobolium

Mondo Taurobolium

2013

as Gale

Doctor Lollipop

Doctor Lollipop

2013

as Dr. Coco / Red Riding Hood (voice)

Chosen

Chosen

2013

as Josie Acosta

The Pastor's Wife

The Pastor's Wife

2011

as Mary Winkler

Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time

2011

as Young Cora

Rosewood Lane

Rosewood Lane

2011

as Sonny Blake

Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian

2011

as Marique

Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective

Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective

2011

as Self

Scream: The Inside Story

Scream: The Inside Story

2011

as Self

Dead Awake

Dead Awake

2010

as Charlie

Gaze

Gaze

2010

as Self (archive footage)

RuPaul's Drag Race

RuPaul's Drag Race

2009

as Self - Guest Judge

Fifty Dead Men Walking

Fifty Dead Men Walking

2008

as Grace

Death Proof

Death Proof

2007

as Pam

Planet Terror

Planet Terror

2007

as Cherry Darling

Grindhouse

Grindhouse

2007

as Pam (segment "Death Proof") / Cherry (segment "Planet Terror")

Scream Awards

Scream Awards

2006

as Herself - Host

The Black Dahlia

The Black Dahlia

2006

as Sheryl Saddon

Elvis

Elvis

2005

Elvis

Elvis

2005

as Ann-Margret

Punk'd

Punk'd

2003

as Self

Stealing Bess

Stealing Bess

2003

as Debbie Dinsdale

Strange Hearts

Strange Hearts

2002

as Moira Kennedy

The Killing Yard

The Killing Yard

2001

as Linda Borus

Monkeybone

Monkeybone

2001

as Miss Kitty

The Last Stop

The Last Stop

2000

as Nancy

Ready to Rumble

Ready to Rumble

2000

as Sasha

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999

as Cassandra Davina

Sleeping Beauties

Sleeping Beauties

1999

as Sno Blo

Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker

1999

as Courtney Shayne

Charmed

Charmed

1998

as Paige Matthews

Southie

Southie

1998

as Kathy Quinn

Phantoms

Phantoms

1998

as Lisa Pailey

Devil in the Flesh

Devil in the Flesh

1998

as Debbie Strand

Kiss & Tell

Kiss & Tell

1997

as Jasmine Hoyle

Going All the Way

Going All the Way

1997

as Gale Ann Thayer

Nowhere

Nowhere

1997

as Val-Chick 3

SCREAM

SCREAM

1997

as Tatum

Lewis & Clark & George

Lewis & Clark & George

1997

as George

Scream

Scream

1996

as Tatum Riley

Bio-Dome

Bio-Dome

1996

as Denise

Seed

Seed

1996

as Miriam

The Doom Generation

The Doom Generation

1995

as Amy Blue

Intimate Portrait

Intimate Portrait

1993

as Self

Encino Man

Encino Man

1992

as Nora

True Colors

True Colors

1990

as Suzanne

Class of 1999

Class of 1999

1990

as Girl Outside Langford's Office (uncredited)