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.
2023
as Self
2022
as Self
2022
as Self
2021
as Herself
2021
as Self
2021
as Self (archive footage)
2020
as Self (archive footage)
2019
as Self (archive footage)
2019
as Self
2019
as Self
2019
as Self
2018
as Herself
2017
as Kelly Johansen
2016
as Monday
2016
as Ariel
2015
as Madeline
2013
as Gale
2013
as Dr. Coco / Red Riding Hood (voice)
2013
as Josie Acosta
2011
as Mary Winkler
2011
as Young Cora
2011
as Sonny Blake
2011
as Marique
2011
as Self
2011
as Self
2010
as Charlie
2010
as Self (archive footage)
2009
as Self - Guest Judge
2008
as Grace
2007
as Pam
2007
as Cherry Darling
2007
as Pam (segment "Death Proof") / Cherry (segment "Planet Terror")
2006
as Herself - Host
2006
as Sheryl Saddon
2005
2005
as Ann-Margret
2003
as Self
2003
as Debbie Dinsdale
2002
as Moira Kennedy
2001
as Linda Borus
2001
as Miss Kitty
2000
as Nancy
2000
as Sasha
1999
as Cassandra Davina
1999
as Sno Blo
1999
as Courtney Shayne
1998
as Paige Matthews
1998
as Kathy Quinn
1998
as Lisa Pailey
1998
as Debbie Strand
1997
as Jasmine Hoyle
1997
as Gale Ann Thayer
1997
as Val-Chick 3
1997
as Tatum
1997
as George
1996
as Tatum Riley
1996
as Denise
1996
as Miriam
1995
as Amy Blue
1993
as Self
1992
as Nora
1990
as Suzanne
1990
as Girl Outside Langford's Office (uncredited)