Rose McGowan’s early life was far from ordinary. Born into a controversial religious sect, she grew up in a world where “free love” was normalized, obedience was enforced, and children were prepared for the Second Coming. For a while, life seemed peaceful—but it quickly turned complicated.
A Childhood Like No Other
Born in 1973 in Florence, Italy, Rose was the daughter of an Irish-born artist and an American writer, Terri. Her father managed an Italian chapter of the Children of God, a sect that dictated strict gender roles and encouraged a communal lifestyle. While other children were learning to ride bikes or attend school, Rose lived in traveling compounds across Europe, witnessing a way of life she never felt connected to.
Even as a child, she realized something was wrong. She believed in God, but rejected the sect’s rigid expectations, especially how women were treated.
“I remember watching how the men were with the women, and at a very early age I decided I did not want to be like those women,” she told People.
Early Rebellion
Rose’s rebellion began young. She refused to dress like the other girls, challenged the notion that females existed to serve men, and even set a wall of Bibles on fire as an act of defiance. She often joked about her bold personality, saying she “came out of the womb waving red lipstick.”
Her father eventually fled the sect with his children when whispers of child-adult sexual relations arose, fearing for their safety. Escaping the cult and assimilating into American life was challenging.
Teenage Independence
Rose’s adolescence was marked by hardship and independence. She became a runaway in Portland, Oregon, finding shelter with the city’s drag queen community, who became her protective family. Later, she moved to Seattle with her father, juggling school and jobs at McDonald’s. By age 15, she legally emancipated herself and cut ties with her parents, choosing a path few teenagers could imagine.
She even returned to her childhood town in Italy years later—this time with then-boyfriend Marilyn Manson—stunning locals who remembered the quiet girl who once lived there.
Breakthrough Role in Hollywood
After minor roles in the early 1990s, Rose’s career skyrocketed in 1996 when she landed the role of Tatum Riley in Wes Craven’s horror classic Scream. Her performance combined attitude, vulnerability, and spunk, launching her into the Hollywood spotlight.
Following Scream, she starred in films like Going All the Way, Devil in the Flesh, and the cult favorite Jawbreaker, cementing her reputation as a magnetic and unpredictable actress.
Collaborations with Hollywood Legends
In the 2000s, Rose became a household name with her role as Paige Matthews on Charmed (2001–2006). She also appeared in Monkeybone (2001) and later Grindhouse (2007), directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, earning Saturn Award and Scream Award nominations.
Personal Struggles
Behind the scenes, Rose faced significant challenges. She battled an eating disorder in the early ’90s, striving to match magazine-model standards. The struggle ended after meeting Brett Cantor, co-owner of Hollywood’s Dragonfly nightclub, whose tragic 1993 death left her devastated.
Her relationship with Marilyn Manson from 1997 to 2001 offered her a break from Hollywood pressures. She described the time as “running away with the circus,” a period of fun and escape before growing up and moving forward.
MeToo Pioneer
Rose McGowan is also known for her role in sparking the MeToo movement. In October 2017, she publicly accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, revealing abuse that occurred at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. Her courage inspired over 80 women to come forward, shining a light on systemic harassment in Hollywood.
“I was the first to call it out,” she told The Guardian, emphasizing her role in exposing abuse and injustice.
Choosing a Quieter Life in Mexico
After years in Hollywood, Rose stepped back from the spotlight. She relocated from New York to Tulum, Mexico, embracing a simpler, more grounded life.
“I never felt at ease with fame,” she shared during a 90s Con panel. “It didn’t give me a rush. It was the opposite. I looked at it like, this is my day job, it’s just extraordinarily strange.”
She also revealed that being sexualized in photoshoots, such as a 2007 Rolling Stone cover with Rosario Dawson, motivated her decision to step away from Hollywood.
A Legacy of Courage
From a childhood in a cult to starring in iconic films, challenging the norms of Hollywood, and leading a movement that reshaped the industry, Rose McGowan’s story is one of resilience, bravery, and relentless self-expression.
Her journey reminds the world of the power of speaking out, standing up for oneself, and finding freedom—both in life and in art.