At just 25, Holly Marie Combs stole our hearts as the middle Halliwell sister, Piper, on Charmed back in 1998. Three, young, badass women fighting demons and warlocks to save the world, looking back now, seems progressive for its time but Combs was more interested in portraying authenticity.
“The thing about us at the time, we really weren’t trying to make a statement,” said Combs, “the three of us and later, with Rose, the four of us, what we were doing was just being ourselves. And we were really concerned with being depicted in an accurate way.
“I had no hesitation changing dialogue if it didn’t fit in my mouth the right way,” she continued. “I wanted the show to really be a representation of a real family, because that’s what made it relatable, as well as entertaining. It was really about a family who had special powers, not special powers that had a family,” Combs said reflecting of her time on the Charmed set.
Combs spoke honestly about her Charmed journey and learning with her character as the show changed in big ways.
“I think what I did was just go through the emotions kind of honestly and genuinely because none of us knew what Rose [McGowan] would bring to the show. It was a very sort of risky move to try and replace a main character like that.
“What I did was I discovered the aspect and just totally different charm, quote-unquote, that Rose brought to the storyline, into her character, and into the set. I sort of discovered that, because I was in a precarious position where I didn’t know how the show would carry on, so I myself and Piper kind of discovered that at the same time and I think by letting my emotions genuinely follow that, I think the writers were sort of in tune with me on that as well. It sort of made the transition easier for me and Piper.
“Rose did bring a completely different sparkle, [but] it was hard.”
Combs joked about her off-screen relationship with Leo, played by Brian Krause, and how it was almost brotherly which made for some awkward moments on set.
“He is going to hate me for saying this but it was so hard” she laughs. “So hard and so awkward for us both. I had known his wife from before the show, so it was super awkward.
“I think how it just worked is that we respected each other as actors just trying to make it work. And we were equally dedicated to making it look like it works.”
Still friends today Combs playfully noted, “I joke with him still, even now, I look at him and go I made you look really good. There are millions of women still in love with you, and I don’t know how!”
“I’ve been incredibly lucky,” Combs said speaking on her career. “Those two shows [Charmed and Pretty Little Liars] came to me at this certain point in my life, because when I did Charmed I was just hell-bent on making the show a success. And I could dedicate most, if not all of my energy to the show. Then with Pretty Little Liars I had just had my third son, and I really wanted to be home more.
“One of the first things they said to me was, ‘you’ll never work more than two or three days a week’, and I was like, ‘oh my god how can I say no?’,” Combs said about Pretty Little Liars.
“I got to be part of a show that was culturally relevant. An incredible success. A social media mega-hit. And really I didn’t have to do any of the hard work. All the girls did the hard work and I just got to be a part of it and got to be associated with it.”
According to Combs though, no one knew who A was on the set of Pretty Little Liars until filming.
“I didn’t find out until we started shooting it because it’s just so big! They obviously didn’t trust any of us with the information because they really thought that somebody was going to say something somewhere and give away the secret and the whole show just would have been ruined.”
Reflecting on life and her career now Combs is in a great place.
“As a young person, I wanted to be a marine biologist, but my family didn’t have a lot of money. So I was forced to choose to be in movies or go to school and I feel like in this strange way my career has kind of come full circle. I am able to do the things that I was really passionate about before, because of how much work I’ve put into this career, I can sort of parlay that into making things that were important to me, known to people who may not understand yet.”
As a huge animal activist Combs has been looking forward to coming Down Under in the midst of all the natural disasters the country has faced to help.
“I was really feeling this need to go down there and help and I couldn’t figure out a way to justify it to my family by leaving all four of my children here. But then Supernova called and I was like, ‘I’m sorry, I have to go work’.
“I hope to be down there and help and do anything I can, you know, with rescue and rehabilitation efforts.”
Catch Holly Marie Combs at Melbourne’s Supanova March 7 and 8 alongside co-star Brian Krause. Tickets are on sale now through Moshtix.
Written by Adele Shepherd