Rose Arianna McGowan is an actress and singer. She is known for her role as
Paige MatthewsPaige Matthews is a fictional character from the television series Charmed. One of the featured leads, Paige is introduced at the start of season four as the fourth Halliwell sister and youngest Charmed One one of the most powerful witches of all time. The character was portrayed by Rose McGowan...
in
The WB Television NetworkThe WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
supernatural drama series
CharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
. She played
Ann-MargretAnn-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers as
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
mini-series
Elvis. In 2008, she was guest programmer and co-host of
TCMTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
's film-series program,
The EssentialsThe Essentials is a weekly film showcase on Turner Classic Movies airing Saturdays at 8pm EST, spotlighting a specific movie and containing a special introduction and post-movie discussion...
.
She made her film debut in the 1992 comedy
Encino ManEncino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their...
, where she played a small role. Her performance as Amy Blue in the 1995 dark comedy film
The Doom GenerationThe Doom Generation is a film by director Gregg Araki. Released in 1995, it stars Rose McGowan, James Duval and Johnathon Schaech as two teenagers and a 21-year-old punk drifter who become involved in a ménage à trois. It is the second of a trilogy of films known as the Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy,...
brought her to a wider attention, and received an
Independent Spirit AwardThe Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
nomination. McGowan then appeared in the 1996 hit horror film
ScreamScream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
and starred alongside
Ben AffleckBenjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
in the 1997 coming-of-age feature
Going All the WayGoing All the Way is a 1997 film directed by Mark Pellington. The film was written by Dan Wakefield, based on his 1970 novel. It won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.-Plot:...
. Later, she appeared in several Hollywood films, including
Devil in the Flesh (1998),
JawbreakerJawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
(1999),
Ready to RumbleReady to Rumble is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling...
(2000),
MonkeyboneMonkeybone is a 2001 American comedy film that combines live-action with stop-motion animation. It was based on Kaja Blackley's graphic novel Dark Town...
(2001) and
The Black DahliaThe Black Dahlia is a 2006 neo noir crime film directed by Brian De Palma. It is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy, writer of L.A. Confidential and starred Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. The story is based on the murder of Elizabeth Short...
(2006). In 2007, she was cast in the double-feature film directed by
Robert RodriguezRobert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
and
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
Grindhouse. She also portrayed the character Grace in the crime thriller film
Fifty Dead Men WalkingFifty Dead Men Walking is a 2008 English-language crime thriller film written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland's 1997 autobiography of the same name...
(2008).
In 1996, McGowan was the cover model for the
Henry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
tribute album
Shots in the Dark, and was the face of American clothing company
Bebebebe stores are an American clothing retailer founded in 1976. The name was inspired by, and is pronounced as in, the phrase "to be or not to be" from the play Hamlet. Manny Mashouf, who emigrated to the United States in the early 1970s, opened the first bebe store in San Francisco during a time...
from 1998 to 1999. She has also appeared on numerous magazine covers, including
SeventeenSeventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
,
InterviewInterview is an American magazine which has the nickname The Crystal Ball Of Pop. It was founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol. The magazine features intimate conversations between some of the world's biggest celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers...
,
MaximMaxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
,
GQ,
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
and
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. She has also frequently been featured on
Maxim,
FHMFHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
and
StuffStuff is a men's magazine featuring reviews of consumer electronics, and other articles of interest to a predominantly male audience.- UK edition :...
magazine's sexiest women lists.
Early life
McGowan, the second-oldest of six children (plus two half-siblings), was born in
Florence, ItalyFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, the daughter of Terri, an American writer of
French descentFrench Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
, and Daniel McGowan, an artist of
Irish descentIrish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
. Daniel McGowan ran an
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
chapter of the Children of God to which both he and his wife held membership until 1978. McGowan spent her early childhood amid the group's
communeCommune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
s, often traveling
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with her parents. Interviewed by
Howard SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
, she stated she had avoided the group's calls for members to become sexually active as children ("I waited till I was 14.") and described the practice of '
flirty fishingFlirty Fishing is a form of evangelistic religious prostitution practiced from around 1974 to 1987 by female members in the new religious movement, the Children of God, now known as The Family International.-Etymology, definition:...
' as "creepy". Through her father's art contacts in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, McGowan became a
child modelA child model refers to a child who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art, such as photography, painting and sculpture.-Practice:...
and appeared in
Vogue Bambini and various other Italian magazines. Her parents returned to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when she was 10, when they divorced. She subsequently relocated to
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and then to
Gig Harbor, WashingtonGig Harbor is the name of both a bay on Puget Sound and a city on its shore in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,126 at the 2010 census....
, where she also met childhood friend
Rey-Phillip SantosRey-Phillip Vivas Santos born June 18, 1975 is a mixed martial artist, turned actor, and a IFC and ProFC featherweight title holder. He is from a military family, the son of a U.S. naval officer. He is best known for his small roles and stunt work on James Cameron's Dark Angel and the Power...
. McGowan did not speak
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
until she moved to the U.S.
McGowan's formative years were spent with her father in Seattle, Washington, attending Roosevelt High School and
Nova Alternative High SchoolThe Nova Project, also known as Nova, is located at 300 21st Avenue Ein Seattle, Washington. It is a small alternative high school in the Seattle Public School District.-About:...
. At the age of 15, she officially
emancipatedAn emancipated minor is a minor who is allowed to conduct a business or any other occupation on their own behalf or for their own account outside the influence of a parent or guardian. The minor will then have full contractual capacity to conclude contract with regard to the business. Whether...
herself from her parents. McGowan pursued a career in the film industry during her late teens while enrolled in a
beauty schoolCosmetology is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty including hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures, and electrology....
as a back-up.
Career
McGowan made her first appearance in a Hollywood film with a bit role in the 1992
Pauly ShorePaul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
comedy
Encino ManEncino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their...
. Her role in the 1995 dark comedy
The Doom GenerationThe Doom Generation is a film by director Gregg Araki. Released in 1995, it stars Rose McGowan, James Duval and Johnathon Schaech as two teenagers and a 21-year-old punk drifter who become involved in a ménage à trois. It is the second of a trilogy of films known as the Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy,...
brought her to the attention of film critics, and she received a nomination for "Best Debut Performance" at the 1996
Independent Spirit AwardsThe Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
. McGowan was subsequently cast in a supporting role in the 1996 hit
horror filmHorror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
ScreamScream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
. She was the cover model for the
Henry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
tribute album
Shots in the Dark, which was released in 1996. She became the face of American clothing company
Bebebebe stores are an American clothing retailer founded in 1976. The name was inspired by, and is pronounced as in, the phrase "to be or not to be" from the play Hamlet. Manny Mashouf, who emigrated to the United States in the early 1970s, opened the first bebe store in San Francisco during a time...
from 1998 to 1999.
McGowan spent the majority of the 1990s appearing in a variety of
independent filmAn independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
s, including roles in
SouthieSouthie is a 1999 American film directed by John Shea and starring Donnie Wahlberg. The film centers on Danny Quinn who returns home to South Boston from New York City and gets stuck between his friends, who are supported by one Irish gang, and his family, which are members of another...
,
Going All the WayGoing All the Way is a 1997 film directed by Mark Pellington. The film was written by Dan Wakefield, based on his 1970 novel. It won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.-Plot:...
, and
Lewis & Clark & George. In 1997, she appeared in the critically acclaimed short
Seed, directed by San Francisco-born filmmaker Karin Thayer, and played opposite
Peter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
in the 1998 film adaptation of the
Dean KoontzDean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
novel
PhantomsPhantoms is a novel written by best-selling author Dean Koontz, first published in 1983.-Plot summary:Jenny and Lisa Paige, two sisters, return to Jenny's hometown of Snowfield, California, a small ski resort village nestled in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains where Jenny works as a doctor, and finds no...
. Notably, McGowan also starred in the 1998 dark comedy
JawbreakerJawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
, where she played a snooty high school student who tries to cover up a classmate's murder. That role earned McGowan a nomination for Best Villain at the 1999
MTV Movie AwardsThe MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
.
In 2001, McGowan was cast as
Paige MatthewsPaige Matthews is a fictional character from the television series Charmed. One of the featured leads, Paige is introduced at the start of season four as the fourth Halliwell sister and youngest Charmed One one of the most powerful witches of all time. The character was portrayed by Rose McGowan...
in the popular The WB television series
CharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
, as a replacement lead actress after
Shannen DohertyShannen Maria Doherty is an American actress, producer, author and television director, known for her work as Heather Duke in Heathers , as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spinoff series 90210, and as Prue Halliwell in Charmed .-Early life and career:Doherty was born in Memphis,...
's departure from the show. She was offered to be a producer after the seventh season alongside co-stars
Holly Marie CombsHolly Marie Combs is an American film and television actress and producer whose roles have included a portrayal in Charmed as Piper Halliwell and another in Picket Fences, where she received a Young Artist Award for her role, as Kimberly Brock...
and
Alyssa MilanoAlyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
, but turned it down. The series ended its run on May 21, 2006.
During and after
Charmed, McGowan tackled a variety of different roles. She portrayed actress/singer
Ann-MargretAnn-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
in
Elvis, a Golden Globe-winning
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
mini-series about the life of
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, and also appeared in
Brian De PalmaBrian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
's
The Black DahliaThe Black Dahlia is a 2006 neo noir crime film directed by Brian De Palma. It is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy, writer of L.A. Confidential and starred Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. The story is based on the murder of Elizabeth Short...
.
In 2007, McGowan headlined the critically acclaimed
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
/
Robert RodriguezRobert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
double-feature
Grindhouse, released on April 6, 2007. Cast in utterly divergent roles, McGowan appears in both portions of the film, as go-go dancing Cherry Darling in
Planet TerrorPlanet Terror is a 2007 American action horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, about a group of people attempting to survive an onslaught of zombie-like creatures as they feud with a military unit, including a go-go dancer searching for a way to use her "useless talents." The film, a...
, and as Pam in
Death ProofDeath Proof is a 2007 American action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film centers on a psychopathic stunt man who stalks young women before murdering them in staged car accidents using his "death-proof" stunt car...
. She followed up the project with a role in the
IRAThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
thriller
Fifty Dead Men WalkingFifty Dead Men Walking is a 2008 English-language crime thriller film written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland's 1997 autobiography of the same name...
and a recurring role as a
con artistA confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
on the acclaimed drama series
Nip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
. After a brief hiatus from film, McGowan shot a cameo in the Robert Rodriguez thriller
MacheteMachete is a 2010 action film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. The "Machete" character originates from the 2001 Spy Kids film, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. This film is an expansion of a fake trailer that was released together with Rodriguez's and Quentin Tarantino's...
, a role ultimately cut but included on the DVD release, and played a semi-homeless junkie in the fantasy drama
Dead AwakeDead Awake is a 2010 mystery film starring Nick Stahl, Rose McGowan, and Amy Smart. The film was previously titled Dylan's Wake.-Plot:...
. In 2011, she appears as an evil half-human/half-witch in the comic book adaptation
Conan the Barbarian and guest starred in an episode of
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
as a
grifterA confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
who targets New York sex clubs. McGowan headlined the psychological thriller
Rosewood LaneRosewood Lane is a 2011 thriller-horror film written and directed by Victor Salva, and stars Rose McGowan. The film's story revolves around when radio talk show psychiatrist, moves back to her hometown, she takes notices of her neighborhood paper boy's unusual behavior...
from director
Victor SalvaVictor Ronald Salva is an American film director, mostly of horror movies. His body of work includes the films Powder and Jeepers Creepers.-Early life and career:...
, while she will also appear in the TV movie
The Pastor's Wife alongside
Michael ShanksMichael Garrett Shanks is a Canadian actor who achieved fame for his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson in the long-running Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1.-Early life:...
. In 2012, McGowan will star in the feature film The Tell-Tale Heart, an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story. She will also headline the film Napa, as a Afghanistan war veteran turned Napa county sheriff.
McGowan's name was attached to several recent films which ended up being unmade. Following the release of
Grindhouse, she signed to play
B-movieA B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
staple
Susan Cabot-Early life:Born Harriet Shapiro to a Russian Jewish family in Boston, Massachusetts, Cabot's early life was one of turmoil, and she was raised in eight different foster homes. She completed her education in New York, New York, and found employment as an illustrator...
in
Black Oasis, to be directed by
Stephan ElliottStephan Elliott is an Australian film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Elliott began his career as an assistant director working in the boom of the Australian film industry of the 1980s....
. However, the film was affected by the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike and ultimately put on indefinite hold. Another project, a proposed film adaptation of the
Sylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
novel
The Bell JarThe Bell Jar is American writer and poet Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed...
alongside
Julia StilesJulia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress.After beginning her career in small parts in a New York City theatre troupe, she has moved on to leading roles in plays by writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and David Mamet...
, also never came to fruition. She was also attached to three projects to be produced by Robert Rodriguez, a remake of the science fiction cult classic
BarbarellaBarbarella is a 1968 Franco-Italian science fiction film based on Jean-Claude Forrest's French Barbarella comics. The film was directed by Roger Vadim and stars Jane Fonda, who was Vadim's wife at the time.-Plot:...
, a proposed television series titled
Women in Chains!, and a big-screen update of the
Red SonjaRed Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is a fictional character, a high fantasy sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith, and loosely based on Red Sonya of Rogatino in Robert E. Howard's 1934 short story "The Shadow of the Vulture"...
comic books. After several years of development, Rodriguez announced in 2009 that
Barbarella had been canceled due to location difficulties, while
Women in Chains! appears to have never gotten past the script stages and is believed to no longer be in development. In 2010, McGowan confirmed that
Red Sonja had been postponed to fit
Conan continuity, and that the project may resurface depending on the success of
Conan the Barbarian. However, a recent interview with producer
Avi LernerAvinoam Lerner is an Israeli-born film producer, primarily of American action movies.-Life and career:Lerner originally worked in movie theaters in Tel Aviv, but soon re-located to South Africa, where he produced several films in that country and also owned a chain of movie theaters there until he...
reveals that while the movie is moving forward, McGowan is no longer involved.
In addition to film and television, McGowan lent her voice to the video games
DarkwatchDarkwatch: Curse of the West is a 2005 Weird West first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was developed by High Moon Studios and published by Capcom in the United States and by Ubisoft in the European Union and Australia.The game mixes western, horror and steampunk genres...
, playing a
femme fataleA femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
named Tala, and
Terminator SalvationTerminator Salvation is a third-person shooter action video game, released on May 19, 2009 to coincide with the release of the film of the same name on the same week. It is developed by the Halcyon Company's gaming subsidiary, Halcyon Games, along with GRIN and published by Equity Games and Evolved...
, playing a troubled soldier named Angie Salter. She also co-hosted the
TCMTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
's film-series program
The EssentialsThe Essentials is a weekly film showcase on Turner Classic Movies airing Saturdays at 8pm EST, spotlighting a specific movie and containing a special introduction and post-movie discussion...
alongside Robert Osbourne in 2008, discussing classic Hollywood film, a subject close to her heart.
Music
While dating
Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
, McGowan appeared in a
music videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "
Coma White"Coma White" is a song by the band Marilyn Manson. It is the last track from the album Mechanical Animals. Despite only being released as a promo single, a video was shot in the wake of the Columbine tragedy controversy surrounding the band, and it also provided a preview of the Holy Wood project...
", and also performed backing vocals on the song "Posthuman". Both of these songs are available on the album
Mechanical AnimalsMechanical Animals is the third full-length studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 14, 1998, in Australia and on September 15, 1998, in the US, Germany and France through Nothing and Interscope Records and marked the beginning of the band's brief foray into...
.
McGowan appeared on a
Brian TranseauBrian Wayne Transeau is a classically trained and Grammy-nominated American music producer, composer, audio technician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter better known by his stage name, BT. He is an artist in the electronic genre...
track called "Superfabulous" from his album
Emotional TechnologyEmotional Technology is the fourth album by electronica artist BT. Transitioning towards a poppier sound, the album features some of BT's well-known hits, including "Somnambulist", "The Force of Gravity" and "Superfabulous". "Somnambulist", also known as "Simply Being Loved", holds the Guinness...
, which was also featured on the final
Charmed soundtrack,
The Final Chapter. The song has been featured in several films, including
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is a 2004 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and starring Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, and Josh Duhamel.- Plot :...
and
Raising HelenRaising Helen is a 2004 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. It stars Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere, Spencer and his sister Abigail Breslin and Helen Mirren...
. She wrote and recorded a song titled "Protection," which was featured in her 2001 film
Strange Hearts. McGowan has also appeared in the
Imperial TeenImperial Teen is a San Francisco-based indie pop group made up of Roddy Bottum primarily on guitar/vocals, Will Schwartz primarily on guitar/vocals, Lynn Truell primarily on drums and backing vocals, and Jone Stebbins primarily on bass and backing...
music video for "Yoo Hoo", which was featured on the
Jawbreaker soundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. She also recorded the theme song from the 2010 file, Dead/Awake.
McGowan has expressed interest in recording an album of her own. During an interview with
Living TV, she said, "I was actually thinking of going back and doing more soulful tunes and older tunes...and I would love to, when I have a little bit more time." In the
Charmed episode "
Sense and Sense Ability," McGowan performed, in character, a cover of the
Peggy LeePeggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
classic "Fever". In 2007, it was announced that McGowan would be performing three songs from the
Planet TerrorPlanet Terror is a 2007 American action horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, about a group of people attempting to survive an onslaught of zombie-like creatures as they feud with a military unit, including a go-go dancer searching for a way to use her "useless talents." The film, a...
portion of
Grindhouse. These songs were released on the soundtrack by the
Varèse SarabandeVarèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
label. The songs are entitled "
You Belong to Me"You Belong to Me" is a pop music ballad from the 1950s. The singer reminds his/her lover that, whatever exotic locales and sights he/she experiences, "you belong to me." It is credited to three writers: Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, and Redd Stewart...
" (a
Dean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
/
Jo StaffordJo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
cover), "Useless Talent #32" and "Two Against the World".
Personal life
McGowan lived in
Seattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, but currently resides in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She was in a very public 3 ½-year relationship with rock musician
Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
. After a formal engagement lasting two years, McGowan ended the relationship over "lifestyle differences". Prior to the release of
Grindhouse, there was speculation that McGowan was dating director
Robert RodriguezRobert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
. In May 2007, it was reported that they confirmed their relationship while appearing hand-in-hand at the
Cannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. On October 12, 2007 it was announced by Zap2it.com that McGowan was engaged to Rodriguez. They planned to wed in 2009, but reportedly split on October 2, 2009.
McGowan has admitted to
sleepwalkingSleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. Sleepwalkers arise from the slow wave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness...
as a child. "The weirdest spot I ever woke up was a snow bank in
MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Now I just speak
ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
in my sleep."
McGowan is an activist for LGBT rights, and campaigned against Proposition 8, which sought to illegalize same sex marriage in the state of California. McGowan is known as an activist for
Boston TerrierThe Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Color and markings are important when distinguishing this breed to the AKC standard. They should be either black,...
s. She herself has two, Bug and Fester, and has personally donated to various Boston rescues. McGowan reportedly encouraged friends to donate to
Boston Terrier Rescue Net, and according to BTRN: "Having fallen in love with Bug and Fester, her friends donated generously. It amounted to a considerable contribution, which will go a long way in helping BTRN and the needy volunteers who selflessly give to deserving Bostons."
McGowan caused controversy during the making of
Fifty Dead Men WalkingFifty Dead Men Walking is a 2008 English-language crime thriller film written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland's 1997 autobiography of the same name...
when she stated "I imagine, had I grown up in Belfast I would have 100% been in the
IRAThe Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
." No great consequences came, apart from an out of court settlement. It is alleged that the film director had to pay USD 40.000 to the original author, but he was already on edge about other parts of the film.
According to an article in the
New York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, McGowan suffered serious injuries in a car accident early in 2007. Riding as a passenger, her car was struck by another vehicle and the force of the impact drove her eyeglasses into her face. McGowan is quoted as saying, "I didn't realize I was hurt until I put my hand to my face and felt the flap of skin. My glasses had sliced me under my eye." After obtaining the services of a plastic surgeon, McGowan is reported to be suffering no long-lasting consequences from the incident.
Of her acting method, McGowan said "I'm not really one of those people who goes and writes some big backstory and agonizes over characters...For me personally, it's just kind of more instinctive. But I don't have kind of an acting background. I fell into it accidentally."
In late 2009 McGowan was amongst several celebrities who participated in the protest
NOH8The NOH8 Campaign is a silent protest photo project against California Proposition 8. The campaign features photographs portraying people in front of a white backdrop wearing white t-shirts, their mouths taped shut and "NOH8" painted on their cheek. The campaign was created on February 1, 2009, by...
.
Filmography
Film
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1992 |
Encino ManEncino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their...
|
Nora |
Also known as California Man |
| 1995 |
|
Amy Blue |
Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
|
| 1996 |
Bio-Dome Bio-Dome is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Jason Bloom. Bio-Dome was produced by Motion Picture Corporation of America on a budget of $15 million and was distributed theatrically by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer....
|
Denise |
|
| 1996 |
Kiss & Tell |
Jasmine Hoyle |
|
| 1996 |
ScreamScream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
|
Tatum Riley |
|
| 1997 |
Going All the Way Going All the Way is a 1997 film directed by Mark Pellington. The film was written by Dan Wakefield, based on his 1970 novel. It won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.-Plot:...
|
Gale Ann Thayer |
|
| 1997 |
Seed |
Miriam |
Short Film |
| 1997 |
Nowhere Nowhere is a 1997 film by director and screenwriter Gregg Araki. It stars James Duval and Rachel True as Dark and Mel, a bisexual teen couple who are both sexually promiscuous....
|
Valley Chick #3 |
Cameo with Shannen DohertyShannen Maria Doherty is an American actress, producer, author and television director, known for her work as Heather Duke in Heathers , as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spinoff series 90210, and as Prue Halliwell in Charmed .-Early life and career:Doherty was born in Memphis,...
|
| 1997 |
Lewis and Clark and George Lewis and Clark and George is a 1996 comedy crime thriller film directed by Rod McCall.-Plot:Lewis and Clark and George opens with Salvator Xuereb and Dan Gunther at a water tank site wearing prison jump suits...
|
George |
|
| 1998 |
Southie Southie is a 1999 American film directed by John Shea and starring Donnie Wahlberg. The film centers on Danny Quinn who returns home to South Boston from New York City and gets stuck between his friends, who are supported by one Irish gang, and his family, which are members of another...
|
Kathy Quinn |
|
| 1998 |
Phantoms Phantoms is a 1998 American horror film adapted from the 1983 novel Phantoms by Dean Koontz. Joe Chappelle directed the film, and Koontz wrote the screenplay. The film takes place in the peaceful town of Snowfield, Colorado, where something evil has wiped out the community...
|
Lisa Pailey |
|
| 1998 |
Devil in the Flesh |
Debbie Strand |
Also known as Dearly Devoted |
| 1998 |
Jawbreaker Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
|
Courtney Shayne |
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Villain This is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Villain.-References:...
|
| 1999 |
Sleeping BeautiesSleeping Beauties is a 1999 short comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit. It premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. It stars Sarah Lassez as a morgue beautician trying to get over her ex-girlfriend, played by Radha Mitchell. Babbit made the film with help from David Fincher and Michael Douglas...
|
Sno Blo |
Short Film |
| 2000 |
Ready to RumbleReady to Rumble is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling...
|
Sasha |
|
| 2000 |
|
Nancy |
|
| 2001 |
Strange Hearts |
Moira Kennedy |
Also known as Roads to Riches |
| 2001 |
MonkeyboneMonkeybone is a 2001 American comedy film that combines live-action with stop-motion animation. It was based on Kaja Blackley's graphic novel Dark Town...
|
Miss Kitty |
|
| 2002 |
Stealing Bess |
Debbie Dinsdale |
Also known as Vacuums |
| 2006 |
|
Sheryl Saddon |
|
| 2007 |
Grindhouse – Planet TerrorPlanet Terror is a 2007 American action horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, about a group of people attempting to survive an onslaught of zombie-like creatures as they feud with a military unit, including a go-go dancer searching for a way to use her "useless talents." The film, a...
|
Cherry Darling |
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2007 |
Grindhouse – Death Proof Death Proof is a 2007 American action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film centers on a psychopathic stunt man who stalks young women before murdering them in staged car accidents using his "death-proof" stunt car...
|
Pam |
|
| 2008 |
Fifty Dead Men WalkingFifty Dead Men Walking is a 2008 English-language crime thriller film written and directed by Kari Skogland. It is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland's 1997 autobiography of the same name...
|
Grace Sterrin |
|
| 2010 |
Machete Machete is a 2010 action film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. The "Machete" character originates from the 2001 Spy Kids film, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. This film is an expansion of a fake trailer that was released together with Rodriguez's and Quentin Tarantino's...
|
Boots McCoy |
Deleted Scenes |
| 2010 |
Dead Awake Dead Awake is a 2010 mystery film starring Nick Stahl, Rose McGowan, and Amy Smart. The film was previously titled Dylan's Wake.-Plot:...
|
Charlie Scheel |
|
| 2011 |
Conan the Barbarian |
Marique |
|
| 2011 |
Rosewood Lane Rosewood Lane is a 2011 thriller-horror film written and directed by Victor Salva, and stars Rose McGowan. The film's story revolves around when radio talk show psychiatrist, moves back to her hometown, she takes notices of her neighborhood paper boy's unusual behavior...
|
Sonny Blake |
Post-production |
| 2012 |
Napa |
Scarlett Harding |
Filming |
| 2012 |
The Tell Tale Heart |
Ariel |
Filming |
Television
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1990 |
True Colours True Colors is an American sitcom that aired on Fox from September 2, 1990 to April 12, 1992 for a total of 45 episodes. The series was created by Michael J...
|
Suzanne |
Episode: "Life with Fathers" |
| 2001 |
What About Joan? What About Joan? is an ABC sitcom that aired in 2001 for 2 seasons . It starred Joan Cusack as Joan Gallagher, a Chicago schoolteacher and the comedy of her day-to-day life. It co-starred Kyle Chandler. It was produced by James L...
|
Maeve McCrimmen |
Episode: "Maeve" |
| 2001 |
|
Linda Borus |
Television Film |
| 2001–06 |
CharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
|
Paige MatthewsPaige Matthews is a fictional character from the television series Charmed. One of the featured leads, Paige is introduced at the start of season four as the fourth Halliwell sister and youngest Charmed One one of the most powerful witches of all time. The character was portrayed by Rose McGowan...
|
112 episodes
Family Television Award for Favorite Sister |
| 2005 |
Elvis |
Ann-MargretAnn-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
|
Television miniseries |
| 2009 |
Nip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
|
Dr. Theodora 'Teddy' Rowe |
5 Episodes |
| 2011 |
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
|
Cassandra Davina |
Episode: "Bombshell" |
| 2011 |
|
Mary Winkler Mary Carol Winkler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2006 shooting death of her husband, Matthew Winkler, the pulpit minister at the Fourth Street Church of Christ in the small town of Selmer, Tennessee...
|
Television Film |
Video games
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 2005 |
DarkwatchDarkwatch: Curse of the West is a 2005 Weird West first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It was developed by High Moon Studios and published by Capcom in the United States and by Ubisoft in the European Union and Australia.The game mixes western, horror and steampunk genres...
|
Tala |
|
| 2009 |
Terminator SalvationTerminator Salvation is a third-person shooter action video game, released on May 19, 2009 to coincide with the release of the film of the same name on the same week. It is developed by the Halcyon Company's gaming subsidiary, Halcyon Games, along with GRIN and published by Equity Games and Evolved...
|
Angie Salter |
|
| 2012 |
Anarchy Reigns Anarchy Reigns, known in Japan as is an upcoming online beat 'em up game currently in development by Platinum Games. It is their fifth game of their publishing deal with Sega and is being produced by Atsushi Inaba and directed by Masaki Yamanaka...
|
Sasha |
|
Other awards and recognitions
In 2006,
BlenderBlender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
included her on their list of the sexiest women of TV and film. The most recent award won by McGowan was under the category
Femme Fatale for the 2007
Spike Guys' Choice AwardsThe Spike Guys' Choice Awards is an awards show produced by the Viacom cable channel Spike and held since 2007. It is patterned after Viacom's MTV Movie Awards...
, which aired June 13, 2007. The award was for the role of Cherry in
Grindhouse. McGowan was nominated for "Scream Queen" at the 2007 Scream Awards on Spike for her performance in
Grindhouse. In 2008, she won the Midnight Award at the
San Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
.
External links