Rose McGowan
Born: 1973-09-05 in Certaldo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Known For: Acting
Biography
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.
Filmography
2023
- Sex on Screen as Self
2022
- Body Parts as Self
- When We Speak as Self
2021
- Mothers of the Revolution as Self
- Letters Live from the Archive: International Women’s Day as Self
- This Is Pop as Self (archive footage)
- Tucker Carlson Today as Self
2020
- The New York Times Presents as Self (archive footage)
2019
- This Changes Everything as Self
- Rose McGowan: Being Brave as Self
- Hollywood's Dark Secret as Self
2018
- Citizen Rose as Herself
2017
- The Sound as Kelly Johansen
2016
- Chelsea as Self
- The Tell-Tale Heart as Ariel
- The Caged Pillows as Monday
2015
- Dawn ... (Director)
- The Weight of Blood and Bones as Madeline
2013
- Chosen as Josie Acosta
- Mondo Taurobolium as Gale
2012
- Doctor Lollipop as Dr. Coco / Red Riding Hood (voice)
2011
- Once Upon a Time as Young Cora
- Conan the Barbarian as Marique
- Rosewood Lane as Sonny Blake
- Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective as Self
- Scream: The Inside Story as Self
- The Pastor's Wife as Mary Winkler
2010
- Gaze as Self (archive footage)
- Dead Awake as Charlie
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge
2008
- Fifty Dead Men Walking as Grace
2007
- Death Proof as Pam
- Planet Terror as Cherry Darling
- Grindhouse as Pam (segment "Death Proof") / Cherry (segment "Planet Terror")
2006
- The Black Dahlia as Sheryl Saddon
- Scream Awards as Herself - Host
2005
- Elvis as Ann-Margret
2003
- Nip/Tuck as Dr. Teddy Rowe
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- Punk'd as Self
- Stealing Bess as Debbie Dinsdale
2002
- Through the Night with... as Self
- Strange Hearts as Moira Kennedy
2001
- Good Day Live as Self
- Monkeybone as Miss Kitty
- The Killing Yard as Linda Borus
2000
- Ready to Rumble as Sasha
- The Last Stop as Nancy
1999
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Cassandra Davina
- Jawbreaker as Courtney Shayne
- Sleeping Beauties as Sno Blo
- The Early Show as Self
1998
- Charmed as Paige Matthews
- Southie as Kathy Quinn
- Phantoms as Lisa Pailey
- Devil in the Flesh as Debbie Strand
1997
- The View as Self
- Nowhere as Val-Chick 3
- Lewis & Clark & George as George
- Kiss & Tell as Jasmine Hoyle
- Going All the Way as Gale Ann Thayer
1995
- The Doom Generation as Amy Blue
1993
- Intimate Portrait as Self
1992
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Self
- Encino Man as Nora
1990
- Class of 1999 as Girl Outside Langford's Office (uncredited)
- True Colors as Suzanne
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
1979
- Question Time as Self - Panellist