Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan
At the premiere of Grindhouse in Austin, Texas, March 2007. Photo by Jeff Balke.
Born	Rose Arianna McGowan September 5, 1973 (1973-09-05) (age 36) Florence, Italy
Occupation	Film, television actress

Rose Arianna McGowan (born September 5, 1973) is an Italian-born American actress best known for her role as Paige Matthews in The WB TV series Charmed, and the cult film The Doom Generation. She has also appeared in several major Hollywood films, with a leading roles in Jawbreaker and the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez double-feature Grindhouse, and a supporting role in Scream. McGowan is currently the co-host of TCM's film-series program, The Essentials.

Biography

Early life

McGowan, the second-eldest of six children (plus two half-siblings), was born in Florence, Italy, the daughter of Terri, a French-American writer, and Daniel McGowan, an American-born, Irish artist.^[1] Daniel McGowan ran an Italian 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 communes, often traveling Europe with her parents. Through her father's art contacts in Italy, McGowan became a child model and appeared in Vogue Bambini and various other Italian magazines. Her parents returned to the United States when she was 10,^[2] when they divorced. She subsequently relocated to Oregon and then Gig Harbor, Washington, where she also met childhood friend Rey-Phillip Santos. McGowan did not speak English 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 School. At the age of 15, she officially emancipated herself from her parents.^[3] McGowan pursued a possible career in the film industry during her late teens, and also enrolled in a beauty school as a back-up.

Career

McGowan made her first appearance in a Hollywood film with a bit role in the 1992 Pauly Shore comedy Encino Man. Her role in the 1995 dark comedy The Doom Generation brought her to the attention of film critics, and she received a nomination for "Best Debut Performance" at the 1996 Independent Spirit Awards. McGowan was subsequently cast in a supporting role in the 1996 hit horror film Scream.

McGowan spent the majority of the 1990s appearing in a variety of independent films, including roles in Southie, Going All the Way, 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'Toole in the 1998 film adaptation of the Dean Koontz novel Phantoms. Notably, McGowan also starred in the 1999 comedy Jawbreaker, 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 Awards.

In 2001, McGowan was cast as Paige Matthews in the popular The WB television series Charmed, as a replacement lead actress after Shannen Doherty's departure from the show. She was offered to be a producer after the seventh season, but turned it down.^[4] The series ended its run on May 21, 2006.^[5]

In May 2005, McGowan portrayed actress/singer Ann-Margret in Elvis, a Golden Globe-winning CBS mini-series about the life of Elvis Presley. That same year, she lent her voice to the video game Darkwatch as a femme fatale named Tala. The game was published by Capcom for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

In 2006, McGowan had a brief role in Brian De Palma's Academy Award-nominated film The Black Dahlia. The following year, she starred in the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez 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 Terror, and as Pam in Death Proof. McGowan attended the 60th Annual Cannes Film Festival to promote Death Proof along with Robert Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, Zoe Bell, and Quentin Tarantino.^[6]

According to Variety, McGowan has signed on to play B-movie staple Susan Cabot in the upcoming film Black Oasis. Director Stephan Elliott (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) has penned and will direct the film based on a Premiere article by John H. Richardson. The film has currently been placed on hold.^[7]

McGowan is also a co-host with Robert Osborne on TCM's film-series program The Essentials, on which a classic Hollywood film is shown every week.

In 2007, McGowan was cast in Fifty Dead Men Walking. When in production, the movie was first titled Man on the Run but is now officialy called Fifty Dead Men Walking. Filming began in Northern Ireland later in October 2007 and went on until December 2007. A release is expected for October 2008.

Elle Magazine originally reported that Rose McGowan has been signed to play the title role in the future remake of Barbarella, fending off strong competition from other actresses including Sienna Miller.^[8] The film is to be directed by Robert Rodriguez and to involve close friend Quentin Tarantino as a member of the crew.^[9] Following rumours suggesting that Universal Studios had stopped funding the film as they were unconvinced McGowan could carry such an iconic role, the actress confirmed on MTV that the comments were untrue and unfounded and that the film was still in production.^[10]

In June 2008, USA Today reported that McGowan had been signed to play the title role in a third project with Robert Rodriguez (who takes on the role of the film's producer), known as Red Sonja.^[11] It is based on the comic book character of the same name, which was inspired by a character named Red Sonya (with a "y") originally created in 1934 by Robert E. Howard. It is to be directed by Douglas Aarniokoski and has a release date of 2010. Rodriguez described the protagonist as "whip-smart... sexy and extremely strong".

On September 12, 2008, it was announced McGowan will replace Katee Sackhoff in Nip/Tuck. She will play Theodora "Teddy" Lowe in a four-episode stint.^[12]

Modeling

McGowan was the face of American clothing company Bebe from 1998 to 1999. She was also the cover model for the Henry Mancini tribute album Shots in the Dark, which was released in 1996. In addition to clothing endorsements, McGowan has appeared on numerous magazine covers, including Seventeen, Interview, Maxim, GQ, Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. She has also frequently been featured on Maxim, FHM and Stuff magazine's sexiest women lists.

Awards

In 1996, McGowan was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role in The Doom Generation. A few years later, at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards, she was nominated for "Best Villain" for her role in Jawbreaker. In 2005, McGowan won "Best Sister" at the Family TV Awards, for her role on Charmed. In 2006, Blender included her on their list of the sexiest women of TV and film.^[13] The most recent award won by McGowan was under the category Femme Fatale for the 2007 Spike TV Guys' Choice 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 TV for her performance in Grindhouse.

Personal life

McGowan used to live in Seattle, Washington, but currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She was in a very public three and a half-year relationship with rock musician Marilyn Manson, and famously appeared with him at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards wearing a nearly transparent fishnet dress.^[14] McGowan later ended their two-year engagement over "lifestyle differences." She has since gone on to have relationships with fellow actor Kip Pardue, TV personality Ahmet Zappa, and Men's Health magazine editor David Zinczenko. Prior to the release of Grindhouse, there was speculation that McGowan was dating married director Robert Rodriguez.^[15][16] In May 2007, it was reported that they confirmed their relationship while appearing hand-in-hand at the Cannes Film Festival.^[17] On October 12, 2007 it was announced by Zap2it.com that McGowan was engaged to Rodriguez.^[18] They are planning to wed in 2009. ^[19]

McGowan has admitted to sleepwalking as a child. "The weirdest spot I ever woke up was a snow bank in Montreal. Now I just speak Italian in my sleep."^[20] McGowan also suffers from agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder.^[21]

McGowan is known as an activist for Boston Terriers. 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."^[22]

According to an article in the New York Post, 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.^[23]

Of her acting method, she has 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".^[24]

Music

While dating Manson, McGowan appeared in a music video for the song "Coma White", and also performed backing vocals on the song "Posthuman." Both of these songs are available on the album Mechanical Animals. Manson later wrote a track that is rumored to be inspired by their failed relationship "(s)AINT" found on the Golden Age of Grotesque.

McGowan appeared on a BT track called "Superfabulous" from his album Emotional Technology, 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 and Raising Helen. She wrote and recorded a song titled "Protection," which was featured in her 2001 film Strange Hearts. McGowan has also appeared in the Imperial Teen music video for "Yoo Hoo", which was featured on the Jawbreaker soundtrack.

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 Lee classic "Fever." In 2007, it was announced that McGowan would be performing three songs from the Planet Terror portion of Grindhouse. These songs were released on the soundtrack by the Varese Sarabande label.^[25] The songs are entitled "You Belong to Me" (a Dean Martin cover), "Useless Talent #32" and "Two Against the World."

IRA Controversy

Rose McGowan, whose paternal family originates from County Cork,^[26] has expressed support for the cause of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with the reports of her comments being released into the media on September 11, 2008. After starring in Fifty Dead Men Walking, she was quoted as saying "I imagine had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100% have been in the IRA. My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it."^[27] Her comments were attacked by the author of the autobiography upon which the film is based, Martin McGartland who said "Rose McGowan's comments were insulting to victims of IRA terrorism and she should apologize".^[28]

Filmography

Films

TV Shows

Video Games

References

External links

• Rose McGowan at the Internet Movie Database
• Rose McGowan at TV.com
• Rose McGowan on xFamily.org - Includes information about her experience with the Children of God.
• Maxim interview
• MoviesOnline Interview, Grindhouse

The Charmed Universe Holly Marie Combs · Alyssa Milano · Rose McGowan · Shannen Doherty "Something Wicca This Way Comes" (1998) – "Forever Charmed" (2006) Charmed TV series Series overview • List of Episodes • Recurring themes • Types of magical beings in Charmed (list) • List of Actors • Charmed Quotes • International syndication • Awards and nominations Expanded universe Multimedia series • Novel series Characters Main Characters Prue Halliwell • Piper Halliwell • Phoebe Halliwell • Paige Matthews Supporting Andy Trudeau • Darryl Morris • Dan Gordon • Leo Wyatt • Cole Turner • Chris Halliwell • Billie Jenkins • Villians (list)  • Characters (list)  • Family and friends Recurring Penny Halliwell • Patty Halliwell • Victor Bennett • Wyatt Halliwell • Coop Villains Rex Buckland • Hannah Webster • Barbas • The Triad • Belthazor • The Source of All Evil • Shax • The Seer • The Crone • Gideon • Zankou • Christy Jenkins Locations & artifacts Bay Area, San Francisco • The Halliwell Manor • Magic School • The Nexus • The Book of Shadows • Triquetra Supernatural beings The Avatars • Darklighters • The Hollow • Whitelighters Related articles Spelling Television • The WB • Aaron Spelling • Constance M. Burge • Brad Kern • "How Soon Is Now?"