She spent her earliest years inside the controversial Children of God sect, where “free love” was promoted and strict obedience was demanded. Even as a child, she felt something was wrong and rebelled against the group’s rules for women. When rumors of child–adult relations began, her father fled with the family, leaving the cult behind.
Adjusting to normal life in the U.S. was difficult. She ran away as a teen, lived among Portland’s drag community, and eventually emancipated herself at 15. After small acting jobs, her big break came in 1996 when she played Tatum Riley in Scream, launching her into Hollywood fame. Roles in Jawbreaker, Charmed, and Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse followed.
But behind her success were struggles — an eating disorder, trauma from the murder of a boyfriend, and pressure from Hollywood. She also dated Marilyn Manson from 1997–2001.
In 2017, Rose McGowan became one of the first women to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of rape, helping ignite the #MeToo movement and inspiring women worldwide to speak out.
Today, Rose has left Hollywood behind. Since 2020, she has lived a quiet life in Tulum, Mexico, saying she never felt comfortable with fame or being sexualized in the industry. She has no plans to return to the U.S.
Rose McGowan’s life — from escaping a cult to transforming Hollywood — remains a powerful story of resilience and courage.