Maricela Magana/Michael Priest Photography
During a compelling live conversation held on Thursday evening at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, actress Rose McGowan engaged with investigative journalist Ronan Farrow. Farrow, whose New Yorker exposé amplified the voices of Harvey Weinstein's accusers, guided the dialogue. The event coincided with the launch of McGowan's memoir 'Brave' and the debut of her E! documentary series 'Citizen Rose.' Since accusing Weinstein of raping her at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, McGowan has emerged as a prominent figure within the #MeToo movement.
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Farrow opened the discussion by inquiring about McGowan's emotional state. In response, she compared her experience to returning from combat, noting that her family offered no support during the holiday season. "Nobody checked in on me," she said. "No one asked if I was alright or acknowledged how difficult this must be. I end up crying several times daily because it's necessary. There simply isn't enough time to fully process everything."
The conversation touched on McGowan's upbringing within the Children of God religious group and her belief that Hollywood power players have coordinated efforts to undermine her—citing a recent incident where she faced arrest on drug-related allegations.
Farrow asked how she copes with her long history of being mistreated, and McGowan explained why it’s important for her to deal with her past. "I grapple with it to propel myself forward," she stated. "I face it because it's unjust—unjust to countless others. I face it because I constantly hear the voices of women around me. I face it because I've always stood with those who are marginalized."
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The sense of being pursued within the entertainment industry continues to trouble McGowan. Farrow questioned whether her prolonged exposure to abuse might have rendered her a prime target. "Do you think you were somehow conditioned?" he asked. "Did abusers detect something in you over time?"
McGowan pointed out an overlooked factor: physical attractiveness. "People forget that we were beautiful—almost otherworldly, exceptional individuals. And we became prey. In every space, we were marked. Those disgusting men, globally, would pick their target. Combine that with relentless, severe mistreatment, and then add the reality of being female in this world—you're utterly doomed."
After McGowan read a passage from her book, Farrow asked her what she’s afraid of. "Assassination," she responded. "I know my life," she said. "And I know my reality. And I know that people like me get killed." McGowan went on to reference an exchange she had with a trans woman at her book signing the night before, though she alleged that the woman was a "paid plant" based on people she had watching the interaction. "And you don’t think there are people who will hear that and say this was an angry member of the public?" Farrow asked. "I don’t care what people say!" McGowan responded. "Please get that straight. I really don’t. Because I can’t. Because it will kill me."
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Toward the end of the interview Farrow asked McGowan about her comments regarding her Charmed co-star and friend of Georgina Chapman, Alyssa Milano. The night before, she had called Milano "a lie." McGowan stood by her statement, asking, "So? Is that not my prerogative?"
After the event she tweeted a gif of the two actresses from the show, with the caption, "Let’s talk it out sister."
The conversation wrapped up with a question about what kind of punishment she believes Weinstein and similar men deserve.
"See, that’s the thing," McGowan said. "I just want him to fall off the planet. It’s the others. It’s the machine around him…. What does it look like?…. I don’t know. I can hope. I have never—I hate that handcuffs have been on me and not him."
