Holly Marie Combs confirmed she has retired from acting because the roles stopped exciting her.
The “Charmed” alum, 52, made the revelation during Tuesday’s episode of her “House of Halliwell” podcast, telling co-hosts and fans that the work coming her way no longer felt worth taking. She has not appeared on screen since a 2019 “Grey’s Anatomy” guest spot.
“The stuff that I was getting and coming across my desk was just nothing that I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is really great. I need to do this,'” Combs explained on the podcast.
“And being in, you know, that 40 to 50 range, the job pool gets even smaller and smaller. And I feel like the roles get a little less interesting.”
Combs noted that while ageism in Hollywood has improved, she joked that no part was “blowing up [her] skirt.” The decision to step away also aligned with her family life, as she wanted to be present for her three sons with ex-husband David Donoho: Finley, 22, Riley, 19, and Kelley, 17.
“It was a lot of family,” she said. “During COVID, we had three teenagers. Well, it was three teenagers and a preteen in the house, and it was just mayhem and chaos.”
Despite her retirement, Combs admitted she still feels the pull of performing. “I miss it occasionally,” she confessed. “Because, like you said, there’s those moments when you’re involved and you’re acting and you’re working that are just, I think it’s like being present.”
“That’s what escapism is,” she continued. “And we get to escape into this character with a different set of situations than our own life. And there is something about being in that moment that is quite peaceful, even if you’re doing something highly dramatic.”
Combs now devotes her time to “House of Halliwell” and what she described as “15 other businesses.” When asked whether she might return to acting, she pointed to her youngest son’s remaining time in high school as the current priority, though she left the door cracked.
“Ask me that again once my youngest son graduates high school,” she said, “as I will be sitting around with a lot more time on my hands.”
In the viral moment that defined her career, Combs starred as Piper Halliwell on The WB’s “Charmed” from 1998 to 2006, playing one of three witch sisters alongside Shannen Doherty’s Prue and Alyssa Milano’s Phoebe. After Doherty’s exit following Season 3, Piper became the eldest sister, making Combs a central figure for the show’s remaining five seasons. She also became a producer beginning in Season 5, expanding her role behind the camera. The fantasy drama ran eight seasons total and cemented her status as a genre television icon.
Before “Charmed,” Combs broke through as Kimberly Brock on CBS drama “Picket Fences” from 1992 to 1996. She started acting as a child and earned her SAG card at 14. After “Charmed,” she reached a younger audience with a recurring role as Ella Montgomery on “Pretty Little Liars” from 2010 to 2017. Her final credited role came on “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2019, where she appeared alongside Milano in the episode “Reunited.”
Combs launched “House of Halliwell” with fellow “Charmed” alumna Drew Fuller, who played Piper’s husband Leo Wyatt on the series. The podcast has become her primary public platform, where she regularly discusses the show’s legacy and her life since leaving Hollywood.
New episodes of “House of Halliwell” are released weekly, with Combs continuing to host alongside Fuller and occasional guest appearances from other “Charmed” cast members.