Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan is one of the episodic actors of Once Upon A Time, portraying the role of young Cora.

Life and Career
American actress, known for her sex-appeal and contribution to independent cinema. Born September 5, 1973, to Terri and Daniel McGowan (of French and Irish origin, respectively), Rose Arianna McGowan is the second eldest of six siblings. She was raised within the Italian chapter of the Children of God, an extremist Christian cult.

During the early 1980s, her family severed ties with the community and migrated to Eugene, Oregon, USA. Following the divorce of her parents, Rose relocated to Gig Harbor, Washington, to live with her grandmother. At age 14, McGowan was accused of drug use by a family friend and committed to rehabilitation. She has consistently maintained the decision was unjustified. Upon release, she spent a year without a home and was emancipated from her parents by the age of 15. Her early formal education included attendance at Roosevelt High School and Nova Alternative High School. Further education included qualifications as a licensed beauty operator.

McGowan's career as an actor began in 1995 with Doom Generation (1995). Originally intended for Jordan Ladd, the character of "Amy Blue" was, coincidentally, awarded to McGowan by an associate of director Gregg Araki. For her performance, she was nominated at the 1995 Independent Spirit Awards for Best Debut Performance. Subsequently cast in Wes Craven's Scream (1996), she experienced further success when the project defied expectations to become one of the highest grossing films of the year. The innovative career of McGowan was overshadowed throughout much of the 1990s by her high-profile relationship with musician Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson). Strong performances in Going All the Way (1997), Lewis & Clark & George (1997), Southie (1998) and Jawbreaker (1999) were largely unseen by the general public. When the relationship ended between Rose and Manson in 2001, she remarked: "There is great love, but our lifestyle difference is, unfortunately, even greater".

Rose continued to work solidly, appearing in a string of soft-sounding studio and independent films. Performances from this period included: a political activist in Showtime's The Killing Yard (2001) (TV), a grifter in Strange Hearts (2002) and a factory worker in "Stealing Bess" (aka Vacuums (2003)). She was re-introduced to the mainstream as "Paige Matthews" in Aaron Spelling's "Charmed" (1998), a popular television show for which she devoted five consecutive years. When "Charmed" finished its run in 2006, McGowan emerged in top form. Critics praised her efforts in Robert Rodriguez's Planète terreur (2007), and Quentin Tarantino's Boulevard de la mort (2007).

In several interviews, McGowan has expressed a disdain for Hollywood, yet despite this she has maintained a strong work ethic. Her upcoming projects include an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart (2012) and a romantic thriller titled Napa (2012).