(WENN)

Rose McGowan’s wily womanly charms proved to be too much for “Grindhouse” director, Robert Rodriguez, whose 16-year marriage crumbled when the director found himself falling for the former “Charmed” star. Last April, the two apparently began a passionate affair that was anything but discreet.

“It was the worst-kept secret on the set. They were going off to his trailer, having meals together,” our source said. “Rose thought some of the crew were treating her differently, and the attitude was, like, well what do you expect when you’re [bleeping] the director?”

And when Robert’s wife, Elizabeth, found out about his extra-marital activities, the shit hit the fan and production halted while Rodriguez got himself together.

She and Rodriguez first met at Cannes in 2005. But until now the consequences of their shenanigans weren’t fully known. When the director “fell in love with his femme-fatale star . . . he broke up his marriage of 16 years . . . The production had to shut down for a month while he recovered,” Variety reports.

Publicly, the estranged couple are putting up a good face, with both Elizabeth and Robert claiming that the split was made on good terms and Rodriguez and McGowan are doing their best to keep their relationship on the private side. Hopefully, the director’s cut of “Grindhouse” will feature their sex-tape. It might as well–we’re going to see it eventually anyways.