Shannen Doherty, an actress known for her roles in the popular series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” as well as for documenting her nine-year battle with breast cancer, has passed away, according to her longtime publicist. She was 53 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” said her publicist Leslie Sloane in a statement.
“The devoted daughter, sister, aunt, and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace,” the statement continued.
People magazine was the first to report the news.
Doherty garnered a devoted fan base through her roles as Heather Duke in the 1989 cult classic film “Heathers,” as Brenda Walsh from 1990 to 1994 in the hit series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and its spinoff “90210,” and as Prue Halliwell in “Charmed” from 1998 to 2001.
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, which went into remission two years later. In 2020, she announced that the cancer had returned, spread, and was at stage 4.
In June 2023, she shared the news that her cancer had spread to her brain.
Doherty had been documenting her experiences with cancer on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.” The most recent episode was streamed on July 8.
Despite living with an incurable condition, Doherty remained outspoken about her plans for the future.
“I guess I’m in a mindset now of needing to make as much money as humanly possible in the next two years, bank it, put it with my investment place, build that so that A., I don’t have to work and I only work when I really want to,” she said this month.
“I can also go on a lot more vacations. Then also when I pass away, my mom’s got a nice little nest egg and I don’t have to worry about her.”
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Doherty’s family moved to Los Angeles when she was a child, and she quickly caught the acting bug. She made her acting debut at age ten with a role on the television series “Father Murphy.”
Her performance was noticed by legendary actor Michael Landon, leading her to the role of Jenny Wilder on his beloved series, “Little House on the Prairie.”
Doherty honed her craft in various projects, including the series “Our House,” the 1985 film “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and the dark teenage comedy “Heathers” in 1988.
She leveraged her experiences as a child star to land her most prominent role yet, as feisty high school student Brenda Walsh on the immensely popular Aaron Spelling teen drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
That role, where she starred opposite Luke Perry as her love interest Dylan McKay, made her a household name.
After four seasons, Doherty left the show following reports of on-set tensions with some of her castmates. She returned to the big screen in 1994’s “Almost Dead” and 1995’s “Mallrats.”
In 1998, Doherty reunited with Spelling for the series “Charmed,” starring alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs as three sisters who were witches.
She left her role as Prue Halliwell after three years and continued to work in various movies, including “The Rendering” in 2002 and “View of Terror” in 2003.
In 2008, Doherty reprised the role of Brenda in the CW reboot “90210” for seven episodes.
She later played herself in the meta-style reboot “BH90210” in 2019, the same year she cameoed as a stranded motorist on the CW’s “Riverdale,” which costarred Perry. He died at the age of 52 in March 2019 after suffering a stroke.
In September 2020, Doherty spoke about focusing on feelings of gratitude amid her cancer experience.
“I try to treasure all the small moments that most people don’t really see or take for granted,” she said.
“The small things are magnified for me. We have this endless well within us, and it’s just about continuing to dig in that well for the strength to face adversity – and so that we can also see all the beauty.”
On Sunday, Doherty’s costars and friends paid tribute to her. Gabrielle Carteris, who starred with Doherty on “90210,” wrote on Instagram: “So young – so sad. May you RIP Shannon. I know Luke is there with open arms to love you.”
Jason Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh on the teen drama, wrote that he was “shocked and saddened” by Doherty’s passing. “She was a force of nature and I will miss her,” he wrote on Instagram. “Sending love and light to her family in this dark time.”
“90210” alum Brian Austin Green wrote in the Stories section of his verified Instagram account that he will miss Doherty “more than I know how to process right now.”
Doherty’s “Charmed” costar Rose McGowan wrote on Instagram that her friend “had the heart of a lion.” “Passion for craft is often mislabeled as trouble. Shannen was passion,” she wrote.
McGowan said she met Doherty in the ’90s and got to know her better later, calling the friendship “a beautiful gift.” “Our lives had been intertwined in a unique way.
We laughed at dark forces who wanted us to hate each other, instead we chose love and respect,” she wrote. “A soft-hearted badass as there ever was. A force of energy that will live forever in hearts.”
