Shannen Doherty, famous for her iconic roles in the hit TV shows “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” passed away at the age of 53 after battling breast cancer since 2015.
Shannen Doherty’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, sadly announced the passing of the actress due to cancer after a long battle. Surrounded by loved ones and her dog, Bowie, she peacefully left this world on July 13. The family requests privacy during this difficult time to mourn in solitude.
Doherty skyrocketed to stardom in 1990 when she portrayed the youthful Brenda Walsh on Fox’s “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Alongside her twin brother Brandon, portrayed by Jason Priestly, the Walsh siblings embodied the quintessential fish-out-of-water family who had just relocated from Minnesota to Beverly Hills, where they were perpetually astounded by the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy L.A. teenagers.
Brenda and Dylan’s love story, portrayed by Luke Perry, caused quite a stir in the initial season due to Brenda contemplating losing her virginity. The dramatic breakup between them, as Dylan got involved with her close friend Kelly, played by Jennie Garth, also made headlines. The show was ahead of its time for tackling issues such as drug abuse and racism.
The show became a huge success, leading to a flood of attention and rumors about the cast, especially young Doherty. Initially, Garth’s Kelly was seen as the less popular character, but soon Brenda became the one everyone loved to hate. She was portrayed as a diva in the media, even sparking a newsletter titled “I Hate Brenda.” Doherty was in 111 episodes before exiting the show after season four due to alleged conflicts with her co-stars, especially Garth.
Jason Priestley, left, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth and Ian Ziering on “Beverly Hills 90210.”
As the show underwent two more reboots, the cast had all matured over the years. Doherty made a comeback as Brenda in the 2008 revival of “90210” for a single season, and later reprised her role in the 2019 revival “BH90210.”
Following her dramatic exit from “Beverly Hills, 90210,” Doherty made a successful comeback on “Charmed,” a supernatural series centered around three sisters who realize they are witches and must unite against evil forces. Portraying the eldest sister, Prue Halliwell, she starred alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. Doherty even took on the role of director for three episodes in 2000 and 2001, including “Be Careful What You Witch For,” “The Good, The Bad, and The Cursed,” and “All Hell Breaks Loose,” which marked her final appearance on the show as her character was written off at the end of the third season.
Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but later relocated to Los Angeles with her family when she was young. She began her acting career at the age of 10 with a role on the show “Father Murphy.” Michael Landon discovered her talent on the series and gave her the role of Jenny Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie” when she was just 11 years old.
Doherty scored a recurring role on the family series “Our House” starring Wilfred Brimley.
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She also starred in the iconic teen movie “Heathers,” as well as “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Kevin Smith’s “Mallrats” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”
She also made appearances on “North Shore” and “Riverdale,” in addition to starring in several TV movies.
In 2006, she created a reality series called “Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty,” offering assistance to individuals struggling in their relationships and unable to end them independently. She then starred in another reality show titled “Off the Map With Shannen and Holly.”
Shannen Doherty received a breast cancer diagnosis in February 2015, announcing her remission in 2017. Unfortunately, the cancer resurfaced and spread by 2019. Despite this, she remained active in her career, appearing in TV movies like “Dying to Belong” and “List of a Lifetime.” Additionally, Doherty hosted the well-received podcast “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty,” where she openly shared her experiences with breast cancer and its effects on her life.
She mentioned in June 2023 that she was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer that had metastasized to her brain.
She had short-lived marriages with George Hamilton’s son Ashley Hamilton and poker player Rick Salomon, before tying the knot with photographer Kurt Iswarienko in 2011. Unfortunately, their marriage came to an end when they filed for divorce in 2023.
