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Shannen Doherty, an actress who starred in the hit series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed” and documented her nine-year battle with breast cancer, has died, her longtime publicist said.
She was 53.
“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 battling the disease,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane said in a statement to CNN.
“The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones and her dog, Bowie. The family requests their privacy at this time so they may grieve in peace,” her statement continued.
The news was first reported by People magazine.
Doherty developed a devoted fan base with roles as Heather Duke in the 1989 cult classic “Heathers,” as Brenda Walsh from 1990 to 1994 on the hit series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and its subsequent spinoff “90210,” and as Prue Halliwell on “Charmed” from 1998 to 2001.
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, which went into remission two years later. In 2020, Doherty announced that the cancer had returned, had spread, and was at stage 4.
In June 2023, she announced that the cancer had spread to her brain.
Doherty documented her experiences with cancer on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.” The most recent episode streamed on July 8.
Doherty, who had always openly said she would have to live with cancer even though she was convinced it was incurable, held on to that sentiment as she spoke about her plans for the future.
“I think I’m in a mindset now that I need to make as much money as I can in the next two years, put it in the bank, put it in my investment property, build that up so that A., I don’t have to work and I only work when I really feel like it,” she said this month. “I can also go on vacation a lot more. And if I die, my mom will have a nice nest egg and I don’t have to worry about her.”
Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was a child, where she quickly caught the acting bug.
She made her acting debut at the age of ten with a role in the television series “Father Murphy”.
Her performance was noticed by legendary actor Michael Landon and she was cast in the role of Jenny Wilder on his beloved series, “Little House on the Prairie.”
Doherty honed her skills in several projects, including the series “Our House,” the 1985 film “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and the 1988 dark teen comedy “Heathers.”
Mark Sennet/Getty Images
The cast of ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ in 1991. From left to right: Ian Ziering, Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, Brian Austin Green, Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Gabrielle Carteris and Luke Perry.
She drew on her experiences as a child star to land her biggest role yet, as feisty high school student Brenda Walsh on Aaron Spelling’s hugely popular teen drama ‘Beverly Hills, 90210.’
That role, in which she starred alongside fellow actor Luke Perry as her great love Dylan McKay, made her a household name.
Doherty left the series after four seasons amid reports of tensions on set between her and some of her co-stars.
She returned to the big screen in the 1994 films “Almost Dead” and 1995’s “Mallrats.”
Three years later, Doherty reunited with Spelling for the series “Charmed” with co-stars Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs, in which they starred as three sisters who were witches.
She left her role as Prue Halliwell on that show after three years and found work again in several films, including “The Rendering” in 2002 and “View of Terror” in 2003.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The cast of “Charmed.” From left: Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs as Piper Halliwell. (Photo by Getty Images)
In 2008, Doherty reprised the role of Brenda in the CW reboot “90210” for seven episodes.
She later played herself in the meta-styled reboot “BH90210” in 2019, the same year she had a cameo as a stranded motorist on the CW series “Riverdale,” which also starred Perry. He died at age 52 in March 2019 after suffering a stroke.
In September 2020, Doherty spoke to Elle Magazine about the feelings of gratitude she turned to during her cancer experience.
Michael Tran/AFP/Getty Images
Shannen Doherty in 2019.
“I try to cherish all the little moments that most people don’t really see or take for granted,” she said. “The little things are magnified for me. We have this endless well within us, and it’s about continuing to dig into that well for the strength to overcome adversity — and so that we can also see all the beauty.”
On Sunday, Doherty’s castmates and friends paid tribute to her.
Gabrielle Carteris, who starred with Doherty on “90210,” wrote on Instagram: “So young – so sad. May you rest in peace Shannon. I know Luke is there with open arms to love you.”
Jason Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh in 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 her family love and light during 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 can handle right now.”
Doherty’s “Charmed” co-star Rose McGowan wrote on Instagram that her friend “had the heart of a lion.”
“Passion for the profession is often mislabeled as problems. Shannen was passion,” she wrote.
McGowan said she met Doherty in the 1990s and got to know her better later, calling the friendship “a beautiful gift.”
“Our lives were uniquely intertwined. We laughed at dark forces that wanted us to hate each other, instead choosing love and respect,” she wrote. “A gentle badass as there ever was. An energetic force that will live in hearts forever.”
This story has been updated. CNN’s Nadeem Muaddi contributed to this report.