LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess)—Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, and Charmed, passed away Saturday (July 13) surrounded by loved ones, including her beloved dog, Bowie. Her publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed the news of her death due to her years-long battle with cancer. She was 53.
Sloane stated, “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
First diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2015, Doherty went through treatments and several surgeries, achieving remission in April 2017. However, in February 2020, she revealed on Good Morning America, “I’m stage 4 — my cancer came back,” and later shared in June 2023 that it had spread to her brain. Reflecting on her journey, Doherty once said, “I definitely have days where I say, ‘Why me?’ And then I go, ‘Well, why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this?’ None of us do.”
Doherty’s career began with roles in Little House on the Prairie and Our House. In 1990, she was cast as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210, catapulting her to fame. Despite her success, she was dismissed from the show after its fourth season in 1994 due to conflicts with co-stars and producers. Reflecting on that period, she told Entertainment Weekly in 2005, “It’s just that the sacrifice at the time seemed too large to me.”
In 1998, Doherty starred as Prue Halliwell in Charmed alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. Her tenure on the show was also marked by on-set conflicts, leading to her character’s departure in 2001. “Diplomacy wasn’t my forte back then,” Doherty admitted in her 2010 book, Badass: A Hard-Earned Guide to Living Life With Style and (the Right) Attitude.
Throughout her career, Doherty faced intense media scrutiny, often depicted as a “bad girl” in tabloids. Despite this, she continued to work on various projects, including Kevin Smith’s Mallrats (1995) and reality shows like Dancing With the Stars and Shannen Says.
Born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee, Doherty’s early career included roles in Father Murphy and Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Her portrayal of Jenny Wilder on Little House on the Prairie and roles in Heathers (1988) and other TV shows solidified her as a talented actress.
In recent years, Doherty reprised her role as Brenda in the 90210 reboot and appeared in the 2019 series BH90210. Despite her diagnosis, she remained determined to continue working, saying, “People with stage 4 can work too… We still have some living to do.”
Hollywood has responded to news of her death, posting tributes on their social media accounts.
Olivia Munn: “I am absolutely heartbroken over the passing of Shannen Doherty. We bonded through a shared battle and a desire to help other women. Looking back on the last text she sent me just a couple of months ago, she asked how I was doing and if she could do anything for me… True to form, Shannen was offering her support even though she was in the final stage of fighting this horrific disease,” Munn said. “Cancer is really fucking scary, and Shannen faced it with such dignity, strength and grace. I’m sending all of my love to her mother, who was her best friend, hero and champion every step of the way.”
Jason Priestly: “Shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Shannen. She was a force of nature, and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family in this dark time.”
Kevin Smith: “Long before any other pop culture figure “broke the internet.” @theshando singlehandedly shattered it in the early 90’s. This is an incredible accomplishment considering the internet as we know it didn’t even exist yet. I (and the rest of the known universe) used to watch “the girl” from #heathers” every week on @beverlyhills90210. I usually did so while jockeying the register at @quickstopgroceries – so it was ironic that the film I’d eventually make there would lead to #shannendoherty. @malcolm.ingram is most responsible for Shannen being in #mallrats. When I told him my next flick was essentially “Clerks in a Mall”, Malcolm insisted “Then you gotta cast Doherty! She’s an American icon!” That she was, and so much more. Shannen was a true talent, and she became a good friend, but lest anyone forget that she was the only reason Mallrats got green-lit in 1995. That’s because Shannen was one of the most famous people on the planet – and the fact that she picked Mallrats as her first follow-up to 90210 *made* that movie happen. I cherish the memories of Shannen walking her German Shepherd around the @edenprairiecenter every morning or whenever she’d gossip and giggle between takes. At the junket for Rats, we established a ritual we kept up for years, where she wrote “dick” over my half of our @filmthreat cover while I wrote “bitch” over her pic. But while Shannen was no shrinking violet and gave as good as she got (particularly to the paparazzi), she was never anything but sweet to me. I told her back in December, when I was on her podcast that I felt like the girl I used to watch on TV at Quick Stop was there to welcome me when I got into show business. Fuck… She’s died way too soon. I already miss you, Do-Do. Thank you for going to the Mall with me – and for thirty years of friendship. My Canadian pal was right: you are (and always will be) an American icon.”
Brian Austin Green: “Shan. My sister. You loved me through everything. You were a big part of my understanding of love. I’ll miss you more than I know how to process right now. Thank you for the gift of you.”
Gabrielle Carteris: “So young – so sad. May you RIP Shannen. I know Luke is there with open arms to love you.”
Alyssa Milano: “It’s no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of. She was a talented actress, beloved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her.”
RIP.
