Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in films like Heathers and television series including Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, has died at the age of 53. Doherty’s publicist announced the news of her death in a statement to PEOPLE on Sunday, July 14th.
“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,” Doherty’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, told the outlet.
Sloane continued, “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.”
Who Was Shannen Doherty?
Shannen Doherty was an American actress, producer, and television director, born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee. She rose to fame for her roles in popular television series during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Shannen Doherty’s Movies and TV Shows
Doherty began acting as a child in the 1980s, guest-starring on Michael Landon’s Voyagers! and Father Murphy before being cast as Jenny Wilder in Little House on the Prairie until 1983. In 1985, she starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt in Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
In 1989, Doherty secured her first major film role, playing one of the infamous Heathers in the classic teen black comedy Heathers. She then jumped to Beverly Hills, 90210, where she played Brenda Walsh from 1990 to 1994. Her portrayal of Brenda made her a household name and helped popularize the teen soap.
After leaving Beverly Hills, 90210, Doherty continued her career in television and film, starring as Prue Halliwell in the supernatural drama series Charmed from 1998 to 2001. Her character was one of the original Halliwell sisters and was central to the show’s early success. Before leaving the show in 2001, she was nominated for two Saturn Awards.
After appearing in several short-lived sitcoms and reality shows in the 2000s, Doherty reprised her role as Brenda Walsh in the 2008 reboot of 90210 and again in the 2019 adaptation BH90210.
Beyond acting, Doherty also worked as a producer and director, contributing to various television projects. She wrote books and participated in reality TV shows, further expanding her influence in the entertainment industry.
Shannen Doherty Health Challenges
Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and was very public about her journey through treatment, which included chemotherapy and a mastectomy. She went into remission in 2017 but announced three years later that her cancer had returned and was stage IV.
At the time, she told Good Morning America, “It’s going to come out in a matter of days or a week that I’m stage 4. So my cancer came back, and that’s why I’m here. I don’t think I’ve processed it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”
Throughout her health struggles, Doherty used her platform to raise awareness and advocate for cancer research and patient support. “I think we probably work harder than anyone because we have so much more to prove,” Doherty explained to Variety in 2021. “If we can fight cancer, we can certainly go do a job.”
In June 2023, Doherty announced that a cancerous tumor had been removed from her brain at the beginning of the year. By the end of November, she reported that cancer had spread to her bones. Despite this daunting diagnosis, Doherty was committed to continuing her work. “I’m not done with creating. I’m not done with hopefully changing things for the better,” the actress informed PEOPLE.
A clip from the most recent episode of her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast served as Doherty’s last Instagram post on June 25, 2024, in which Doherty discussed her hope for the future despite knowing how precarious her health continued to be. She revealed that she felt positive about the path forward, making her passing just two weeks later even more heartbreaking.
Shannen Doherty’s Relationships
Shannen Doherty’s personal life often made headlines. She was married three times. Her first marriage was to Ashley Hamilton, the son of actor George Hamilton, in 1993, but the marriage lasted only a few months. Her second marriage was to Rick Salomon in 2002, which was annulled after nine months.
In 2011, Doherty married photographer Kurt Iswarienko, and the couple remained together until April 2023.
Shannen Doherty’s Children
Shannen Doherty did not have any children. However, she was a supportive figure to her nieces and nephews and often shared her love for them on social media.