Shannen Doherty, star of teen hits such as “Charmed” and “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has died after a years-long battle with cancer.
Ms. Doherty is 53 years old.
Doherty has been a star of Generation X since he first appeared on Father Murphy in 1981.
This performance led to a larger role in Little House on the Prairie, playing Jenny Wilder, the niece of Almanzo Ingalls Wilder and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Her childhood was filled with roles on other shows, including Magnum, PI, Airwolf and another Michael Landon production, Highway to Heaven.
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She starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street, before appearing in Beverly Hills, 90210 Playing Brenda Worth, the role made her a household name.
Early in her career, Doherty had a reputation for being difficult to work with, which may have started four years after she left Beverly Hills (90210) in 1994.
Although she did not continue on the show, she remained friends with the cast and appeared in the show’s revival of 90201 alongside Jennie Garth, as well as starring with the group in 2019’s meta-reality-based BH90210, the show only lasted 6 years.
Another role that had a major impact on her career was playing the powerful witch sister Prue Halliwell in the first three seasons of Charmed.
While she remains the most popular person on the show, rumors of a rift between Doherty and her co-star Alyssa Milano circulated behind the scenes.
She also starred in some seminal Generation X films, including 1988’s Heathers, 1995’s Mallrats and 2001’s Jay and Bob Strike Back.
Doherty’s death was confirmed in a statement to People magazine by his longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane.
“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 for many years.
“This devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones and her dog Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve peacefully.
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Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and in June 2023, she announced that the cancer had invaded her brain. In November 2023, she announced that her stage 4 cancer had spread to her bones.
She’s always been very open about her journey, sharing photos on social media and telling people she’s struggling because “she doesn’t want to die” and still has a lot of life to do, telling people at the time, “I’m still Not finished yet.
She has remained in the public eye throughout the ordeal, working on behalf of charities, empowering the world to empower others to care for themselves, and even naming her brain tumor Bob, while still appearing in numerous other projects.
She firmly believes that cancer patients still have a long life and does not want to let any life slip away from them, reminding us to cherish the life we have now because it is precious.
In a 2020 interview with Amy Robach on Good Morning America, she mused that she often wonders, “Why me?” before realizing, “Why not Me? Who else? Who else deserves this? None of us.
On June 25, Doherty announced via her podcast Let’s Be Clear that the molecular structure of her cancer cells had changed, allowing her to receive new treatment options. She’s getting ready for another round of chemotherapy and is hopeful she’ll get another chance.
Two weeks later, Doherty’s body could no longer take it and she lost her battle with breast cancer.
Doherty died surrounded by loved ones, including her dog Bowie. May she rest in peace. Our condolences go out to her loved ones.
