Shannen Doherty Passes Away at 53
Actress Shannen Doherty, known for her roles in "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed," has died at the age of 53 after a long battle with cancer. Her longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed the news in a statement to PEOPLE on July 14th.
"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty," Sloane said. "On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease." Doherty was surrounded by loved ones, including her dog Bowie, at the time of her passing. The family requested privacy during this time of grief.
Doherty was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. In a previous interview with PEOPLE, she candidly expressed her feelings about the diagnosis, stating, "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."
In 2017, the cancer returned after a period of remission, this time diagnosed as stage 4. Doherty shared this news publicly on "Good Morning America," saying, "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."
Doherty's career was marked by iconic roles, most notably as Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210." She left the show after its fourth season in 1994, but revisited the character for guest appearances in the 2008 reboot.
Following her "Beverly Hills" fame, Doherty starred as Prue Halliwell, the eldest of three witch sisters, in the popular series "Charmed." She also directed several episodes of the show before departing at the end of its third season in 2001.
Throughout her career, Doherty remained a constant presence in entertainment, even venturing into reality television with shows like "Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty" and appearing as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars."
In 2019, Doherty returned to her most famous role, joining the cast of the "Beverly Hills, 90210" reboot. However, she kept her stage 4 cancer diagnosis a secret from the cast after the sudden passing of her costar Luke Perry in March 2019.
"It's so weird for me to be diagnosed and then somebody who was, you know, seemingly healthy to go first," Doherty said on "Good Morning America." "It was really, like, shocking."
Doherty described her participation in the reboot as a way to honor Perry's memory and prove that she could still work despite her health challenges. She explained, "One of the reasons, along with Luke, that I did <em>90210</em> and didn't really tell anybody [was] because I thought, people can look at that [as] people with stage 4 can work too."
Shannen Doherty's impact on television and her unwavering spirit in the face of adversity will be remembered by fans for generations to come. Her legacy as a talented actress and a resilient individual will continue to inspire.
