RIP Shannen Doherty

Jul 14, 2024

Shannen Doherty, an icon to a generation of teenagers for her leading role on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” died on Saturday. She was 53 years old.

The cause was breast cancer that metastasized to her brain and bones.

A rep for Doherty said in a statement to People:

“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. 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.”

Though Doherty started her career as a child star, she skyrocketed to international fame in her 20s after being cast at 19 as Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Opposite Jason Priestley, she played one half of the teenage Walsh twins, who moved with their parents from Minnesota to Beverly Hills in what began as a fish-out-of-water tale set in high school. The role earned Doherty two Young Artist Awards nominations.

As the seasons went on, Doherty’s time on “Beverly Hills, 90210” became increasingly tumultuous. She was written out of the series at the end of season 4, with Brenda mentioned in subsequent years but never seen again. Despite her firing, executive producer Aaron Spelling later hired Doherty to star on “Charmed,” for which she also directed a couple of episodes. Her exit from that series, after three seasons, was also shrouded in controversy.

This is my favorite Brenda episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” with Doherty playing two roles and narrating.

Though she blocked usage of her image in a “Beverly Hills, 90210” retrospective in 2000, Doherty returned to the show’s universe with The CW’s “90210,” appearing in seven episodes across 2008 and 2009. She also reunited with many of her “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-stars for FOX’s “BH90210.” On that 2019 series, she and her cast mates were also executive producers.

Some of Doherty’s earliest acting work included series regular roles on “Little House on the Prairie” and “Our House.” Other notable credits during those early years include “Father Murphy,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “The New Leave It to Beaver,” “Life Goes On,” '“21 Jump Street,” and Little House TV movies. On the film side, Doherty racked up credits like Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Heathers. She also went on to appear in the cult classic Mallrats, along with television movies like Gone in the Night and Friends ‘Til the End.

In scripted television, Doherty had a part on the short-lived series “North Shore” and the “Heathers” TV adaptation. She starred in the unaired pilot for “Love, Inc.,” which was picked up to series by UPN — but with Busy Philipps of “Dawson’s Creek” replacing Doherty. Doherty also spent a significant chunk of her career dabbling in unscripted projects. She competed on season 10 of “Dancing with the Stars,” and starred in several reality shows, including “Scare Tactics,” “Breaking up with Shannen Doherty,” “Shannen Says,” and “Off the Map with Shannen & Holly.” The latter featured Doherty’s “Charmed” co-star and close friend Holly Marie Combs. Doherty also hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1993.

Following Luke Perry’s death in 2019, Doherty guest-starred in an episode of “Riverdale” to pay tribute to her beloved “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-star. In 2021, Doherty partnered with Lifetime on its Stop Breast Cancer for Life initiative, directing special content and appearing in the TV film List of a Lifetime. She also starred in Lifetime’s remake of Dying to Belong (notably, the original TV movie has a number of teen drama connections). Doherty appeared in 2021’s Fortress (which also featured another teen drama star — Chad Michael Murray of “One Tree Hill”) and, most recently, 2022’s Hot Seat.

In 2015, Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. In a lawsuit against her former manager, Doherty claimed her diagnosis was delayed because the manager failed to pay her health insurance premiums, leaving her without medical care. The suit was settled in 2016. Amidst the legal battle, Doherty underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. The actress entered remission in 2017, but in 2020, Doherty announced her cancer had returned in 2019 and revealed it was stage 4. She kept her recurrence a secret from most of her co-stars during the filming of “BH90210.” Then, in June of last year, Doherty announced that the cancer had spread to her brain months prior.

Doherty faced further tragedy when her home was destroyed in the Woolsey Fire in 2018. In 2021, she won a lawsuit against State Farm over the company’s failure to fully pay for the fire’s damages and her resulting emotional distress. A jury awarded Doherty $6.3 million, although the insurer said it would explore appealing the decision.

Thrice married, Doherty is survived by her mother Rosa and brother Sean, as well as her third husband, Kurt Iswarienko, from whom she is estranged. The couple married in 2011. Doherty filed for divorce in April 2023.

In December of that year, Doherty launched “Let’s Be Clear,” a podcast where she opened up about her life, including her health. Guests on the podcast included some of her doctors, as well as a few of her “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-stars. She and several cast members were slated to attend “90s Con” in Florida this September. Now Doherty’s passing comes two years to the day after the death of “Beverly Hills, 90210” executive producer Jessica Klein.

Though Doherty ultimately starred in less than half of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” which had a remarkable 10-season run, she will forever be associated with the series and forever be our Brenda Walsh. My thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Should any “Beverly Hills, 90210” or “90210” cast or crew share public tributes, I will add them below.

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