Shannen Doherty, the former Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed star, has died. She was 53.
Doherty’s longtime publicist Leslie Sloane shared a statement with People confirming the news. “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.”
Last year, Doherty revealed her cancer spread to her brain. The actress made the emotional announcement June 7 in an emotional video shared to Instagram. In the video, dated January 12, 2023, Doherty could be seen receiving radiation treatment.
“On January 5th, my ct scan showed Mets in my brain,” she wrote. “January 12, the first round of radiation took place.” “My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life. I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at cedar sinai. But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like.”
Doherty died July 13 after a yearslong battle with cancer.
Doherty got her start in television when she was just 11 years old. She began with guest spots on Voyagers! and Father Murphy, which was created and produced by Michael Landon. She would work with Landon again when she got the role of Jenny Wilder on Little House on the Prairie.
In the late 1980s she transitioned to film and starred in the 1988 film, Heathers. In 1990 she went back to television where she starred as Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills 90210.
Following her rise to fame she appeared in several made-for-TV movies before she was cast in the hit series Charmed.
Once Charmed ended, she continued to act, however most of the shows she appeared on were reality shows.
In February 2015, Doherty revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time she sued her management firm alleging that had her health insurance not lapsed, she would have been able to attend a regular checkup and the cancer would not have been able to grow.
Two years later she shared the cancer had gone into remission.
“I am blessed, I know that. But for now…. remission,” she shared on Instagram at the time.
However, in 2020 Doherty revealed the breast cancer had returned, and this time it was stage 4.
“I don’t think I’ve processed it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways,” the actress told ABC News‘ Amy Robach.
Despite the diagnosis, Doherty continued working, participating in a Beverly Hills 90210 reboot, a Lifetime movie, and an appearance at 90s Con in March 2023.
In June 2023, Doherty posted a heartbreaking video to Instagram where she shared the cancer had spread to her brain.
“My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life. I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at cedar sinai. But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like,” she wrote.
Shannen, you fought so long and so hard. You were an inspiration to so many. You will be dearly missed. May you rest in peace.
