Shannen Doherty, the star of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, has died at the age of 53.
As reported by Variety, Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane said in a statement that the actress passed after a battle with breast cancer that began back in 2015.
“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. 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.”
Shannen Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 12, 1971, and began her career in acting at a young age when she secured guest spots on such TV shows as Voyagers! and Father Murphy. She also appeared in Little House on the Prairie, The Secret of NIMH, Magnum, P.I., Airwolf, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and more.
1988’s Heathers marked her first major motion picture, but she would really rise to stardom when she was cast as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210. She starred in the series for four seasons before leaving in 1994. While there were reports of on-set drama that may have led to her departure, she did return as Brenda in 2008’s 90210 and 2019’s BH90210.
She would show up in many other projects after that, including Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but Charmed was the next bonafide hit for the actress. She took on the role of Prue Halliwell and would even direct a few episodes. She was part of Charmed for three seasons alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs.
Doherty was the star of a few reality shows, including ‘Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty” and “Off the Map With Shannen and Holly,” and she was the host of a podcast called “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty.”
In the podcast, she talked about her career and how breast cancer has impacted her life. She went into remission in 2017 and revealed in 2019 that the cancer had returned and spread. Despite the diagnosis, she continued to act in such projects as Dying to Belong and List of a Lifetime.
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Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.
