Shannen Doherty, who captivated audiences as Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” died on Saturday, July 13, after a far and courageous struggle with breast cancer.
She was 53 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after numerous years of fighting the disease,” said Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane.
Shannen was 1st diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, achieving remission two years later.
But, in February 2020, court documents opened that her cancer had returned and advanced to Stage 4, becoming incurable.
In June 2023, Doherty shared an emotional Instagram post disclosing that her cancer had metastasized to her brain prior in the year.
“On January 5th, my scan showed Mets in my brain,” she wrote.
In spite of her fear and the timing of the diagnosis, she continued to experience with her illness with bravery.
“But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like,” she candidly expressed.
Born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee, Shannen Doherty’s journey to Hollywood started early.
She made her acting debut when she was 10 in “Father Murphy” and quickly caught the eye of Michael Landon, who cast her in “Little House on the Prairie.”
Shannen’s career flourished with portrayals in “Our House” and the cult classic “Heathers.”
However, it was her portrayal as Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210” that catapulted her to stardom.
As the show became a cultural phenomenon, Doherty’s character of Brenda resonated with a generation of viewers.
In spite of her on-screen success, she garnered a reputation for being difficult to work with, which overshadowed her talent and led to her departure from the show after 4 seasons.
“She became a metaphorical reality-TV star before there were actual reality-TV stars,” said Robert Thompson, Bleier Center for TV and Popular Culture director at Syracuse University.
Shannen’s off-screen persona often made headlines, including her complex legacy.
After leaving “90210,” Shannen continued to act in movies and reunited with Aaron Spelling for a role in “Charmed.”