‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Star Shannen Doherty Tragically Dead at 53

Very sad news coming out of Hollywood on this Sunday morning. According to reports, actress Shannen Doherty, known for her starring roles in hit television shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, and Charmed, has died. She was just 53 years old.

Doherty’s death was first confirmed to PEOPLE by her longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane.

“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.”

Shannen Maria Doherty was born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee. She began acting when she was just 10 years old, appearing as Drusilla Shannon in the show Father Murphy. From there, she went on to appear in a number of hit films and television shows, including The Secret of NIMH (1982), The Little House on the Prairie, Our House, Mallrats (1995), and, of course, Beverly Hills, 90210.

Aside from 90210, she was also most well-known for her role as Prue Halliwell in the hit show Charmed, where she starred alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs.

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In 2015, the Heathers (1988) star revealed that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer that had also spread to her bones. Then, in 2017, she was very hopeful because her cancer had gone into remission. Sadly, just two years later, Doherty announced that the cancer was back, but, just like last time, she would fight it to the very end.

In 2023, she revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain, and she underwent surgery to remove a tumor that was found. She had a positive attitude about the whole things, praising the doctors and nurses at Cedars-Sinai. She even told fans and news outlets that she had named her tumor Bob.

January 2023 I had brain surgery to remove a tumor. The things on my forehead were for mapping. I didn’t ask nearly enough questions, fear and too much going on just seized me. BUT it’s so cool I got to chat with Dr Ray Chu ( my brain surgeon) and wow, did I find out a lot about my surgery!! Tune into #letsbeclearwithshannendoherty listen wherever you get podcast! @letsbeclearpod. Oh and this is from when they gave me the relaxation meds before putting me under. I apparently liked them ????

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Despite the toll her cancer battle took on her, Doherty continued to work in Hollywood and dedicated a lot of her time to talking about her illness to bring awareness and raise money for cancer research.

Most recently, Ms. Doherty starred as Vivian alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in the film Darkness of Man (2024).

However, she is most well-known for her role as Brenda Walsh in the hit 1990s show, Beverly Hills, 90210. Doherty left the show after just four seasons, but remained close to several of her costars. She even decided to reprise her character when the series was rebooted as 90210 back in 2019.

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At the time, she knew she was sick, but decided to keep it a secret from her costars. However, she decided to open up to them when their beloved costar, Luke Perry, suddenly passed away in 2019. He was just 52 years old.

At the time of his death, Doherty honored her late friend by also appearing in an episode of the popular show Riverdale. Perry starred in the show from the beginning, playing Fred Andrews, the father of Archie Andrews.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Shannen Doherty.