Shannen Doherty, star of Beverly Hills, died aged 53 following her nine-year battle with breast cancer.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” her publicist, Leslie Sloane, told People. “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,” Sloane continued.
Doherty had openly shared her fight with breast cancer, announcing in 2015 that she was receiving treatment. By 2023, she had surgery to remove a brain tumor and revealed that the cancer had metastasized to her bones. The actress, known for her role in the film Heathers, became widely popular on 90210 as Brenda, an honor roll student from Minnesota trying to fit in with her affluent classmates.
Speaking of her diagnosis, Doherty told People in November 2023, “I’m not done with living. I’m not done with loving. I’m not done with creating. I’m not done with hopefully changing things for the better. I’m just not — I’m not done.”
Despite her struggles, she was always determined to continue working. “People just assume that it means you can’t walk, you can’t eat, you can’t work. They put you out to pasture at a very early age —‘You’re done, you’re retired,’ and we’re not,” she said, adding “We’re vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We are people who want to work and embrace life and keep moving forward.”
Doherty remained a symbol of resilience and courage.
Before her passing, the Charmed star aimed to raise awareness and funds for cancer research, demonstrating that individuals with terminal cancer, like herself, still have much to contribute.
“When you ask yourself, ‘Why me? Why did I get cancer?’ and then ‘Why did my cancer come back? Why am I stage 4?,’ that leads you to look for the bigger purpose in life,” she said.
Doherty maintained a steady career and even explored reality television with the short-lived show Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty and as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
In 2019, she joined the TV reboot of Beverly Hills, 90210, reprising her iconic role of Brenda.
Despite being aware of her diagnosis, she kept it hidden from the cast following the unexpected death of her co-star Luke Perry in March 2019 at the age of 52.
She first entered Hollywood as a child star on the TV series Little House on the Prairie.
The actress has recently ventured into podcasting, hosting her own show, Let’s Be Clear whose latest episode was released on July 8.
We are so very sorry for this devastating loss. May she rest in peace.
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