“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,” Leslie Sloane, Doherty’s publicist, said in a statement.
“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 added.
The actor was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and was outspoken about her health journey over the years. As part of her treatment, she underwent anti-estrogen therapy, a lumpectomy, a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. In 2017, Doherty announced via Instagram that she was in remission.
During an appearance on “Good Morning America” in February 2020, the actor revealed her cancer returned the year prior and that it had spread to other organs, making it metastatic stage 4.
“The best example that I can continue to set for other people with cancer, and to the outside world who doesn’t have cancer, is to show them what a cancer patient looks like. We are employable,” Doherty told Variety in 2021 while discussing her acting career.
Doherty had been preparing for the worst. On an April episode of her “Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty” podcast, she said she was getting rid of her material possessions.
“The cancer, for me, has really made me take stock of my life and shift my priorities, and my priority at the moment is my mom,” Doherty said.
“I don’t want her to have a bunch of stuff to deal with,” Doherty added, referring to her mother. “I don’t want her to have four storage units filled with furniture because I have a furniture obsession.”
Doherty’s legacy on the small screen
Doherty was born on April 12, 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Her professional acting career began in the ’80s with roles on TV series like “Father Murphy,” “Magnum, PI,” and “Little House on the Prairie.” Doherty also appeared in several TV movies before making her acting debut in the cult classic film, “Heathers.” In the movie, she starred as Heather Duke, one of three popular girls with the same first name.
Doherty’s breakout role came when she was cast as Brenda Walsh on the teen drama series “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
The Fox series ran for 10 seasons and spawned a franchise that included “90210,” which Doherty also appeared on. In 2019, she reprised her role as Brenda for the revival series “BH90210,” which lasted for one season.
The actor went on to portray witch Prue Halliwell on the series “Charmed,” which ran for eight seasons between 1998 and 2006. In 2014, she competed on season 10 of “Dancing With the Stars.”
Her recent roles included a part on the “Heathers” reboot series and a guest appearance on season four of “Riverdale.” She also filmed three movies back-to-back in 2021: “Dying to Belong,” “List of a Lifetime,” and “The Fortress.”
In late 2023, Doherty revealed that the cancer had spread to her bones but said on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear,” that she was “not done living yet.”
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