‘Charmed,’ ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Actress Shannen Doherty Dies

Shannen Doherty attends the 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 05, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California
Shannen Doherty (Image credit: Getty Images)

Actress Shannen Doherty passed away Saturday after a long battle with cancer at the age of 53.

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” Doherty’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, said in a statement first published by People.com. “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.”

Doherty began acting as a child, starring in NBC’s Little House on the Prairie in 1982-83. She would rise to fame playing Brenda Walsh in Fox's iconic drama series Beverly Hills, 90210 from 1990 to 1994.

Doherty also starred for three seasons in The WB fantasy/drama series Charmed in the late 1990s. She starred in and executive produced Oxygen’s 2006 reality show Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty, and appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2010. 

Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. In 2023 she documented her battle with the disease in a podcast, Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.

Several Hollywood stars paid tribute to Doherty Sunday on social media. Doherty’s Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Jason Priestley called her a “force of nature” and said he was “shocked and saddened about the passing of my friend Shannen.” 

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.