By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – American actor Shannen Doherty, finest recognized for her position as highschool scholar Brenda Walsh on hit Nineteen Nineties tv drama “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has died at age 53 following a years-long battle with most cancers.
Doherty, who had been public about her remedy for breast most cancers, died on Saturday, publicist Leslie Sloane mentioned in an announcement on Sunday.
“The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie,” Sloane mentioned within the assertion. “The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
Doherty disclosed in 2015 that she was present process remedy for the illness. In 2023, she had a mind tumor eliminated and revealed that the most cancers had unfold to her bones.
The actor, who had beforehand starred within the film “Heathers,” gained widespread recognition on “90210” for her portrayal of Brenda, an honor roll scholar from Minnesota who struggled to slot in along with her classmates within the rich zip code.
Her character on the present grew to become entwined in a love triangle with Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) and Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth). In actual life, Doherty clashed with Garth and different castmates and left “90210” throughout its fourth season in 1994. The present continued by 2000 with out her.
In 1998, “90210” producer Aaron Spelling forged Doherty in supernatural sequence “Charmed” as Prue Halliwell, the oldest of three sisters with magical skills. The present was a success but in addition topic to reviews of behind-the-scenes turmoil.
Individuals journal referred to as Doherty “the iconic ‘bad girl’ of the nineties,” citing her status for partying, turning up late on units and feuding with actors – and her bosses.
In 2023, on a podcast referred to as “Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty,” the actor mentioned she took “full responsibility for her actions” and acknowledged her habits “would get a little carried away” when she was frequenting nightclubs in her early 20s.
She additionally mentioned she spoke up greater than different girls working in tv on the time, telling Spelling and others when she thought a script wanted enchancment.
“I was raised to have an opinion, and that my opinion should be valued, so I just kept on pressing up against that machine, up against men who didn’t really want to hear my opinion,” she mentioned on the podcast.
Later, “I learned the simple art of diplomacy. I learned that there might be a nicer way to say some things,” she mentioned.
The actor reprised the position of Brenda for “90210” reboots in 2008 and 2019 and mentioned she and Garth had reconciled after the 2 grew to become adults and left their teenage conflicts behind.
Doherty’s co-stars paid tribute to her on Sunday.
“She was a force of nature and I will miss her,” Jason Priestley, who performed Doherty’s brother on “90210,” mentioned on Instagram. “Sending love and light to her family in this dark time.”
“Charmed” actor Rose McGowan mentioned Doherty “had the heart of a lion.”
“My head bows to this warrior on her journey home,” McGowan wrote on X.
Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 12, 1971, and started appearing as a toddler. At age 11, she performed Jenny Wilder within the closing season of TV basic “Little House on the Prairie.”
In 1988, Doherty was forged at nighttime comedy movie “Heathers,” which went on to turn out to be a cult basic.
Doherty was married thrice, most just lately to photographer Kurt Iswarienko. She filed for divorce from him in 2023.
(This story has been corrected to repair the spelling of Sloane in paragraph 3 and so as to add “actor” to paragraphs 5 and 16)
