‘Beverly Hills 90210’ Star Shannen Doherty Dead At 53
Shannen Doherty died at the age of 53. The actress passed away on Saturday, July 13 after a long battle with cancer. Her publicist confirmed the news early Sunday morning. Here is what has been shared so far.
Shannen Doherty Dead At 53, Family Asks For Privacy
Shannen’s publicist Leslie Sloane released a statement to People. She shared, “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.”
The Beverly Hills 90210 star was first diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2015. Unfortunately, three years after she went into remission, Shannen Doherty came out with the news that her cancer returned.
“It’s going to come out in a matter of days or a week that — I’m stage IV. So my cancer came back. And that’s why I’m here,” she said in an interview on Good Morning America. “I don’t think I’ve processed it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”
Then, in a lawsuit against State Farm in 2020, it was revealed that she was dying of terminal cancer. Her lawyer at the time alleged that she could not live “her remaining years peacefully in her home” because of the ongoing legal battle.
The Beverly Hills 90210 Star Remained Positive
Although court documents claimed that she was dying, Shannen Doherty did what she could to keep her spirits up. She told her best friend Sarah Michelle Gellar that her Stage IV cancer diagnosis didn’t have to be a “death sentence.” The 90210 star continued to fight.
“I feel like I have a responsibility in my more public life, which I separate from my acting life … to talk about cancer and perhaps educate people more and let people know that people with stage IV are very much alive and very active,” she said in September 2021. “My husband says that you would never know that I have cancer. I never really complain. I don’t really talk about it. It’s part of life at this point.”
In 2023, she shared some devastating news with followers on Instagram. The cancer had spread to her brain. “January 12, the first round of radiation took place. My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life,” she captioned the video. “That fear … The turmoil … the timing of it all … This is what cancer can look like.”
Shannen Doherty was a Tennessee native. She got her start in acting as a child on Little House on the Prairie. Eventually, she landed roles in which she’d be known for the rest of her life, including Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed. In more recent years, she has been vocal about her battle with cancer, in hopes that it would help someone else.
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