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shannendoherty-fans · 2 months ago

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Another month without her :( This was what Time published when she passed away, just found it recently but it's beautiful so I wanted to share it:

Remembering Shannen Doherty, the Quintessential Gen X Girl

Shannen Doherty in 2002SGranitz/WireImage via Getty Images

By Judy Berman — July 14, 2024 9:35 AM EDT

Shannen Doherty epitomized the experience of growing up female in the ’90s. Like her iconic Beverly Hills, 90210 character, Brenda Walsh, she contained a volatile mix of Gen X angst, teen fragility and feminist grit. She thrived as a porcelain-skinned, dark-haired drama queen in a world of tan, blonde valley girls, and owned her identity as an angry young woman before Courtney Love and Elizabeth Wurtzel made it a trend. She wasn’t for everyone, but that was part of her appeal.

Celebrity was not always kind to Doherty, who died on July 13at age 53 after a nine-year struggle with breast cancer. Though she’d been acting professionally for a decade when Fox’s 90210 debuted in 1990, the actor rocketed to full-on fame as the pioneering teen soap about social politics at West Beverly High slowly rose in the ratings. Tabloids sank their fangs into the young, photogenic cast, slotting Doherty—who was still 19 when the show premiered—into the role of villain. Called out for her partying, her tumultuous romantic relationships and her reportedly imperious behavior on set, she was let go from the long-running drama after four seasons.

“I was 21 years old, trying to grow up and figure out who I was,” Doherty explained to TIME in 1998. “I didn’t consciously think, ‘Maybe I should be real low-key and stay in my house.’ Instead I was like, ‘I’m 21 and I can go out and have a great time and experience the whole college life.’” In retrospect, the typically self-aware actor concluded that she had made herself an “easy target.” With the hindsight of a few additional decades, it also seems clear that the media had been excessively hard on a young woman coming of age in front of paparazzi flashbulbs.

Despite producer Aaron Spelling and creator Darren Star’s attempts to replace Brenda with other brunette troublemakers, the show was never the same without Doherty. 90210’s teenage characters had begun their lives as antiquated teen-movie stereotypes: Brenda’s twin brother, Brandon, was the all-American golden boy; Kelly, the pretty queen bee; Steve, the fratty bro; Donna, the sweetheart; David, the annoying little brother. Luke Perry’s motorcycle-riding bad boy was James Dean with a trust fund. Doherty was the first to make her character—conceived as a self-conscious Midwestern transplant—into something more authentic and contemporary.

Infused with Doherty’s preternatural fire, Brenda became a moody brat, yes, but also an earnest romantic who channeled her overabundance of feelings into a love affair with theater. Her self-righteous smirk, withering glare and wide, mischievous grin captured the emotional extremes of adolescence to an extent that words could never quite express. In the early ’90s, after a decade that saw a massive right-wing backlash to the gains of second-wave feminism, America was waking up to the rage of a new generation of women. Not long after 90210 emerged, female-dominated punk bands like L7, Bikini Kill and Hole stormed the rock mainstream—and Doherty’s performance began to look not just inspired, but also prescient.

Those girl-power undertones didn’t stop Brenda from battling Kelly (Jennie Garth, also rumored to be Doherty’s biggest behind-the-scenes rival) for Dylan in one of the show’s most memorable storylines. When she lost her virginity with him at the end of Season 1, local affiliates blasted the producers over the consequence-free depiction of teen sex. Looking back on the characters’ relationship in a 2008 interview with the New York Times, Doherty recalled “how messed up, sometimes, it could be, but ultimately there was love between them, and then eventually they grew apart.” For her, their romance was a funny, ultimately humane tale of a girl trying too hard to become the person she thinks her boyfriend wants her to be. “It’s kind of a good lesson,” she noted, “just be yourself and be comfortable in your own skin.” Four decades in Hollywood seemed to have led the actor, who was open about her mistakes, to a similar conclusion.

Born in Memphis, Tenn. on April 12, 1971, Doherty lived below the Mason-Dixon line for long enough to absorb Southern Baptist values fostered by her mother Rosa’s side of the family. When she was six, her parents moved Shannen and her older brother, Sean, to Los Angeles, where her father, Tom, had bought a trucking company. Though their fortunes fluctuated throughout her childhood, she soon discovered her talent for acting in a church production of Snow White. In 1982, the same year she voiced Teresa Brisby in the animated classic The Secret of NIMH, she nabbed the role of Jenny Wilder in Little House on the Prairie. “That show changed my life,” Doherty told People in a 1992 cover story, recalling the advice its executive producer and star Michael Landon gave her: “Always stick up for yourself. Never let anybody walk all over you.”

By the mid-’80s, Doherty had aged into the decade’s booming teen culture, racking up Young Artist Award nominations for roles in long-forgotten shows like Our House, as well as starring in the silly flick Girls Just Want to Have Fun alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt. Viewers got their first glimpse of her mean-girl swagger in 1989’s Heathers, the cult black comedy that cast her as one of three identically named preppies who rule their high school with manicured fists. A wickedly funny funeral scene finds Doherty’s Heather Duke, decked out in a big hat and opera gloves, grinning beatifically as she thanks Jesus for the death of her friend.

For better or worse, it was 90210 that defined her public life after 1990, spawning anti-fanzines and punk singles that proclaimed their hatred of Brenda and earning Doherty a “difficult” reputation that she never lived down. But she did have fun with her image in the indie movies she made after leaving the show; Doherty is incandescent as an aggrieved girlfriend in Kevin Smith’s Mallrats and hilarious in a brief role as a day-glo ditz in Gregg Araki’s Nowhere.

Controversy followed her to the WB’s Charmed, a breezy supernatural drama also produced by Spelling, where for three seasons beginning in 1998 she turned in feisty performances as the eldest of three unfeasibly attractive witch sisters. Amid reports of clashes with co-star Alyssa Milano, Doherty’s character was killed off and Rose McGowan signed on to replace her.

Doherty was in and out of the spotlight after that, appearing in the short-lived 2004 Fox soap North Shore and, two years later, hosting an Oxygen reality show called Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty, in which she helped wannabe singles dump their significant others. Despite her abrupt exit from Beverly Hills, the franchise came calling again in 2008, with the CW reboot 90210. And she agreed to reprise the role of Brenda—now a famous stage actor—in a guest arc. “I didn’t want it to be like she was still stuck in high school with the same attitude,” Doherty told the Times in 2008, explaining that she had vetted the producers’ new vision for Brenda to ensure that the character had evolved. “Although I don’t think Brenda was mean, she reacted to the things that were happening around her, and she reacted as a teenager does.”

Following brief marriages to Ashley Hamilton (the son of George Hamilton) in 1993 and Rick Salomon (the poker pro best known for co-starring in Paris Hilton’s sex tape) in 2002, Doherty settled down with photographer Kurt Iswarienko in 2011; WE tv reality show Shannen Says chronicled their wedding preparations. Yet tragedy struck in 2015, when Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a brief remission, she revealed on Good Morning America in February 2020 that her cancer was back and she’d been living with a stage 4 diagnosis for a year. “I don’t think that I’ve processed it yet. It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” she said in the tearful interview. “There are definitely days where I say, ‘Why me?’ And then I go, ‘Well, why not me? Who else?’” Still going strong that fall, Doherty reflected on her life with unprecedented vulnerability in a widely read Elle profile. After an honest internal reckoning, she explained, “what I came out with was, I have good karma. It may not seem like it, but I’ve been a really good human being.”

Doherty got a final opportunity to revisit Brenda Walsh—and prove she could laugh at herself—in 2019’s deeply self-aware BH90210, a silly but mostly fun meta-revival on Fox that had the original cast playing exaggerated versions of themselves. In storylines caricatured from real life, Shannen was the free-spirited, post-fame holdout, and the one whose paycheck was the envy of her castmates. On Entertainment Tonight, Doherty explained that she’d decided to participate as a tribute to Luke Perry, who had died following a stroke that March. “Replaying Brenda was something I said I wouldn't do twice and I've replayed her now twice, so I guess I could never say I'm never going to do something again because I end up doing it,” she said. “As [Perry’s] on-set family, I felt like it was an important time for all of us to come together to honor him.”

That both actors would die young feels tragic enough to come from the melodramatic mind of the character from whom Doherty’s identity proved so inextricable. It’s a small consolation that we’ll remember them at their most romantic, as two teenage rebels with the world at their feet.

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brandnulife · 5 months ago

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RIP, Shannen Doherty (1971-2024)

"Shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Shannen. She was a force of nature and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family in this dark time." - Jason Priestley

"I am still processing my tremendous grief over the loss of my long-time friend Shannen, the woman I have often described as one of the strongest people I have ever known. Our connection was real and honest. We were so often pitted against each other but none of that reflected the truth of our real relationship which was one built on mutual respect and admiration. She was courageous, passionate, determined, and very loving and generous. I will miss her and will always honor her deeply in my heart and in my memories. My heart breaks for her family and Bowie." - Jennie Garth

"Shan. My sister… You loved me through everything. You were a big part of my understanding of love. I’ll miss you more than I know how to process right now. Thank you for the gift of you." - Brian Austin Green

"Fuck them… is what Shan would say if I told her I felt pressure to have to summarize via social media a 36-year relationship and the grief I feel for a fire who’s flame went out too soon.

I was 15 when Shan and I met. I was the boss’s daughter with no voice and she was the star with a big voice. She took me under her wing. She gave me the belief I had a voice and was worthy. We became fast best friends. We were each others wing women, true confidantes, support systems navigating bad relationships, roommates of sorts at times, travel buddies, and so much more. She always stuck up for me. Always had my back. Always believed in me when I didn’t or couldn’t believe in myself. We were young. We let a lot of outside and inside influences influence our friendship. In a world where we often don’t get to make up with the childhood friendships that formed so much of the adult you become, we got that chance. I’m grateful @theshando and I got to go back in time as adult friends and remember why we truly loved each other to begin with. To reminisce. And, to iconically laugh again like we used to. No one could make me laugh like that. Core laughs!

She was a rebel in an era when most women didn’t feel comfortable being strong. She never tried she just was. She empowered sexiness, strength, 2 fucks given, empathy, and all topped off with wicked humor! Her sardonic humor was one of my faves. And, no one made a frito pie like Shan!

Shan… I’ll carry the torch on. Take on my power! And, I’ll stay rebellious for you. Love you with all my heart. Always. 🖤💔" - Tori Spelling

"Shannon was so young and so courageous. By sharing her journey she has helped so many. My heart goes out to her family and I know that Luke is welcoming her with open arms." - Gabrielle Carteris

"Shocked and saddened by news of Shannon Doherty’s death. What a journey she has been on! Gone too soon. Throughout, she stayed true to herself and gave us an example of courage and perseverance in facing her own death. May she rest in peace." - Carol Potter

"It’s no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of. She was a talented actress, beloved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her." - Alyssa Milano

"Shannen Doherty had the heart of a lion. Passion for craft is often mislabeled as trouble. Shannen was passion. I met her in the ’90s and was awed. Getting to really know her later in life, a beautiful gift. This woman fought to live. Shannen knew how to be a star because she was one since childhood. Her work ethic inspiring to the end. Shannen’s great love for directing, for acting, Holly, her friends, her parents, dog and her beloved fans was legendary. Our lives had been intertwined in a unique way. We laughed at dark forces who wanted us to hate each other, instead we chose love and respect. A soft-hearted badass as there ever was. A force of energy that will live forever in hearts. May angels and God carry her to the holy kingdom where she is healthy, young, and wild forever. Rest now warrior, we will never forget you, dear sister." - Rose McGowan

"Beautiful Shannen. What a warrior. Fierce talent, passionate actor, friend, advocate. She fought. My heart goes out to her family, her beloved mama, her doggy, her friends who loved her equally fiercely as she loved them. God, I’m sorry for this loss…. Rest in peace, Shannen. - Finola Hughes

"We created a special television couple for the ages. My heart goes out to your family. Rest in peace, Shannen, rest in peace." - Ted King

Very sad to hear about the passing of #ShannenDoherty. I watched and was a huge fan of 90210. And, of course, I’ll always love #Charmed, @cw_charmed both the original and reboot. My thoughts are with her family…." - Rupert Evans

"RIP, Shannen Doherty. I met her during the Full House days. She was lovely and had a beautiful smile. Today, I’ll also think about the women in my life who all succumbed to cancer - my mom, my sister, Sharon, and my niece, Shannon, who all were so strong and so beautiful. #RIPShannenDoherty #RIP" - Dave Coulier

"You showed me what strength is. You taught me to be fearless and live with purpose. To know your value and stick to your determinations. Forever loved! Truly heartbroken." - Brian Krause

"Crushed💔 I will miss you, Shannen. I got you, Sis. We just got each other. I am so glad we were cast together for a pilot back in 2004. We hit it off right away and friends since then…I was supposed to do your podcast… I was so looking forward to that… You fought so hard babe, and now it’s time for you to rest. I know you’re dancing in the sky." - Holly Robinson Peete

"RIP, Shannen Doherty. Grew up watching you in so many iconic, meaningful movies and shows. Was beyond honored and humbled and grateful that you were a part of our most special episode of #Riverdale ever. Thank you forever.💔😰💔😰🚀" - Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

"@theshando 💔🙏" - Antonio Sabato Jr.

"My better half of 31 years. There is a hollow in my chest and I can’t seem to catch my breath. A part of me is missing even though I know exactly what you would say to me right now. I know exactly what you would tell me to do right now. I know your undying spirit will live in me and my kids who you loved as your own. They will walk with your sense of purpose and pride. They will be truthful and stand up for what is right. No matter what and zero fucks given. Your fire will live on in them and the many other Charmed ones you helped raise. A fierce fighter till the end. My most ardent champion. My loyal protector. My best friend. You taught me the meaning of family. You were and will be forevermore my sister. I love you." - Holly Marie Combs

"How do you possibly find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship? I keep reminding myself it only hurts this much because there was so much love. Thank you, for all your kind words and support. I love all the messages about how @theshando was important to you. So let’s honor her. More than anything, Shan loves animals, especially dogs. In her memory let’s support our favorite animal charities. Whether that’s donating money , stopping by your local shelter and just offering cuddles and walks to animals housed there or even just tagging them in the comments so other people can learn about their work. I know that would make our girl happy (and illicit that deep-throaty laugh we all loved) 💔 💔💔" - Sarah Michelle Gellar

"This is the first photo I ever took of Shannen and the last photo she sent to me of us. I’ll never be able to fully articulate our relationship or what she meant to me in a social media post so I’m not going to bother trying... I can say I will miss her laugh, her wicked sense of humor and fiery spirit most of all. I’m truly heartbroken but will continue to honor her by living as she lived - with passion beyond measure, with unwavering loyalty to family and friends and most importantly, with bravery, no matter how insurmountable the challenge or obstacle appears to be.

🖤 LOVE YOU FOREVER, SHANNEN 🖤" - Drew Fuller

"Dear brave beautiful friend, may you rest in the peace of God 🕊️ We are heartbroken by the news of your passing … My deepest condolences to your beloved Mom and to Chris . All of us who were fortunate enough to know you and love you and call you friend will miss you terribly . You were a bright light in all our lives. Rest in Peace, dear Shannen 🕊️ 🙏#shannendoherty" - Roma Downey

"I worked with Shannon a few years ago on a film called The Fortress directed by my friend @jamescullenb I didn’t know her well. She was humble, funny, and professional. My sincere condolences to her family and friends. She was a talent and a fighter. May she rest in peace." - Sean Kanan

"FOX mourns the loss of our friend Shannen Doherty. We're grateful for the talent and light she brought to FOX, especially through her role in Beverly Hills, 90210, which cemented her place among television royalty. Shannen's legacy will be remembered and celebrated forever." - FOX Television Network

"Deeply saddened to hear of Shannen’s passing. I treasure my time working with her on 90210. She always brought her huge talent, her wicked sense of humor, and her big heart to every moment. My heart goes out to her wonderful family and friends. She will be sorely missed." - Jim Eckhouse

"I am absolutely heartbroken over the passing of Shannen Doherty. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I remembered how she bravely let the world into her journey and I reached out to her. We became instant friends- which I honestly couldn’t comprehend at times because watching her on ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ was everything to me when I was 10. (Shannen Doherty as Brenda Walsh is and was and will always be an icon.)

We bonded through a shared battle and a desire to help other women. Looking back on the last text she sent me just a couple months ago, she asked how I was doing and if she could do anything for me…. True to form, Shannen was offering her support even though she was in the final stage of fighting this horrific disease.

Cancer is really fucking scary and Shannen faced it with such dignity, strength and grace.

I’m sending all of my love to her mother who was her best friend, hero and champion every step of the way.

Fly so high, my friend. 💔💔💔💔" - Olivia Munn

"I grew up watching Shannen Doherty, and years later I got the amazing chance to work with her in Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Loved her in Charmed, a favorite of mine. Truly sad that she is now gone, may you rest in peace 💔" - Jason Mewes

"Long before any other pop culture figure “broke the internet” @theshando singlehandedly shattered it in the early 90’s. This is an incredible accomplishment considering the internet as we know it didn’t even exist yet. I (and the rest of the known universe) used to watch “the girl from #heathers” every week on @beverlyhills90210. I usually did so while jockeying the register at @quickstopgroceries - so it was ironic that the film I’d eventually make there would lead to #shannendoherty. @malcolm.ingram is most responsible for Shannen being in #mallrats. When I told him my next flick was essentially “Clerks in a Mall”, Malcolm insisted “Then you gotta cast Doherty! She’s an American icon!” That she was, and so much more. Shannen was a true talent and she became a good friend, but lest anyone forget, she was the only reason Mallrats got green-lit in 1995. That’s because Shannen was one of the most famous people on the planet - and the fact that she picked Mallrats as her first follow-up to 90210 *made* that movie happen. I cherish the memories of Shannen walking her German Shepherd around the @edenprairiecenter every morning, or whenever she’d gossip and giggle between takes. At the junket for Rats, we established a ritual we kept up for years, where she wrote “dick” over my half of our @filmthreat cover while I wrote “bitch” over her pic. But while Shannen was no shrinking violet and she gave as good as she got (particularly to the paparazzi), she was never anything but sweet to me. I told her back in December when I was on her podcast that I felt like the girl I used to watch on TV at Quick Stop was there to welcome me when I got into show business. Fuck… She’s died way too soon. I already miss you, Do-Do. Thank you for going to the Mall with me - and for thirty years of friendship. My Canadian pal was right: you are (and always will be) an American icon. #KevinSmith - Kevin Smith

"Gone too soon! I didn't know Shannen, but I knew a lot of her friends and I was a huge fan growing up. From Heathers to 90210, she had my respect for her talent and choices. She will be missed but her influence will carry on. Rest well!" - Melissa Joan Hart

"I had the great pleasure of working with Shannen Doherty a few years ago in Canada- she was smart and funny, and super talented. Then later I happened to run into her on a night I received some of the worst news of my life and she was there for me like a rock. I also consulted her on dog rescue issues. She was a strong, beautiful human being and I am thankful for the times we shared on this earth. Rest in Peace." - Mira Sorvino

"RIP @theshando 🕊️💔

When I first booked 90210, I remember walking on set on the first day and feeling a bit nervous, especially during the drug scenes. But Shannen was always so supportive and encouraging, instantly putting me at ease. She made the experience truly special. ❤️ Working with her was such a gift." - Jessica Lowndes

"We lost a beautiful soul and member of the Lifetime family today. Shannen Doherty’s legacy of strength and resilience will forever inspire us. Rest in peace." - Lifetime Television Network

"Shannen, I was a huge fan of yours before we worked together, and an even bigger fan of yours after. I’m so happy to have had that time with you and still have this sweet note you wrote me. Now you rest. Condolences to your friends and family. This ICON will be truly missed🙏🏽🕊️ #ShannenDoherty" - Reagan Gomez

"She was a warrior and inspired us all. She taught us how to be brave in the face of fear, and how to start a new life, even when the end was in sight.

I was inspired by #shannendoherty when we met while I was still hosting @thetalkcbs. She had a peace in her eyes that I admired. She never gave up living or fighting for her life, even though you could see she had come to terms with her own mortality. The courage it takes to be able to see your own ending while living your life with passion and your warrior spirit front and center is not easy… I wish her eternal peace, that she rests easy now, knowing she inspired so many of us.

Rest in Peace. #ripshannendoherty Thank you for your courage and for sharing that strength with us all. @theshando" - Carrie Ann Inaba

"Very sad about the passing of Shannen Doherty. She was an extremely cool gal and a force. Really enjoyed getting to work together. She was a total pro. And, in our conversations, I always felt the fighter she was and showed herself to be in the years after. Very admirably so.

I hadn’t seen her in a handful of years, but, when we ran into each other last, we reflected on the unique adventure we had filming in New Zealand. We shot there for over a month on a film called Kiss Me Deadly. It was the first gay spy film, and we had a great time doing it. (I also remember, as a big Indiana Jones fan, geeking out that we were working with John Rhys Davies. I can’t recall now whether it was as impactful for Shannen. :))

There were plenty of fun facts and moments, but my one of my favorites was discovering her secret passion for World of Warcraft. (It’s been mentioned out there in the world at this point.) It was a hugely popular online interactive role-play game at the time. I remember being impressed that she brought her separate gaming computer all the way to NZ to play it. She was leading a mission with a team of folks from around the world who had no idea that it was actually @theshando leading them because she was using her online handle. Although she said she suspected that some might be cluing in. Among her many other qualities, it was a unique, fun, and little known aspect that I found really endearing. (Especially as a fellow fantasy fiction and role play gaming aficionado.)

Rest in peace, Shannen. And thank you for sharing your journey so openly with the world. You made it better for doing so." - Robert Gant

#shannen doherty #rest in peace

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