‘Charmed’ stars react to Shannen Doherty’s death at 53

Shannen Doherty’s Charmed Her colleagues remember her death at the age of 53.

Doherty – who played the eldest of the Halliwell sisters on the show – died on Saturday, July 13, after years of battling cancer, her longtime publicist confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE.

Following this news, stars such as Rose McGowan, Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause and Ted King paid tribute to their former co-star.

McGowan, who joined the series after Doherty’s exit at the end of season three, said the actress has “the heart of a lion” in a lengthy Instagram post she shared on Sunday.

“Passion for the craft is often mislabeled as a problem. Shannen was passion. I met her in the ’90s and was impressed. To really get to know her later in life was a beautiful gift. This woman fought for life,” continued McGowan, 50. “Shannen knew how to be a star because she had been one since she was a child. Her work ethic was inspiring to the end. Shannen’s great love for directing, acting, Holly, her friends, her parents, her dog and her beloved fans was legendary.”

“Our lives were intertwined in a unique way. We laughed at dark forces that wanted us to hate each other, instead we chose love and respect. A soft-hearted daredevil like no other. A force of energy that will live in hearts forever,” McGowan wrote, before concluding her tribute by saying, “May angels and God carry her to the sacred kingdom where she will be healthy, young and fierce forever. Rest now warrior, we will never forget you dear sister 🎭.”

In a statement to PEOPLE, Milano said: “It’s no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at her core, she was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of. She was a talented actress who was loved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her.”

As Milano noted, the actresses played sisters in Charmed alongside Holly Marie Combs had a “complicated” dynamic and recently made headlines when Combs and Doherty claimed that Milano had a hand in Doherty’s firing from the show.

Krause, who played Leo Wyatt in the WB series, shared a heartfelt post on Instagram.

“You showed me what strength is,” he wrote. “You taught me to be fearless and to live with purpose. To know your own worth and to stick to your goals. Forever loved! Truly heartbroken 😔.”

Ted King, who appeared in the first season of the series as Doherty’s lover Andy Trudeau, shared a photo of Charmedand wrote: “We have created a special television couple for eternity. My heart goes out to your family. Rest in peace Shannen, rest in peace.”

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Doherty’s publicist told PEOPLE that Doherty, who she described as a “devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend,” was “surrounded by her loved ones and her dog, Bowie” when she died. “The family requests privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace,” Sloane continued.

Her death followed a years-long battle with cancer. In November, she told PEOPLE that her terminal breast cancer had spread to her bones, but that she was “not done with life yet.”

“My best memory is yet to come,” she said at the time. “I pray. I wake up and go to bed thanking God and praying for the things that are important to me without asking for too much. It connects me to a higher power and spirituality. My faith is my mantra.”