Jason Priestly from Nashville on the death of his “90210” colleague Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty, known for her roles in the 80s cult classic “Heathers” and the incredibly popular television series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” died on Saturday after a nine-year battle with breast cancer. She was 53 years old.
Doherty rose to fame in 1990 as the youthful and courageous Brenda Walsh in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” alongside Jason Priestley, who played her twin brother Brandon, and moved to Nashville with his family in 2021. The siblings navigated the unfamiliar terrain of a new city and a new high school after moving from Minnesota to sunny Beverly Hills.
“I am shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Shannen. She was a force of nature and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family during this dark time,” Priestley said in an Instagram post.
Doherty is the second cast member of “Beverly Hills, 90210” to die, after Luke Perry died of a stroke in 2019. Perry’s character Dylan and Brenda sparked a budding and controversial romance on-screen, and although the two split later in the series, Perry and Doherty’s relationship remained close off-screen.
Perry’s daughter, Sophie Perry, highlighted the co-stars’ friendship following Doherty’s death in her Instagram story, which was captioned with a white heart.
Not only did the two stars share the same infamous 90210 zip code, but they both resided in Tennessee. Perry lived quietly in Middle Tennessee, occasionally appearing at Titans games and charity galas. According to his death certificate, he was buried at a funeral home near Nashville. Doherty spoke openly about packing up her Memphis possessions and abandoning them before her death.
More: Memories of Luke Perry’s life as a part-time resident in Tennessee
More: Luke Perry buried near his home in Tennessee, according to death certificate
The ’90s drama series was a huge hit, and with that success came a wave of criticism and gossip about the cast, with the characters – and by extension the actors – often pitted against each other. At the start of the series, Kelly Taylor, played by Jennie Garth, was the unlikable character, but that opinion changed and Brenda became the girl that audiences hated. This perception carried over to Doherty, who was labelled a diva and reported animosity between the two leading ladies.
Garth paid tribute to her former co-star in an Instagram post and spoke about their real relationship.
“I am still processing my tremendous grief over the loss of my longtime friend Shannen, the woman I often described as one of the strongest people I have ever known,” Garth said in the caption. “Our connection was real and honest. We were pitted against each other so many times, but none of it reflected the truth of our genuine respect and admiration.”
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