Shannen Doherty, ‘Beverly Hills, 90210', 'Charmed' actress dies
FILE - Shannen Doherty arrives at the FOX Summer TCA 2019 All-Star Party at Fox Studios on August 7, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Shannen Doherty, famous for roles in "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed," has died after living for years with cancer, People Magazine first reported Sunday.
Doherty died Saturday at the age of 53, her longtime publicist reportedly told the magazine in an exclusive statement.
"The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie," the statement also said.
Shannen Doherty cancer
In February 2020, Shannen Doherty revealed she was battling a recurrence of breast cancer that had progressed to stage four, telling fans "it’s a bitter pill to swallow."
"I definitely have days where I say, ‘Why me?’ And then I go, ‘Well, why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this?’ None of us do," Doherty said. "I don’t think I’ve processed it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways."
The actress first revealed she had breast cancer in 2015 and charted her battle with the disease and its remission on social media.
RELATED: Shannen Doherty reveals stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis: 'It’s a bitter pill to swallow'
Shannen Doherty career
Doherty was born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 7 years old. At the age of 10, she made her professional television debut on "Father Murphy," leading to her role on "Little House on the Prairie." Her big break came and popularity soared when she starred in "Beverly Hills 90210."
Doherty's first major movie role was in "Heathers," released in 1989.
Doherty gained a "bad girls" reputation in the ‘90s and was often described as being difficult to work with in some Hollywood circles. In 2010, she told Parade that she wanted to change her image.
"I have a rep. Did I earn it? Yeah, I did. But, after a while you sort of try to shed that rep because you’re kind of a different person. You’ve evolved and all of the bad things you’ve done in your life have brought you to a much better place," she told the outlet.
Through the years, the star showcased her philanthropic side as an animal rights activist and by taking part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Shannen Doherty husband
Doherty had short-lived marriages to both actor Ashley Hamilton from 1993 to 1994 and Rick Salomon from 2002 to 2003.
She was in the middle of a divorce with photographer Kurt Iswarienko, who she said she found out was having an affair just before she had to have brain surgery last year.
"I went into that surgery early in the morning and I went in after I found out that my marriage was essentially over, that my husband had been carrying on an affair for two years," she said on the debut episode of her podcast "Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty." "To not go in that surgery, even though, being very clear, he wanted to go, I couldn't go into that surgery with him there. I felt so betrayed."
This story was reported from Los Angeles. FOX News Digital contributed.