Shannen Doherty, Star of Beloved Fantasy Series Charmed, Dies at 53

Shannen Doherty, 53, likely best known to sci-fi and fantasy fans for her turn on breakout 1998 hit series Charmed, has died of breast cancer. The actress was first diagnosed with breast cancer a decade ago in 2015.

Doherty starred in the hit drama Charmed as oldest sister Prue Halliwell for the first three seasons, before departing the series. The show followed a trio of sisters (Doherty’s Prue, Holly Marie Combs’ Piper, and Alyssa Milano’s Phoebe) as they discover they are witches and do battle with all forms of monsters and evil. After Milano departed the series, her place in the trio was replaced by Rose McGowan, who played half-sister Paige.

Charmed ran from 1998-2006.

"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," Milano said in a statement to PEOPLE. "She was a talented actress, beloved by many and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her."

For More on Charmed:
Shannen Doherty Reveals Why She Turned Down Invite to Return For Charmed Series Finale
Alyssa Milano feels 'some guilt' about friction with Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty
Why Was the Original Charmed Series Canceled?

Before joining Charmed, Doherty became a household name thanks to her role in Beverly Hills, 90210 as Brenda Walsh. She also had a memorable role in the 1998 comedy thriller Heathers, alongside Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. SYFY fans might also remember Doherty for her stint hosting the horror comedy hidden camera series Scare Tactics in 2012. Doherty hosted the first season and a half of the series.

While speaking about her cancer diagnosis to PEOPLE Magazine in 2023, Doherty said she wanted to make the most of the time she had left — however long that might be.

“My greatest memory is yet to come. I pray. I wake up and go to bed thanking God, praying for the things that matter to me without asking for too much. It connects me to a higher power and spirituality. My faith is my mantra,” she said at the time. “I know it sounds cheesy and crazy, but you’re just more aware of everything, and you feel so blessed. We’re the people who want to work the most, because we’re just so grateful for every second, every hour, every day we get to be here.”

Charmed Stars Pay Respects to Shannen Doherty

If you want to revisit Doherty’s run on Charmed, the entire series is streaming now on Peacock.