Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling mourn ‘courageous’ Shannen Doherty after her death: ‘Tremendous grief’
Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling paid tribute to their “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-star Shannen Doherty after her death at age 53.
The actresses both took to Instagram on Sunday to honor Doherty, who passed away Saturday after a years-long battle with breast cancer.
Garth, 52, posted two throwback photos of her and Doherty on the Fox teen drama show, where they played Kelly Taylor and Brenda Walsh, respectively. She also included a heartfelt message about their relationship.
“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,” Garth wrote.
“Our connection was real and honest,” she continued. “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,” Garth added. “My heart breaks for her family and Bowie and all the people who loved her.”
Spelling, 51, honored Doherty on her Instagram Story with a selfie of the pair and four and a half rows of broken-heart emojis.
“I don’t have outward words yet, but WE knew and that’s what matters,” she wrote on the photo.
Spelling shared a longer Instagram tribute to Doherty with photos of the pair from over the years.
“F–k 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,” she began her tribute. “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, roomates 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.”
Spelling continued: “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 f–ks 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.
,” she concluded her post.
Spelling played Donna Martin on the 1990s series, which was co-created and executive produced by her late father, Aaron Spelling.
Other “90210” cast members, including Jason Priestley, Brian Austin Green, Gabrielle Carteris and Carol Potter, also shared tributes to Doherty on social media.
Doherty was on the first four seasons of “Beverly Hills, 90210” before her character was written off the show.
In 2015, Spelling admitted that she played a big part in Doherty losing her job. She claimed in the Lifetime special, “Tori Spelling: Celebrity Lie Detector,” that she told her dad Doherty and Garth weren’t getting along to the point they almost had a physical fight.
“I felt like I was a part of something, a movement, that cost someone their livelihood,” Spelling said. “Was she a horrible person? No. She was one of the best friends I ever had.”
Doherty and Garth didn’t always get along when they worked together on the show. In Garth’s 2014 memoir, “Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde,” she said about Doherty: “There were times when we loved each other and there were times when we wanted to claw each other’s eyes out.”
However, the pair managed to reconcile and form a close bond years after the show ended.
“I see her at conventions, and we talk and, you know, we laugh,” Doherty said about Garth on her podcast, “Let’s Be Clear,” in May.
“I mean, those conventions, we work really hard, but we’re all good . . . Jennie and I were young, and there are things that perhaps I would have done different back then, way back then, but I don’t really particularly hold any grudges against anyone from that show.”
“I just think that we all were experiencing something for the very first time,” Doherty continued. “And when you are experiencing something for the first time, you have to give an allowance for mistakes and sometimes poor judgment on my part, maybe on theirs.”
Sadly, Doherty is not the first “Beverly Hills, 90210” actor to pass away.
Her on-screen love interest, Dylan McKay, played by Luke Perry, died from a stroke in 2019. He was 52.
Jed Allan (Steve Sanders’ father, Rush), Denise Dowse (high school guidance counselor Mrs. Yvonne Teasley), Joe E. Tata (Peach Pit owner Nat Bussichio) and David Gail (Brenda’s fiancé, Stuart Carson) have also died.
