Nashville's Jason Priestley reflects on the death of '90210' co-star Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty, known for her roles in the '80s cult classic “Heathers” and incredibly popular television shows “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” died on Saturday after a nine-year fight against breast cancer. She was 53 years old.

Doherty exploded to fame in 1990 as the youthful and fierce Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” opposite Jason Priestley, who played her twin brother Brandon and moved to Nashville with his family in 2021. The siblings navigated the unknown territory of a new city and high school after moving from Minnesota to sunny Beverly Hills.

“Shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Shannen. She was a force of nature, and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family in this dark time,” said Priestley in an Instagram post.

Doherty is the second cast member of “Beverly Hills, 90210” to die, after Luke Perry died in 2019 from a stroke. Perry’s character Dylan and Brenda sparked a budding and controversial romance on screen, and even though the two later broke up in the series, Perry and Doherty’s relationship remained close off screen.

Perry’s daughter, Sophie Perry, spotlighted the co-stars’ friendship on her Instagram story following Doherty’s death, captioned with a white heart.

Along with sharing the infamous 90210 zip code, the stars both resided in Tennessee. Perry quietly lived in Middle Tennessee, occasionally appearing at Titans games and charity galas. He was laid to rest at a funeral home in the Nashville area, according to his death certificate. Doherty openly talked about packing up her Memphis property and letting it go prior to her death.

More: Remembering Luke Perry's life as a part-time Tennessee resident

More: Luke Perry laid to rest near Tennessee home, according to death certificate

The '90s drama series was a massive hit and with that success came a wave of criticism and gossip about the cast, often pitting characters — and by extension the actors — 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 audiences hated on. This perception was reflected onto Doherty, with her labeled as a diva and reports of animosity between the two leading ladies.

Garth paid tribute to her former co-star in an Instagram post, addressing their true 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,” said Garth in the caption. “Our connection was real and honest. We were so often pitted against each other but none of that reflected the truth of our real respect and admiration."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Jason Priestley on death of '90210' co-star Shannen Doherty