Remembering Shannen Doherty, the Quintessential Gen X Girl

by

I’ve always been intrigued by Shannen Doherty‘s tumultuous yet captivating journey through Hollywood. Her life story is a rollercoaster ride of fame, controversy, love, and tragedy.

Shannen Doherty embodied the essence of growing up female during the ’90s. Similar to her renowned “Beverly Hills, 90210” character, Brenda Walsh, she encapsulated the complex emotions typical of Gen X women – a blend of angst, vulnerability, and feminist spirit. With her fair-skinned, dark tresses, Doherty stood out as a passionate, intense figure amidst the sun-kissed, blonde “valley girls.” She embraced her role as an assertive young woman, expressing anger and individuality long before Courtney Love and Elizabeth Wurtzel popularized it. Her unique persona may not have appealed to everyone, but that added to her allure.

As a movie lover, I’ve always been a fan of Shannen Doherty’s acting skills. However, her journey in Hollywood wasn’t always kind to her. Sadly, she passed away on July 13, at the age of 53, after a long battle with breast cancer.

At the age of 21, Doherty shared with TIME in 1998, she was on a journey of self-discovery and growing up. She didn’t deliberately plan to keep a low profile and hide at home. Instead, she embraced her youthfulness, relishing college life and social experiences. Looking back now, Doherty realizes that she may have been an unwittingly attractive target for media scrutiny. With the wisdom of more years behind her, it’s also apparent that the media’s treatment of a young woman navigating her way through public life under the glare of paparazzi was overly harsh.

Although Aaron Spelling and Darren Star tried to replace Brenda with other brunette actresses, none could match Doherty’s impact on “90210.” The show’s teenage characters initially embodied outdated teen movie archetypes: Brandon was the all-American golden boy, Kelly the queen bee, Steve the fratty guy, Donna the sweetheart, and David the annoying younger brother. Luke Perry’s bad boy character, with his motorcycle, was a modern take on James Dean with a trust fund. Doherty was the first to breathe authenticity and contemporary depth into her Midwestern transplant role.

With Doherty’s intense passion burning inside her, Brenda transformed into a complex teenager – a sulky rebel, yet an ardent romantic who expressed her profound emotions through her devotion to theater. Her facial expressions – a self-satisfied smirk, piercing glare, and playful grin – encapsulated the rollercoaster ride of adolescence in a way that no words could fully convey. In the early ’90s, following a decade marked by a significant conservative reaction to feminist progress, America began to resonate with the fury of a new wave of women. Shortly after the debut of “90210,” female-led punk bands like L7, Bikini Kill, and Hole took center stage in the music scene – and Doherty’s portrayal seemed not only captivating but also visionary.

In one of “Beverly Hills, 90210″‘s most iconic storylines, Brenda (played by Shannen Doherty) didn’t let girl-power hold her back from competing against Kelly (Jennie Garth, reportedly a major rival of Doherty off-screen) for Dylan’s affections. Their relationship became particularly notable when she lost her virginity to him at the end of Season 1, sparking controversy among local broadcasters due to its portrayal of teenage sex without consequences. Reflecting on their connection during a 2008 interview with the New York Times, Doherty shared that while it could be complicated and sometimes unhealthy, there was love between them. The experience served as a humorous, yet human reminder for her of trying too hard to become who one thinks their partner desires, rather than being true to oneself. As she reflected on her four decades in Hollywood, Doherty came to the same realization: be yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin.

Doherty was born on April 12, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee. Raised near the Mason-Dixon line, she was influenced by the Southern Baptist values instilled in her by her mother Rosa’s side of the family. When she was six years old, her family moved from Memphis to Los Angeles due to her father Tom’s business venture. Though their financial situation varied during her childhood, Doherty discovered her acting ability through a church production of Snow White. In 1982, she landed the role of Jenny Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie.” According to an interview with People magazine in 1992, this show significantly impacted her life. Michael Landon, its executive producer and star, imparted valuable advice: “Always stand up for yourself. Never let anyone trample over you.”

In the late 1980s, Doherty had grown into the popular teen culture of the time, earning Young Artist Award nominations for her appearances in lesser-known shows such as “Our House,” and acting alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt in the lighthearted movie “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” The public first witnessed her sassy demeanor in the 1989 black comedy “Heathers,” where she portrayed one of three similarly named popular girls who ruled their high school with meticulously manicured hands. A darkly humorous funeral scene shows Doherty’s character, Heather Duke, dressed in a large hat and opera gloves, smiling serenely as she expresses gratitude to Jesus for the demise of her friend.

After the year 1990, her professional life was significantly shaped by “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Love it or hate it, this role led to a wave of criticism against her character, Brenda, with publications producing anti-fan zines and punk songs expressing disdain. Consequently, Doherty acquired a reputation as a challenging actress, which followed her throughout her career. However, she found enjoyment in portraying contrasting characters in independent films following her departure from the show. In “Mallrats,” Doherty brilliantly brought to life an aggrieved girlfriend, while her humorous cameo in “Nowhere” as a day-glo ditzy character left audiences in stitches.

Controversy accompanied Doherty to “Charmed” on the WB, a lighthearted supernatural series produced by Spelling for which she starred as the oldest of three ridiculously attractive witch sisters for three seasons from 1998. However, rumors of disagreements with fellow actress Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s character being written off the show. Rose McGowan later joined the cast to take over the role.

After that incident, Doherty’s presence in the limelight fluctuated. She made brief appearances on Fox soap “North Shore” in 2004 and hosted Oxygen’s reality show “Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty” two years later, where she assisted singles in ending their relationships. In 2008, the Beverly Hills franchise reached out to her again with a CW reboot called “90210.” Doherty consented and took on the role of Brenda, who had become a renowned stage actor. She spoke to the “Times” in 2008 about her reluctance to make Brenda seem stuck in high school or unchanged: “I didn’t want it to appear that she was still trapped in high school with the same attitude. I checked with the producers to ensure their new vision for Brenda allowed her character to grow.” Doherty added, “Although I don’t believe Brenda was malicious, she responded to situations as an adolescent would.”

After short-lived marriages to Ashley Hamilton and Rick Salomon in 1993 and 2002 respectively, Shannen Doherty found lasting love with photographer Kurt Iswarienko in 2011. Their wedding preparations were documented on the WE tv reality show “Shannen Says.” However, misfortune struck in 2015 when Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following a brief remission, she disclosed on “Good Morning America” in February 2020 that her cancer had returned and she’d been dealing with a stage 4 diagnosis for a year. In an emotional interview, she shared, “I haven’t fully processed it yet. It’s a hard pill to swallow. There are days when I ask myself, ‘Why me?’ But then I think, ‘Well, why not me? Who else?'” Despite her struggles, Doherty remained resilient that fall and opened up about her life with remarkable honesty in an Elle magazine profile. After introspection, she concluded, “I’ve come to realize that I have good karma. It may not seem like it, but I’ve been a good person.”

In 2019’s self-referential “BH90210” on Fox, Doherty had the chance to portray Brenda Walsh once more and poke fun at herself. The show featured the original cast playing over-the-top versions of themselves in storylines inspired by real events. On “Entertainment Tonight,” Doherty shared her reason for joining the production: as a tribute to Luke Perry, who tragically passed away due to a stroke earlier that year. She reflected, “I had sworn I wouldn’t reprise Brenda again, but here I am doing it for the second time. I guess I can no longer promise never to do something again.” As Perry’s on-set family, she felt compelled to reunite with her castmates to honor him.

The thought that both actors would die young is sadly dramatic, a product of the character from whom Doherty’s identity was deeply intertwined. It’s somewhat comforting to recall them at their most passionate, as defiant teenagers with endless possibilities before them.

Read More

2024-07-17 13:03