Shannen Doherty & Luke Perry Shared A Special Connection
Sophie Perry, the daughter of the late Luke Perry, is remembering her father’s former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star, Shannen Doherty, after her death.
Shannen and Luke played love interests Brenda Walsh and Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210. Because of their characters’ close connections, they developed a special bond.
“I think it was a very real relationship in a lot of ways,” Shannen told PEOPLE in 2020. “There was also, yes, a chemistry between myself and Luke. There was a playfulness, but a true sort of caring about one another and knowing that we were a part of a couple that was going to be very iconic. And even back then we felt a certain amount of responsibility for that.”
Luke, who famously played the late bull rider Lane Frost in the movie 8 Seconds, died in 2019 after suffering a stroke. He was 52 years old.
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Luke was playing Fred Andrews on the show Riverdale when he died. The show paid tribute to him in its season four opener, “Chapter Fifty-Eight: In Memoriam.”
Shannen made a cameo appearance as a character who Fred saved from a car accident, though his heroic actions resulted in the end of his own life.
“He saved my life,” Shannen said with tears in her eyes. “If he hadn’t done what he did, there’s no way that I would be here right now. I know that.“
From there, she emotionally recited The Lord’s Prayer in Fred’s (and Luke’s) honor.
When Luke Perry died, Shannen Doherty came on his show to recite the Lord’s Prayer. She wasn’t a character there before this. It would be the last scene she did for a TV show
Rare for TV characters to respond to a death with prayer, compared with how often people do in real life pic.twitter.com/RbxKC5g6Lg
— Ryan Menezes (@MenezesCracked) July 14, 2024
Shannen Doherty Dies At Age 53 Following Years-Long Battle With Cancer
Shannen was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. The cancer went into remission in 2017, but returned two years later. Shannen continued to work and was open about her cancer battle, inspiring fans with her strength.
After a years-long fight against cancer, Shannen Doherty died on Saturday (July 13) at the age of 53. Her publicist, Leslie Sloane, shared that Shannen was with her loved ones and her dog, Bowie, at the time of her passing.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” Leslie said. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
Shannen Doherty has died after a long battle with breast cancer: https://t.co/2wXgaqZ30A pic.twitter.com/9Pwc6JkB1w
— People (@people) July 14, 2024
Luke Perry’s Daughter Posts Tribute To Shannen Doherty After Her Death
Luke Perry’s daughter, Sophie, took to Instagram to share a sentimental tribute to Shannen after her death. The 24-year-old shared a photo of her dad and Shannen on her Instagram Story.
The sweet snapshot shows Shannen and Luke smiling for the camera while he mischievously held her pearl necklace in his teeth. Sophie captioned the photo with a white heart emoji.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Shannen’s friends and loved ones during this difficult time. May she rest in peace…