Thought I’d Be the First to Go': Shannen Doherty Gets Emotional Remembering Beverly Hills, 90210 Cast Luke Perry

Shannen Doherty breaks down remembering Beverly Hills 90210 co-star Luke Perry's death, saying "It's still hard to grasp...I should be the one gone." They shared a special bond since early days on teen drama.

Published on Feb 05, 2024  |  12:37 PM IST |  171.7K
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Shannen Doherty & Luke Perry ( Getty Images )

Shannen Doherty recently experienced intense emotion as she thought of her co-star Luke Perry from Beverly Hills, 90210, who died unexpectedly in 2019 at the age of 52 following a severe stroke. When Doherty appeared at Florida's MegaCon conference, she revealed that she is still suffering the loss of her buddy. Doherty co-starred with Perry as Brenda Walsh in the renowned teen drama of the 1990s.

When Doherty was questioned about Perry at a panel discussion at MegaCon, she broke down in tears, according to a People.com report. Doherty fought back tears as she remarked, "It's still something that is so hard to grasp." "I should be the one gone." Doherty revealed that she and Perry had stayed close friends ever since their early 1990s "very special relationship" when filming Beverly Hills, 90210 together. She described Perry as "a big part of my life and my growth." "He knew me from such a young age and we had such a bond because we were the new kids on the block."

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Doherty's fond memories of Perry on set

Doherty recalled some happy times she spent with Perry on the Beverly Hills, 90210 set. Doherty described how Perry would frequently watch out for her and assist her in adjusting to coping with celebrity at such a young age in an interview with ABC News. "He was simply such a shining example. He was someone who truly looked after me," the woman remarked. "He looked after me and helped guide me through those crazy years." Perry was Doherty's "first crush" when she initially joined the programme as a teenager, she also said to NDTV. "He was a really nice guy. Fantastic man," she exclaimed.

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Shannen Doherty & Luke Perry ( Getty Images )

When talking about Perry, Doherty's genuine sadness and tears made it evident how much his loss still hurts her years later. She cried as she added, "It's still hard to grasp because I thought he'd outlive us all," during MegaCon. "He was in good health. He had athletic ability. He had strength." Doherty said to USA Today that she didn't think Perry had died when she initially received the news. "I just thought, no, there's no way, because I had just recently talked to him," she continued. "I was in such denial."

Co-stars and fans continue to mourn Perry

Doherty is not the only one who has been grieving for Perry for years after his death. Numerous of his former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-stars have also revealed how his passing has affected them to this day. The show's Brandon Walsh, Jason Priestley, stated in an interview with People magazine on the third anniversary of Perry's passing that Perry "left us far too soon." Steve Sanders' actor Ian Ziering claimed that Perry was "taken from us way too early." With the hashtag #RIPLukePerry, fans who grew up watching Perry as Dylan McKay on the classic teen drama have continued to send their respects on social media.

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According to an IMDB article, Perry's co-stars from Beverly Hills, 90210, were among the first to post condolences on social media following his passing. "Heartbroken" by the news, Gabrielle Carteris, who played Andrea Zuckerman, tweeted. The actress who portrayed Donna Martin, Tori Spelling, said of Perry, "the absolute best." The abrupt demise stunned even those who had collaborated with Perry in more recent years on television programmes like Riverdale. Co-star of Riverdale with Perry, Madelaine Petsch, expressed her grief over his passing on Instagram, saying she was "beyond heartbroken".

Doherty receives standing ovation for her role as Brenda

Not long after receiving a standing ovation for her portrayal of Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210, Doherty made an emotional visit at MegaCon. Doherty wiped away tears as fans cheered her for more than a minute, according to an ABC News piece. Doherty told the crowd, "It's really special because a lot of the fans that were there, they grew up with me." "I was their age when we were doing the show." She continued by thanking the supporters for their decades-long support. "You have no idea what it means to me to have you still embrace me and the character and the show after 30 years," she stated.

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Shannen Doherty ( Getty Images )

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Not long after receiving a standing ovation for her portrayal of Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210, Doherty made an emotional visit at MegaCon. Doherty wiped away tears as fans cheered her for more than a minute. Doherty told the crowd, "It's really special because a lot of the fans that were there, they grew up with me." "I was their age when we were doing the show." She continued by thanking the supporters for their decades-long support. "You have no idea what it means to me to have you still embrace me and the character and the show after 30 years," she stated.

Shannen Doherty has demonstrated via recent interviews and appearances that she is still deeply affected by the death of her friend and co-star Luke Perry, who passed away more than three years ago. She was sobbing and displaying genuine emotion when talking about Perry, which is evidence of their strong friendship from their time spent together in Beverly Hills, 90210. Even though Perry is no longer with us, it's evident that his legacy endures thanks to Doherty and the innumerable admirers he inspired and touched throughout the years with his legendary roles. Even though Doherty obviously still misses her buddy terribly, she gets some comfort in the knowledge that Perry is still adored.

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