Shannen Doherty's Personal Struggles Created Problems On Set Of 90210

Shannen Doherty rose to fame for her portrayal of Brenda Walsh on the iconic television series "Beverly Hills, 90210." She joined the cast in 1990 when the show debuted and quickly became a prominent figure in 90s pop culture. Doherty's character, Brenda, was known for her strong-willed personality and dramatic storylines, contributing significantly to the show's popularity. However, her time on "90210" was marked by reported conflicts with the cast and crew, leading to her departure in 1994, and it seems her personal life may have played a significant part in this. 

While she did go on to achieve other well-known roles, such as Prue Halliwell in "Charmed," the way she left "90210" still seems to bother Doherty, because she admittedly allowed her personal struggles to interfere with her work life. In the years since, she has taken responsibility for the fallout, though she does have regrets. 

Throughout her colorful dating history, Shannen Doherty married her first husband, actor and comedian Ashley Hamilton, when she was still in her early twenties. The pair tied the knot in October 1993 after just three weeks of dating. Unfortunately, things were doomed from the beginning. She has accused Hamilton of being violent, while he also alleged she once pulled a gun on him. Hamilton struggled with drug addiction during this time, only making their home life worse, which would ultimately spill over into her work on "90210."

Doherty opened up about how the troubled relationship impacted her job with fellow "Beverly Hills 90210" costar Jason Priestley during a January 2024 episode of her "Let's Be Clear With Shannen Doherty" podcast. "I was in a really horrible marriage, and there were things that were transpiring in that marriage that made it really hard for me to be on time for work," Doherty admitted to Priestley [via People]. It seems the stress of her marriage boiled over when she nearly had a physical fight with "90210" costar Jennie Garth during their time on the show. Thankfully, the ladies didn't come to blows, but her conflict in the series didn't stop there.

Shannen Doherty and Ashley Hamilton's marriage only lasted several months, ending in divorce by April 1994. Before their split, "90210" decided they'd had enough of Doherty's drama, and it looks like costar Tori Spelling helped orchestrate this decision. After Doherty's altercation with Jennie Garth, Spelling notified her father, "90210" producer Aaron Spelling, of the incident. When speaking with Us Weekly in 2015, Spelling expressed regret for helping get Doherty fired from "90210," explaining, "I felt like I was a part of something, a movement, that cost someone their livelihood. Was she a horrible person? No. She was one of the best friends I ever had." Still, Spelling felt that she made the right decision for the sake of the workplace.

Doherty acknowledges the chaos she caused, but on the January 2024 episode of "Let's Be Clear With Shannen Doherty," she expressed a desire for more grace, considering her situation, explaining, "I sort of wish I had been sat down, and sort of looked at and said, 'Listen, the end result is going to be this. The end result is you are going to get fired because none of us are willing to put up with it anymore. And I understand that you have an issue in your personal life, but that also can't bleed into work, you also have to get your sh** together!'" [via People]. Thankfully, the "90210" drama didn't end Doherty's career for good.