Little-Known Facts About Shannen Doherty

When thinking about Shannen Doherty, some facts come instantly to mind: first and foremost, her portrayals of Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210" and Prue Halliwell on "Charmed." Many people are also aware that Doherty started acting as a child and appeared in numerous episodes of "Little House on the Prairie." In addition, after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, Doherty was forthcoming about her experiences with the disease. For seven months before she died in July 2024, Doherty took her efforts even further, conveying honesty and supportive information in her "Let's Be Clear" podcast.

However, despite her candid demeanor, Doherty frequently felt people didn't see her true nature. "I have felt misunderstood my whole life," she admitted to People in 2019. For instance, while Doherty portrayed herself as brave and brash in her memoir, "Badass," she also had a more vulnerable side. Although it's unthinkable to imagine another actor as Brenda on "90210," Doherty thought she didn't have a chance at being cast. "My audition was horrible. I actually remember walking out and saying: 'I lost that job. I blew it,'" she recalled to The New York Times in 2008.

Beyond her working life, Doherty had multiple hobbies and pursuits that didn't get a lot of coverage, including flying, cooking, and caring for horses. Take a look at these lesser-known aspects of her life. 

In 2010, during promotions for her memoir, "Badass," Shannon Doherty revealed that she was in the process of obtaining her pilot's license. In an interview with Perez Hilton that same year, Doherty revealed that she was inspired by her pilot boyfriend. On one pivotal flight, he was flying when they encountered significant turbulence. "I thought that we were gonna die, the plane was gonna tip over, it was rocking," Doherty recalled. Besides feeling her own terror, Doherty noticed how frightened her boyfriend looked while he continued to pilot the small aircraft. She was worried something might happen to him, and she had an epiphany. "I decided to learn how to fly so that if God forbid something happened to him while we were flying, have a heart attack, passed out ... at least I could land and possibly get him to the hospital in time."

In her memoir, Doherty mentioned that a pilot's license was an perfect way to help her pursue her enthusiasm for traveling. However, it's not clear if she completed the requirements to obtain this credential.

Doherty's desire to fly is also a case of life imitating art. In the mid-1980s, she starred on the TV series "Our House." Her character, Chris Witherspoon, is the daughter of a pilot. After Chris' father dies and she moves in with her grandfather, played by Wilford Brimley, he supports her career aspirations of becoming a military test pilot.

Shannen Doherty had a close relationship with her father, and he catalyzed her love of the culinary arts. From a young age, she assisted her dad with recipes while he explained various techniques. "He was an amazing cook," Doherty reminisced on her podcast "Let's Be Clear." "I always sort of romanticized cooking. I thought that it was just this beautiful experience that you did with someone that you loved." Doherty's mom also contributed to her love of food, and her country fried steak recipe held a special place in the actor's heart.

In her memoir, Doherty featured some of her go-to recipes, including specialties of her family. A decade later, in 2020, Doherty increased her nutritional knowledge by studying with Chef Oren Zroya in a series of online videos. That same year, Doherty partnered with her good friend and fellow actor Sarah Michelle Gellar for a light-hearted video where they cooked a Thanksgiving meal. As they worked in the kitchen, Doherty shared a sweet story about how her father persuaded her to eat carrots. "He would tell me that it was a magic carrot and that it was gonna help me grow and see better," she explained.

Even when she wasn't making a video, Doherty was known for the meals she made for friends. "She was an incredible, incredible chef," Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, Doherty's oncologist, informed People. The physician noted that Doherty was particularly known for her Italian cuisine.

In 2017, Shannen Doherty posted a vintage photo of herself as a kid, feeding a carrot to a horse and laughing delightedly. "Some things never change," Doherty wrote on Facebook. "Animals have always brought me great joy."

Doherty's affinity for horses began when she was a teen. In order to secure an acting role, Doherty falsely claimed she could ride a horse and even jump. Once she was hired, she quickly worked to actually acquire these skills. Decades later, Doherty fondly recalled Joey, the first horse she learned to ride. "That horse became my best friend. I loved grooming him," she recalled on Instagram in March 2024. The actor owned multiple horses during her life, and she had an especially strong connection with her horse Picasso. After many years together, Doherty was devastated when Picasso died suddenly in 2019 from a ruptured intestine.

Even while dealing with her own health difficulties, Doherty made time to advocate on behalf of horses, working with organizations like Horses in Our Hands and Believe Ranch and Rescue. She helped save the lives of two horses, one of whom needed treatment for cancer,  and she also championed the rights of wild horses. In April 2024, PETA acknowledged Doherty's efforts with a namesake horse in a press release. "PETA is celebrating her birthday and her huge heart for animals by honoring her dream and giving this horse a chance at a happy and healthy life," explained PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange.