Shannen Doherty's Mom Rosa Speaks Out After Actress' Death
Mama Rosa wants to keep Shannen Doherty’s legacy alive.
One month after the Beverly Hills, 90210 actress’ death, her mother Rosa Doherty has spoken out thanking fans for their outpouring of love and support and sharing her plans to continue her daughter’s work.
“I am going to be doing my best to try to continue this for her because that’s what we discussed she wanted me to do,” Mama Rosa shared on Shannen’s podcast, Let’s Be Clear Aug. 14. “Of course, I’m not her. I could never be her. I’m not as well-spoken as she was, but I’m here for all of you.”
The podcast holds a special place in Mama Rosa’s heart as she previously appeared as a guest and got to watch the positive impact it had on her daughter amid her painful stage 4 breast cancer battle.
“It meant so much to me because I got to watch her do this when it was so special for her,” Rosa noted. “And helped her so much through everything she was going through.”
Rosa, who was joined by Shannen’s friend, Anne Marie Kortright, also detailed encountering fans on the street in the wake of her daughter’s death. She said that she’s happy to see so much love directed at Shannen, but has one caveat when meeting people.
“I say, ‘You can hug me, but you cannot cry,’” Rosa noted. “’Just don’t cry because if you cry, I’ll start crying and I can’t stop.’”
It is important to Mama Rosa to continue what her daughter started.
“Her legacy will be the love that she gave to everybody that she knew and the love that she gave to people that she didn’t know,” she added. “I really want to keep up with you guys and you guys to keep up with us and know what’s going on and continue the love that Shannen had.”
Shannen, who was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and went into remission in 2017, spoke in 2020 about her cancer’s return.
The Memphis native—who filed for divorce from Kurt Iswarienko in April 2023 after 11 years of marriage—noted at the time, "I would say that my first reaction is always concern about how am I going to tell my mom, my husband."
In addition to having Mama Rosa as a frequent guest on her podcast, Shannen also shared her love for her mom online.
“Happy birthday to the best mom in the world,” Shannen captioned a December 2023 selfie. “I love you to the moon and back times infinity.”
For more messages of love dedicated to Shannen from her friends and family, read on.
“How do you possibly find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship?” the Buffy the Vampire Slayer wrote on Instagram July 15. “I keep reminding myself it only hurts this much because, there was so much love. Thank you, for all your kind words and support. I love all the messages about how @theshando was important to you. So let’s honor her.”
"I am still processing my tremendous grief over the loss of my long time friend Shannen, the woman I have often described as one of the strongest people I have ever known," the actress, who played Kelly Taylor, frenemy of Shannen's Brenda Walsh, on 90210, wrote on Instagram. "Our connection was real and honest. We were so often pitted against each other but none of that reflected the truth of our real relationship which was one built on mutual respect and admiration."
Shannen, she said, "was courageous, passionate, determined and very loving and generous."
"I will miss her and will always honor her deeply in my heart and in my memories," Jennie continued. "My heart breaks for her family and Bowie [Shannen's dog] and all the people who loved her.
"I don't have outwards words yet.," Tori wrote on her Instagram Stories, alongside a selfie of herself and Shannen and several broken heart emojis, "but WE knew and that's what matters."
“Shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Shannen,” the actor, who played Brandon Walsh, the twin brother of the actress' character Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210, expressed on Instagram. “She was a force of nature and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family in this dark time.”
"Shan. My sister," the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum wrote on his Instagram Stories. "You loved me through everything. You were a big part of my understanding of love. I'll miss you more than I know how to process right now. Thank you for the gift of you."
“So young – so sad,” the Beverly Hills, 90210 and former SAG-AFTRA president wrote on Instagram. “May you RIP Shannon. I know Luke is there with open arms to love you."
The actress-turned-therapist, who played Cindy Walsh, the mother of Shannen and Jason Priestley's twin characters Brenda and Brandon, wrote on Instagram she was "shocked and saddened" by news of her onscreen daughter's death.
"What a journey she has been on!" she wrote. "Gone too soon. Throughout, she stayed true to herself and gave us an example of courage and perseverance in facing her own death. May she rest in peace."
"It's no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of," she said of her Charmed costar in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. "She was a talented actress, beloved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her."
"A true lion heart," the actress, who replaced Shannen on Charmed in 2001 after she left the series, wrote in a comment on the late star's final Instagram post. "What a warrior. Your daddy is holding his best girl now."
She continued, "Love to your mama, your dog and all who love you fiercely. Love to Holly [Marie Combs]. Love to all of your legions of fans that I know you loved right back. If there was anyone who looked squarely at death and said no thanks, it was you dear Shannen. My head bows to you brave one. All love forever."
"You showed me what strength is," the actor, who played Leo Wyatt on Charmed, shared on Instagram. "You taught me to be fearless and live with purpose. To know your value and stick to your determination."
"Forever loved!" he added. "Truly heartbroken."
"I am absolutely heartbroken over the passing of Shannen Doherty." the Newsroom alum wrote on her Instagram Stories July 14. "When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I remembered how she bravely let the world into her journey and reached out to her. We became instant friends- which I honestly couldn’t comprehend at times because watching her on 90210 was everything to me when I was 10."
"We bonded through a shared battle and a desire to help other women," she continued. "Looking back on the last text she sent me just a couple months ago, she asked how I was doing and if she could do anything for me… true to form, Shannen was offering her support even though she was in the final stage of fighting this horrific disease."
Olivia concluded her statement with a heartfelt message to her late friend. "Cancer is really f--king scary and Shannen faced it with such dignity, strength and grace," she expressed. "I’m sending all of my love to her mother who was her best friend, hero and champion every step of the way. Fly so high, my friend."
"Thank you for being here," the actress, who is battling multiple sclerosis, commented on Shannen's final Instagram post. "Thank you for showing us how to keep going. Rebel heart."
"Love you," the actress wrote in a comment on Shannen's last Instagram post. "Fly high lovely kind sweetheart woman. This hits hard. Your heart,courage and kindness will be so missed."
"Your bravery and ability to share your Cancer journey left something 'in' people," the Oscar winner wrote on Instagram. "Rest well. God bless your loved ones."
The actor, who guest starred on Beverly Hills, 90210 as Rick, who Shannen's character Brenda dated briefly after meeting him in Paris, wrote on X, "RIP Shannen," adding a crying emoji.
The Wicked star wrote in an Instagram comment, "Fly with the angels sweet precious soul!"
"My heart is broken," he wrote on Twitter. "It was a pleasure to meet Shannen Doherty while filming our movie Fortess a little over 2 years ago! She was full of warm energy and positive vibes. So young. So talented. May she rest well."
"RIP Shannen Doherty," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I met her during the Full House days. She was lovely and had a beautiful smile. Today, I’ll also think about the women in my life who all succumbed to cancer - my mom, my sister, Sharon and my niece, Shannon, who all were so strong and so beautiful."
Alongside an article reporting Shannen's passing, the journalist wrote on Instagram, "I'm so sad to hear this news..."
"Such sad news," the Community actress wrote on Twitter. "I was hoping she would beat the disease again."