Shannen Maria Doherty (born April 12), 1971 is an American actress and television director, perhaps best known for her work as Heather Duke in Heathers, as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 and as Prue Halliwell in Charmed.
She was cast as the oldest Witherspoon sibling, Kris, on the family drama Our House, which ran from 1986 to 1988. She then went on to appear in an episode of Magnum, P.I. Doherty’s first major motion picture role was in Heathers, released in 1989. She went on to star in the Aaron Spelling-produced TV series Beverly Hills 90210 for four years, from 1990 to 1994. Her departure from the series was reportedly acrimonious, however, and her career afterward was somewhat spotty, marked for the most part by made-for-TV movies. There were a few bright spots, however, particularly a lead role in Kevin Smith’s 1995 film Mallrats.
In 1998, Spelling cast her in another TV series, Charmed, in which she played Prue Halliwell, the oldest sister of a coven of witches, along with occasionally directing some of the episodes. She left that series in 2001, after three years. Rumors persist that her departure was against her will, due to a feud with co-star Alyssa Milano. Though she had left the show long before it ended, she owns 5% of the rights to the series.[citation needed] Doherty was going to go for the role as Piper Halliwell but she got cast as Prue and her best friend at the time, Holly Marie Combs got the role as Piper. She hosted Scare Tactics on the Sci Fi channel until the 2004 season. She was a former regular on the failed TV series North Shore, a return to her prime-time soap roots.
In 2005, Doherty was cast in the new TV comedy Love Inc. but was dropped from the show just months before the debut in fall because of a personality clash with fellow cast members. Doherty now starring in her own show, Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty on the Oxygen network. In the show she goes around doing “dirty work” for members of the public, including dumping boyfriends or telling people what their friends really think about them.
She recently starred in the popular British sitcom Bo! in the USA a program of brain child Leigh Francis. In the show she plays the role of herself being randomly harassed by Avid Merrion (Francis) who claims they had several intimate relations, she however is unaware of any of these. The show aired in October 2006 on the British channel 4 where she appeared in several episodes. It has been announced that she will appear in two TV projects in 2007. First up is the gay spy pilot Kiss Me Deadly: A Jacob Keane Assigment for the here! network, and then the holiday picture Christmas Caper for ABC Family.
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