Shannen Maria Doherty (born April 12, 1971) is an
American actress and
television director. She gained initial stardom after starring as Heather Duke in the
1989 black comedy film
Heathers. However, she is perhaps best known for her work in the
Aaron Spelling produced television series
Beverly Hills, 90210 as
Brenda Walsh and
Charmed as
Prue Halliwell. Most recently, she returned to the
Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, reprising her role of Brenda, in its third spinoff series,
90210.
Early life and career beginnings
Doherty was born in
Memphis, Tennessee,
the daughter of Rosa, a
beauty parlor owner, and Tom Doherty, a
mortgage consultant.
Doherty has
Irish Catholic ancestry, though was raised in her mother's
Southern Baptist religion. At the age of seven (in 1978) her family moved to
Los Angeles,
and she immediately announced that she wanted to be an actress.
In an interview in the December 2006 issue of
Glamour, she said:
