Who did Shannen Doherty play in Riverdale? TV star's cameo was a tribute to close friend, Luke Perry

Well-known actress Shannen Doherty unexpectedly passed away on July 13, 2024, at the age of 53. She portrayed a stranded motorcyclist in season 4 episode 1 of Riverdale, which was a tribute to her friend and actor Luke Perry. The Heathers star was struggling with cancer for a long time which eventually led to her demise.

Shannen's death was revealed to People magazine on July 14, by her publicist Leslie Sloane. Notably, Doherty was also dealing with other health issues over the years, including Crohn's disease.

Furthermore, the Burning Palms star revealed her cancer diagnosis in 2015 and told People magazine that she was following a balanced diet.

The disease eventually began to spread and Shannen Doherty started undergoing chemotherapy. The Charmed star told Entertainment Tonight in 2016 that she was scared of what might happen next. She said:

"You know, am I going to have to go through this again, or am I going to get secondary cancer? Everything else is manageable. Pain is manageable, you know living without a breast is manageable, it's the worry of your future and how your future is going to affect the people that you love."

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Shannen Doherty's cameo appearance in Riverdale explored

As mentioned, the Memphis, Tennessee native was seen in the season 4 premiere episode of Riverdale in October 2019. Doherty once stated that Luke Perry had frequently attempted to convince her to join the show for a long time. Shannen and Luke became close friends after appearing together on Beverly Hills, 90210 during the 90s.

Perry, 52, passed away in March 2019 after suffering a stroke. Later Shannen Doherty even expressed her thoughts about being a part of the show to pay tribute to Perry, through Instagram in July of the same year. The Instagram post had two pictures featuring her with Perry and a part of the the caption stated:

"The care in which this show takes in honoring his memory is beautiful. He is missed. Today. Tomorrow. Forever."

The episode shows Doherty's character claiming that Fred Andrews (Perry's character) saved her in a car accident but lost his life while doing so. She said that Fred stopped by to help her with a flat tire and was hit by a car.

Shannen Doherty's character then recites a prayer in memory of Andrews along with his son and friends. The motorcyclist is spotted getting emotional while recalling Fred's death and says:

"If he hadn't done what he did, there's no way that I would be here right now. I know that."

Riverdale premiered back in 2017 and aired for 7 seasons until 2023. It had KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, and many others playing the lead roles.

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Shannen Doherty was active in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years

Also known as Shannen Maria Doherty, she had multiple films and TV shows under her credits. Her father John was a mortgage consultant and her mother Rosa was working as a beautician. Shannen developed an interest in acting at a young age and made her major debut in Little House on the Prairie when she was 11.

While appearing in an episode of her podcast, Let's Be Clear With Shannen Doherty in May 2023, she revealed that her first show managed to make her a popular face. She also credited her costar Michael Landon for being a mentor. She said:

"It's kind of amazing because, when I think about the long span of my career, but also how rough some jobs were – and unenjoyable to be a part of, a little bit toxic – it was really the experience on Little House that spurred that passion on for being an actor."

Shannen Doherty started by playing minor roles on television and was later cast in other famous shows. She accumulated a huge fanbase with Beverly Hills, 90210, where she played Brenda Walsh. Doherty was also seen in many films such as Fortress and Darkness of Man.