It’s 2019, Enough of the “Bitchification” of Shannen Doherty
Stop trying to make her a villain for childish reasons
With the Beverly Hills, 90210 meta-revival in the works it seems a lot of people are acting like we are actually still in the ’90s. After information came out that showrunner Patrick Sean Smith and several senior writers have quit the six-episode series, currently titled BH90210, there was a rush to blame actress Shannen Doherty for the series of departures.
Variety reported in their exclusive on the story that “The exact reason for the exodus is unclear. One source said the dispute was over interference from two of the show’s lead actresses, while another noted that the writers were unhappy with one of the executives overseeing the project.”
Now, Shannen Doherty has a reputation from her exit from two shows, the original Beverly Hills 90210 and the original Charmed. In 90210 the issue was on-set lateness, which apparently made her one of the “iconic Hollywood ‘bad girl’ of the nineties.” She also had a feud with co-star Alyssa Milan on Charmed.
Those stories are from over two decades ago, and represent present Doherty at a completely different point in her life than she is now. For the past few years, the best Charmed One has been dealing with her cancer battle and just recently lost one of her oldest friends, the former 90210 cast member, Luke Perry, who played Dylan McKay.
Shannen Doherty has been upfront about her reputation and attitude in the past. In an interview for Parade Magazine back in 2010, she owned up to it all bluntly. “I have a rep. Did I earn it? Yeah, I did. But, after a while you sort of try to shed that rep because you’re kind of a different person. You’ve evolved and all of the bad things you’ve done in your life have brought you to a much better place.”
Doherty responded to the accusations being made about her:
“Being a part of tv history is an honor but it also comes with some massive backlash. There has been many stories floating around about this show and me. One of the reasons I hesitated to say yes was for this crap. The only thing I’m a control freak over is my health. Trying to stay healthy and positive. I realized this morning, that I have a fear of doing what I love because of headlines like this. Not only because there is zero truth to it but because it lessens me and my journey, battle, experience with cancer. Why should I be scared to work? And why aren’t people held accountable for their fabricated stories? I refuse to be cast in the same villain role because “journalists” lack imagination and I certainly refuse to be cheapened as a survivor and as a woman by them. Yes, i am a strong woman. I have been thru hell and back. I am compassionate and caring. I’m multi faceted and not someone to be pigeon holed. I am a woman with my own story. Please stop trying to tell your wildly inaccurate, exaggerated story of me. I promise… you don’t know me.”
From what I’ve seen, nothing that Doherty did or experienced in the past should still be emerging now, but Hollywood’s sexism is endemic. It is exhausting that so-called”difficult” actresses are expected to carry that label for the rest of their lives even when they have clearly moved on past that place in their lives. If they can grow up, so can the media. People often go on and on about forgiving bad men for doing and saying much worse, so how about spreading some of that great forgiveness around for women.
Besides, her seasons were the best seasons of both shows.
(image: New World Pictures)
(via Variety, image: Fox, the WB/CW, Gramercy Pictures, New World Pictures)
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