Shannen Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, on April 12, 1971 to parents Tom and Rosa. Her father worked in a bank while her mother owned a beauty parlor. She has an older brother named Sean. In 1978 at the tender age of seven, she and her family moved to Los Angeles, where her father started a West Coast branch of the family transportation business. Shannen has always been close to her family, who disciplined her from a young age. She knew she wanted to pursue an acting career when she made her acting debut at age ten, with a role on the series Father Murphy.

Shannen was a confident student, involving herself in school performances and working hard in school, by making sure she always had exceptional grades. Despite her confidence, she isolated herself from large crowds and preferred to have a few close friends. She made a name for herself as a child actress at just 11-years-old, starring in Little House on the Prairie as Jenny Wilder. It was Michael Landon who noticed her performance in an episode of Father Murphy, that he decided to cast her. She then went on to appear in Our House with Deidre Hall and Wilford Brimley. She also starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt in Girls Just Want to Have Fun and then in Heathers, a teen comedy also starring Winona Ryder.

Her real success came in 1990, at the age of 19, when she was cast in Aaron Spelling's long-running hit series, Beverly Hills, 90210 as Brenda Walsh, the twin sister of Brandon Walsh, played by Jason Priestley. She attracted media attention from the press and eventually made her a household name. The success of the popular teen drama appealed to young teenage girls who could relate to her character, Brenda Walsh. After four years, she left the show in 1994. Afterward, she continued her work in movies, starring in the thriller Almost Dead and the comedy Mallrats.

During the fall of 1998, she reunited with long-time producer Aaron Spelling, when she was cast as Prue Halliwell on Charmed, a show about three ordinary women who happen to be witches. She starred alongside Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. After three years, she left the show to find work in movies. Before her departure from the show, she had directed three of the last episodes in which she starred in. She continued her work in movies by starring in Another Day, The Rendering, Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay, and View of Terror. In 2003, she hosted season one of Scare Tactics as well as season two with only 8 episodes, and then left to pursue other endeavors.

In the fall of 2004, Shannen made her return to television on Fox's drama series North Shore, where she played Alexandra Hudson, the long lost sister of Nicole Booth, played by Brooke Burns. Eventually the show was canceled after one season. Then in 2005, she landed the role of Denise Johnson on the UPN series Love, Inc., however after the pilot episode she was dropped from the sitcom. From there she has ventured into new projects and in 2006, she starred in her own reality series, Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty.
Charmed (1998): $75,000/per-episode (third season).
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990): $17,500 per episode
Couldn't reach an agreement with the producers of Beverly Hills, 90210 regarding specifics of her participation in the series finale so using edits and digital effects they removed her entirely from the next to last episode retrospective. An hour long special which included virtually every other actor in show's history. Sentenced to anger-management counseling by the Beverly Hills Municipal Court for an incident that occurred in August 1996; she got into an argument with 22 year old Corey Hanker and smashed a beer bottle on his car window as he tried to drive away from her. [12 September 1997] In her family, her father Tom, works at a bank; her mother Rosa, is the owner of a beauty parlor; she also has an older brother named Sean; born 1967. Appeared several times partially nude in Playboy magazine, one image is December 1993, others in safer sex spread in March 1994. Later posed once again on the cover of Playboy in December 2003. Was removed from the teen soap Beverly Hills, 90210 at end of 4th season (March 1994). According to producer Aaron Spelling because of constant conflicts with other cast members and repeatedly late appearances on the set. Infuriated William Friedkin when she failed to turn up for the first day of shooting for Jailbreakers in Hollywood. As it turned out, she had just returned from Italy, where she raised hell by turning up late for an interview on a television talk show. Friedkin's first reaction was to call for auditions and look at 12 other actresses to take her part. He changed his mind and decided to stick with Doherty. Family moved to Los Angeles when she was 7 years old. In 1992, Shannen was a guest on The Dennis Miller Show. She appeared on the fourth show which meant that host, Dennis Miller, was still in the process of getting used to the talk-show format. Early in the interview, she rudely asked Miller if he was nervous and went on to point out his eyebrow which was twitching nervously. This made headlines the next day and before long, Miller was routinely making an effort to lampoon her on his talk show. Offered a role in Scream 3. While on the set of Blindfold: Acts of Obsession, she met Judd Nelson and they later became engaged. Sentenced to either 10 days in jail or 20 days of work-release duty, three years probation, and ordered to pay a $1500 fine for drunk-driving charges. [12 June 2001] Beat future Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano for the role of Rene in the cult film Mallrats. [1995] Shannen had her wages garnished by California United Bank when she was on Beverly Hills, 90210 because she wrote nearly $32,000 worth of bad checks. Has four horses and three dogs. Goddaughter is named Cooper London, daughter of Jason London. Still owns a percentage of Charmed even though she left the show. Dated actor Andrew Levitas [2004]. Her brief marriage to Ashley Hamilton is referenced in Mallrats. Ben Affleck's character in the film is named Shannon Hamilton. Reunited with ex-husband Rick Salomon after being separated for a year. [2004] Lives on a horse ranch in Ventura County, California On the special, Beverly Hills 90210: 10-Year High School Reunion she revealed that the hardest thing about doing the show was pretending that Jason Priestley, whom she referred to as "a total babe", was her brother. She then revealed that, years later, people often approach her and ask her about the "weird incestuous vibe" between Brandon and Brenda, their characters. She said her response is always "damn straight". Is a fan of 24. On that show's Season 4 DVD set, she provides audio commentary on "3:00 PM - 4:00 PM" with episode writer Evan Katz. Was born on the same day and year as Nicholas Brendon. Ranked #5 in 100 Greatest Teen Stars. Suffers from the bowel condition Crohn's Disease. Wanted the role of Bethany Sloane in Dogma. Is allergic to wool and chocolate.