Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shannen Doherty had a sweet birthday tradition. Sarah is keeping it going.

In July 2024, Shannen Doherty passed away after a nine-year battle with cancer. Her death prompted an outpouring of love for the late actress, who was best known for her work on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed.

April 12 marked Doherty's first birthday since her death. She would have been 54.

Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and announced remission after two years of treatment. However, in February 2020, she shared that the cancer had returned and advanced to stage 4, rapidly spreading throughout her body, including her bones.

By 2023, surgery was necessary as she had developed a brain tumour.

Speaking to People in 2023, Doherty said, "I'm not done with living. I’m not done with loving. I’m not done with creating. I’m not done with hopefully changing things for the better.

"I'm just not — I’m not done... I don't want to die."

Despite the toll the cancer was taking on her body, Doherty continued to work until the very end and even helped raise money for cancer research.

"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease," a statement to People confirmed.

Now, on her first birthday since her passing, Doherty's friends have shared more tributes to the life and legacy she has left behind.

Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Image: Getty

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shannen Doherty were Hollywood mainstays of the 1990s. While Doherty rose to fame for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, Gellar was also in the public eye for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Longtime friends, the actresses celebrated their birthdays just two days apart, with Doherty's birthday on April 12 and Gellar's on April 14.

To mark Doherty's first birthday since her death, Gellar shared a tribute to her late friend on Instagram, with a sweet nod to their tradition of celebrating their birthdays together.

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"This year I will keep that tradition, and celebrate you. I am so glad we were all together on this day last year, not knowing it would be the last like this. Happy Birthday Shannen."

After Doherty's death, Gellar told People that their friendship blossomed quickly after they met, and that they had talked "every day". In the wake of Doherty's passing, Gellar took to Instagram to share her enduring love for her close friend.

"How do you possibly find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship?" she wrote on Instagram. "I keep reminding myself it only hurts this much because, there was so much love. Thank you, for all your kind words and support. I love all the messages about how @theshando was important to you. So let's honor her.

Gellar reflected on all the things that made Doherty happy in life, including her passion for dogs and animal welfare.

"More than anything, Shan loves animals, especially dogs. In her memory let's support our favorite animal charities. Whether that's donating money, stopping by your local shelter and just offering cuddles and walks to animals housed there or even just tagging them in the comments so other people can learn about their work. I know that would make our girl happy (and illicit that deep throaty laugh we all loved)," she shared.

Alongside the post she shared a series of photos throughout their life together, including snaps of them horseriding, celebrating birthdays, partying in the 90s, and sipping drinks on a summer's day.

Rose McGowan.

Image: Getty.

Although Rose McGowan and Shannen Doherty never shared the screen together on Charmed, the pair did share one small scene together in the 1997 Gregg Araki film Nowhere.

On what would have been Doherty's first birthday since her death, McGowan shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, reposting a fan's image of the late actress alongside a touching message to her Instagram Stories.

"Happy Birthday Shannen Doherty." She added, "You are missed, you are loved @theshando."

It's not the first time McGowan has spoken of Doherty. At the time of her death, McGowan also posted a heartfelt tribute to the late actress.

"Shannen Doherty had the heart of a lion," she wrote underneath a photo of the late actress.

"Passion for craft is often mislabeled as trouble. Shannen was passion. I met her in the '90s and was awed. Getting to really know her later in life, a beautiful gift. This woman fought to live."

She continued, "Shannen knew how to be a star because she was one since childhood. Her work ethic inspiring to the end. Shannen's great love for directing, for acting, Holly, her friends, her parents, dog, and her beloved fans was legendary.

"Our lives had been intertwined in a unique way. We laughed at dark forces who wanted us to hate each other. Instead, we chose love and respect. A soft-hearted badass as there ever was. A force of energy that will live forever in hearts."

Hollywood mourns Shannen Doherty's death.

When news of Doherty's death broke, several friends and former co-stars posted tributes to her, celebrating her for being a "force of nature" who was "fearless" until the end.

Gabrielle Carteris.

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Beverly Hills, 90210's Gabrielle Carteris kept her tribute short and sweet, while also acknowledging the sudden passing of their co-star Luke Perry in 2019. Perry and Doherty had been extremely close throughout their careers.

"So young – so sad. May you RIP Shannen. I know Luke is there with open arms to love you," she wrote on Instagram.

Doherty was always very open about the grief she experienced at his sudden passing from an ischemic stroke.

"There is a special kind of love one has for each other when you are experiencing the journey we did on 90210 and of course life in general," Doherty said. "We wanted to work with each other again and create something special and meaningful for our fans at this stage in our lives."

"I will miss him every day. Every minute. Every second."

After Perry's passing, she made a cameo on his show Riverdale, in a scene where he died saving her character.

She said she felt "deeply honoured to pay tribute to Luke" in this way.

"The care in which this show takes in honoring his memory is beautiful," she wrote in the caption while posting two photos of herself with the actor. "He is missed. Today. Tomorrow. Forever."

Alyssa Milano.

Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs. Image: Getty.

Alyssa Milano, who played Doherty's sister in the series Charmed, was among the first to pay homage to the late actress, despite their rocky relationship.

"It's no secret that Shannen and I had a complicated relationship, but at its core was someone I deeply respected and was in awe of. She was a talented actress, beloved by many, and the world is less without her. My condolences to all who loved her," she said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.

Milano and Doherty starred in the hit TV show from 1998 to 2006. Initially, they got along well, with Shannen even serving as a bridesmaid at Milano's wedding. However, reports later surfaced of clashes on set, attributed to their different personalities.

In 2017, Milano confirmed that the two were on good terms once again, telling E! News: "I think we're just at ages now that what happens 15 years ago, or however long ago that was, it's irrelevant. I think that what she has gone through, [and] motherhood in my life, I think it just changes people. I’m so happy that she's feeling well. I prayed for her every day that she would feel well and I can't wait to see her."

Jason Priestly.

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Doherty's Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Jason Priestley shared a throwback photo of them from the show on his Instagram, with the caption:

"Shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Shannen."

"She was a force of nature and I will miss her. Sending love and light to her family in this dark time."

Doherty and Priestly played twin siblings, Brenda and Brandon Walsh, on the show from 1990 to 2000. Earlier this year, Priestly spoke to The Post and praised the strength and resilience she had shown throughout her cancer journey.

"She's being very proactive and it's a difficult situation but I think that Shannen is managing it in a positive way," he said.

"She's using her [podcast] platform to try to help people and it's a very admirable quality."

Brian Austin Green.

Another one of Doherty's Beverly Hills, 90210 co-stars shared a loving message on Instagram.

Brian Austin Green wrote a poignant message on Instagram, reading: "Shan. My sister…you loved me through everything."

"You were a big part of my understanding of love. I'll miss you more than I know how to process right now. Thank you for the gift of you."

Carol Potter.

Carol Potter, who played Doherty's mum on 90210, wrote on Instagram:

"Shocked and saddened by news of Shannon Doherty's death. What a journey she has been on! Gone too soon.

"Throughout, she stayed true to herself and gave us an example of courage and perseverance in facing her own death. May she rest in peace."

Olivia Munn.

Olivia Munn, who shared details of her own battle with breast cancer earlier this year, spoke about how Doherty supported her during that difficult time.

"I am absolutely heartbroken over the passing of Shannen Doherty. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I remembered how she bravely let the world into her journey and reached out to her."

"We became instant friends – which I honestly couldn't comprehend at times because watching her on 90210 was everything to me when I was 10. We bonded through a shared battle and a desire to help other women. Looking back on the last text she sent me just a couple months ago, she asked how I was doing and if she could do anything for me...."

"True to form, Shannen was offering her support even though she was in the final stage of fighting this horrific disease. Cancer is really f*cking scary and Shannen faced it with such dignity, strength and grace. I'm sending all of my love to her mother who was her best friend, hero and champion every step of the way. Fly so high, my friend."

Brian Krause.

Doherty's Charmed co-star Brian Krause spent a significant amount of time with the late actress, eight seasons to be exact.

Sharing a photo of Doherty on Instagram, Krause captioned it: "You taught me to be fearless and live with purpose. To know your value and stick to your determinations. Forever loved! Truly heartbroken."

Dorian Gregory.

Another one of Doherty's Charmed co-stars shared a loving tribute on Instagram.

Dorian Gregory captioned a photo of the two of them together, writing: "I come from a house of strong woman. I have had a journey blessed with strong, amazing, incredible woman. Shannen… when words are not worthy you don't use them. With adoration and love of your strength, kindness and beauty with a heavy heart there are no words to use…"

Kevin Smith.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith, who worked with Doherty in the 1995 comedy Mallrats, paid homage to her by looking back at her career.

"Long before any other pop culture figure 'broke the internet' [Doherty] single-handedly shattered it in the early '90s," he wrote on Instagram.

"This is an incredible accomplishment considering the internet as we know it didn't even exist yet.

"When I told him my next flick was essentially 'Clerks in a mall,' Malcolm insisted, 'Then you gotta cast Doherty! She's an American icon!' That she was, and so much more."

Smith continued, "Shannen was a true talent and she became a good friend, but lest anyone forget, she was the only reason Mallrats got greenlit in 1995. That's because Shannen was one of the most famous people on the planet — and the fact that she picked Mallrats as her first follow-up to 90210 *made* that movie happen.

"She's died way too soon. I already miss you, Do-Do. Thank you for going to the Mall with me — and for 30 years of friendship. My Canadian pal was right: You are (and always will be) an American icon."

Feature Image: Instagram.

This article was originally published in July 2024 and has since been updated with new information.

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