Shannen Doherty Left Specific Instructions for Her Remains and Funeral Guests Before Her Death

In January, Shannen Doherty revealed her wishes for her remains prior to her death on July 13 at age 53 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

“I want [my remains] to be mixed with my dog, and I want it to be mixed with my dad. Like, really mix it up so it’s a healthy mixture of my father, me and Bowie,” Shannen revealed during a January episode of her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, adding, “I do not want to be buried. I want to be cremated.”

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum wore some of her father John Thomas Doherty Jr.’s ashes around her neck following his death in 2010 at age 66. Shannen gave her guest, close friend Chris Cortazzo, permission to do the same with her remains after she passed.

Chris appeared with the Charmed actress in the last public photo of her taken in June, as they left Kristy’s waterfront restaurant in Malibu, California, with another pal. He had his arm protectively around his longtime pal, as Shannen was all smiles while carrying a bag of food.

The Memphis, Tennessee, native also said she wanted some of the mixture of her remains scattered in Malibu, as she and her dad spent “precious time” there together. Shannen also said her loved ones could use her remains as fertilizer and “grow them into a tree” in her memory.

During the same episode, Shannen discussed her funeral plans, saying she wanted a private memorial and specifically detailed who she did not want in attendance.

“There’s a lot of people that I think would show up that I don’t want there. I don’t want them there because their reasons for showing up aren’t necessarily the best reasons,” she told Chris.

“Like, they don’t really like me and, you know, they have their reasons and good for them, but they don’t actually really like me enough to show up to my funeral,” Shannen continued.

“They’ll show up] because it’s the politically correct thing to do, and they don’t want to look bad, so I kinda want to take the pressure off them and I want my funeral to be like a love fest,” the Mallrats star explained. “I don’t want people to be crying or people to privately be like, ‘Thank God that bitch is dead now.'”

Shannen lost her battle with cancer after battling the disease on and off for nine years.

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” her publicist shared in a statement to People. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”

Shannen revealed in August 2015 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer several months prior. Following a mastectomy and treatment with radiation and chemotherapy, she told fans the good news in 2017 that the cancer had gone into remission. Sadly, it returned two years later.

In a February 2020 interview with Good Morning America, Shannen shared how her cancer had advanced to stage four, and in a December 2023 cover story for People, she revealed the disease had spread to her bones.

“I don’t want to die,” she told the publication. “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.”