Shannen Doherty Reconsidering ‘90210’ Revival Role To Honor Luke Perry

In the wake of the loss of her longtime friend Luke Perry, Shannen Doherty is reportedly reconsidering her participation in the revival of their hit ’90s series Beverly Hills 90210 to honor her beloved onscreen leading man.

Us Weekly reported that Doherty, who did not initially sign on to participate in the limited summer series, has apparently changed her mind.

“Luke was Shannen’s favorite in the cast,” reported an insider to Us. “She may participate now if they somehow pay homage to him.”

A return to the series that spawned the iconic zip code was announced in late February, on the same day that Perry suffered a massive stroke and had to be rushed to the hospital. Less than one week later, on March 4, Perry died.

The actor did not commit to the series, which Tori Spelling revealed would contain “heightened versions of ourselves,” to Access Hollywood Live. It was not ruled out at the time that Perry might appear on an episode, but nothing was confirmed officially before the actor’s untimely death.

Doherty and Perry worked closely together on the series, playing the roles of teenage lovers Brenda Walsh and Dylan McKay, respectively. Their working relationship was off-and-on over the years as their stars escalated and issues related to sudden fame tarnished their friendship. It was rumored that Doherty was fighting with her co-stars and had become difficult to work with on-set. She was written off the series in 1994.

Entertainment Tonight reported in November 2016 that Perry told an audience at REWindCon that despite what occurred many years earlier during filming, the show would have been nothing without Doherty’s participation.

“She’s been thrown under the bus,” said Perry at the event. “I’ve been accused of driving it. But she’s a very big part of the success of this show. She taught me a lot. I’m glad she was my scene partner. She was great at what she did in the character with me.”

The couple reconnected after Doherty battled breast cancer in 2015. The actress remarked that their connection remained intact and that they picked up right where they left off years earlier.

Doherty posted about Perry’s death on social media, stating she was “devastated” by the news. She admitted she was “struggling” with the loss and “having a hard time with her thoughts.”

It has not been confirmed by Fox if Doherty will be a part of the limited-run series. Confirmed as participating are Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Tori Spelling.