Jennie Garth on Why She Honored Shannen Doherty Publicly but Not Luke Perry

For many fans of "Beverly Hills, 90210," Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty, and Luke Perry will always be linked through one of television's most iconic casts. Now, years after the show ended, Garth is opening up about why she responded publicly to the deaths of Doherty and Perry in very different ways.

Appearing on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast on Tuesday, April 21, Garth explained that when Perry died in 2019 at age 52 after suffering a massive stroke, she chose not to post a public tribute on social media. Instead, she dealt with the loss privately. She revealed that after hearing the news, she drove straight to the hospital because she "just went where I felt like he was," later waiting in the lobby for hours when she wasn't allowed upstairs.

Still, some fans questioned her silence online. "I remember like I didn't post a picture or tribute to him on social media and I got like a lot of backlash," the 54-year-old said. She explained the reason was actually deeply personal: "My relationship with Luke was sacred to me." She added, "I just couldn't."

Perry and Garth shared a close connection dating back to their "90210" years, where they played Dylan McKay and Kelly Taylor. In her memoir, Garth has also described him as her first love.

When Doherty died in 2024 at age 53 following a long battle with cancer, the actress made the opposite choice and publicly honored her former co-star. But she said criticism followed that decision too. "I didn't post for Luke's death and I got, you know, annihilated and then I did post for Shannen's death and I got annihilated. So what are you going to do?" Garth said.

Garth said she wanted to speak out because Doherty "deserved to be honored by me as a woman," adding that she had "so much respect for her." Though the two had a famously complicated history during the show's run, Garth said they later reached a place of mutual respect. "Things were nice," she said.

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 2:34 PM.