Why Shannen Doherty's final TV scene was so important to her.

The iconic '90s actress Shannen Doherty has died, after living with cancer for nine years.

As her friends and acting colleagues rush to offer their touching tributes, fans of the Charmed star are looking back at the last scene she ever filmed for a TV show back in 2019. 

The actress did appear in the movie List of a Lifetime in 2021 but in a tragic turn of events, the final TV cameo Doherty ever made was a tribute to Luke Perry, one of her oldest friends who she met in Beverly Hills, 90210.

On March 4, 2019, Perry died of a stroke at the age of 52 — just one year younger than Doherty at the age she passed away. 

Listen to The Spill hosts explain the Shannen Doherty story you won’t hear after her death.

At the time, Perry was playing Archie's father Fred on Riverdale. The series dedicating an hour-long, standalone episode to the actor and his character's sudden death in season four. And the creators recruited his longtime pal, Doherty, to make the moment extra meaningful. 

In October 2019, the episode aired with Shannen playing the woman who was with Luke's character when he died. Fred died in a hit-and-run accident, with his final act saving Doherty's character from being hit by the car. 

Shannen's character visits Archie and his friends to describe his father's heroism in the moments before his death, as she chokes back tears. 

Watch the touching moment. Post continues after video.

Riverdale creator and executive producer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, spoke about the decision to cast Doherty at a press screening for the episode. 

"Over the seasons, Luke and I talked a lot about trying to get Shannen on the show and the timing never worked out, or the part was never quite right — she was doing this or unavailable or it didn't feel right," he said. 

"When we were working on the episode, we knew that there would be some characters outside of our cast of characters that would be involved... rather than have another actor play that [part], we thought that it would be nice if it was someone he cared for in real life. And he cared so deeply about Shannen," he continued.

"She really wanted it to be part of it from the moment we first talked to her about it."

After the scene where the woman reveals what happened before Fred's death, she joins Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead in prayer at the site of the accident. The moving moment acts as a real-life memorial for not just the character, but the beloved actor.

Shannen Doherty and the Riverdale cast. Image: Netflix. 

Overnight, Riverdale's Cami Mendes shared her memories of working with Doherty for the episode. "I'll always remember the warmth and kindness of her presence," she wrote in an Instagram Story.  

"Grateful to have shared one of my most meaningful days of work on Riverdale with her."

Another co-star, Lili Reinhart, shared an Instagram Story to add "What a special experience meeting her. I'll never forget it." 

Back in 2019, Doherty opened up about her decision to pay tribute to Perry in Riverdale. 

"It was extremely hard in the sense of the emotions, but I feel really proud and honoured and extremely humbled that they asked me and I got to be a part of it," Doherty told USA Today at the time. 

"I went into it knowing that I was being supported by everyone that really mattered to Luke. And knowing that it was a show that he had been trying to get me on since day one, it was like this really beautiful moment."

Feature image: Netflix.