Jason Priestley Says Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry's Deaths 'Made Me Think About My Own Mortality'

Mar. 15, 2025

From left: Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley and Luke Perry.Photo:Getty (2)Jason Priestleyis reflecting on the deaths of his formerBeverly Hills, 90210costars.In an interview with theMirrorpublished on Aug. 17, the actor, 54, spoke about the impact that the deaths ofLuke PerryandShannen Dohertyhave had on the way he lives his life.Perrydied in March 2019at the age of 52 after experiencing a stroke. Doherty died in July 2024 at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.“It has made me think about my own mortality. I woke up on my 50th birthday and I realized that I’d already lived most of my life,” said theWild Cardsactor, a former race car driver whohad a serious accident in 2002. Priestley turned 50 in August 2019, months after Perry’s death.Jason Priestley in 2022.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty“Luke’s passing away was totally a shock because there was nothing wrong with him. We were neighbors as well as friends and spent a lot of time together. We shared so much," he said.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Although Doherty — who played Priestley’s twin sister on the ’90s hit series — was open about her experience with cancer with her loved ones and on her podcast,Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, Priestley told theMirrorthat her death also came as a shock to him.Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestley.Shannen Doherty/Instagram"I always admired her tenacity and her toughness, so even though I knew she was sick, her actually passing away was a big surprise, and sad for all of us," he said of Doherty. “She fought it for so long and seemed like she was able to manage it… until she wasn’t, unfortunately.“Priestley added: “Shannen was a force. And I feel very fortunate that in the last couple years, I got to spend quite a bit of time with her. I felt okay about her passing in so much as there was nothing left between us that was unsaid.”He told theMirrorthat he and his formerBeverley Hills,90210costars keep a WhatsApp group active and enjoy reuniting at events.From left: Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry in 1991.Mark Sennet/Getty“When we get together it’s like we’ve never been apart. Same jokes, same one-liners, except some of us are dads now, so we tell really bad dad jokes,” Priestley said, referring to his male costars.

From left: Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley and Luke Perry.Photo:Getty (2)

Getty (2)

Jason Priestleyis reflecting on the deaths of his formerBeverly Hills, 90210costars.In an interview with theMirrorpublished on Aug. 17, the actor, 54, spoke about the impact that the deaths ofLuke PerryandShannen Dohertyhave had on the way he lives his life.Perrydied in March 2019at the age of 52 after experiencing a stroke. Doherty died in July 2024 at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.“It has made me think about my own mortality. I woke up on my 50th birthday and I realized that I’d already lived most of my life,” said theWild Cardsactor, a former race car driver whohad a serious accident in 2002. Priestley turned 50 in August 2019, months after Perry’s death.Jason Priestley in 2022.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty“Luke’s passing away was totally a shock because there was nothing wrong with him. We were neighbors as well as friends and spent a lot of time together. We shared so much,” he said.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Although Doherty — who played Priestley’s twin sister on the ’90s hit series — was open about her experience with cancer with her loved ones and on her podcast,Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, Priestley told theMirrorthat her death also came as a shock to him.Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestley.Shannen Doherty/Instagram"I always admired her tenacity and her toughness, so even though I knew she was sick, her actually passing away was a big surprise, and sad for all of us,” he said of Doherty. “She fought it for so long and seemed like she was able to manage it… until she wasn’t, unfortunately.“Priestley added: “Shannen was a force. And I feel very fortunate that in the last couple years, I got to spend quite a bit of time with her. I felt okay about her passing in so much as there was nothing left between us that was unsaid.”He told theMirrorthat he and his formerBeverley Hills,90210costars keep a WhatsApp group active and enjoy reuniting at events.From left: Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry in 1991.Mark Sennet/Getty“When we get together it’s like we’ve never been apart. Same jokes, same one-liners, except some of us are dads now, so we tell really bad dad jokes,” Priestley said, referring to his male costars.

Jason Priestleyis reflecting on the deaths of his formerBeverly Hills, 90210costars.

In an interview with theMirrorpublished on Aug. 17, the actor, 54, spoke about the impact that the deaths ofLuke PerryandShannen Dohertyhave had on the way he lives his life.

Perrydied in March 2019at the age of 52 after experiencing a stroke. Doherty died in July 2024 at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It has made me think about my own mortality. I woke up on my 50th birthday and I realized that I’d already lived most of my life,” said theWild Cardsactor, a former race car driver whohad a serious accident in 2002. Priestley turned 50 in August 2019, months after Perry’s death.

Jason Priestley in 2022.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

“Luke’s passing away was totally a shock because there was nothing wrong with him. We were neighbors as well as friends and spent a lot of time together. We shared so much,” he said.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Although Doherty — who played Priestley’s twin sister on the ’90s hit series — was open about her experience with cancer with her loved ones and on her podcast,Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, Priestley told theMirrorthat her death also came as a shock to him.

Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestley.Shannen Doherty/Instagram

Shannen Doherty/Instagram

“I always admired her tenacity and her toughness, so even though I knew she was sick, her actually passing away was a big surprise, and sad for all of us,” he said of Doherty. “She fought it for so long and seemed like she was able to manage it… until she wasn’t, unfortunately.”

Priestley added: “Shannen was a force. And I feel very fortunate that in the last couple years, I got to spend quite a bit of time with her. I felt okay about her passing in so much as there was nothing left between us that was unsaid.”

He told theMirrorthat he and his formerBeverley Hills,90210costars keep a WhatsApp group active and enjoy reuniting at events.

From left: Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry in 1991.Mark Sennet/Getty

Mark Sennet/Getty

“When we get together it’s like we’ve never been apart. Same jokes, same one-liners, except some of us are dads now, so we tell really bad dad jokes,” Priestley said, referring to his male costars.

source: people.com