Shannen Doherty was born on april 12 1971 in Memphis, in United-States. Raised by religious parents, she received a pretty strict education. Tom, her father, was a bank employee, and Rose, her mother, worked as a beautician. Shannen also had a big brother, Sean. Today, he works in politic.

In 1977, the Doherty family moves to Los Angeles. Henceforth in the cinema's capital, Shannen rapidly manifest an interest for the world of acting. In spite of her young age, she asks her mother to subscribe her to theatre courses. At first reluctant, she finally decides to help her. At the time gifted and really comfortable in public, Shannen soon become a frequenter of the stage. She is not scared of action and she participate to a lot of amateur plays. Already having a strong personality, she knows how to get attention and charm the audience. Helped by her mother, Shannen multiply the auditions hoping to begin on television.. In 1981, things go fast. Because of a small role in the series Father Murphy, the tele-viewers discover for the first time the face of Shannen Doherty. Against what she thought, this series will allow Shannen to make the big jump. So it was, Father Murphy was a series produced by Michael Landon, the creator of Little house on the prairie whom also plays the role of Charles Ingalls. Impressed by Shannen's performance, he offers her a regular role in Little house. Shannen is in seventh heaven. Few weeks later, she founds herself in Jenny Wilder's skin, Almonzo's niece. For her, this experience is a godsend. For 2 years, she learns everything on the acting job, meanwhile getting a few small roles in the series Magnum and Gagney and Lacey. She also starts in movies in Ron Howard's comedy Night Shift.

In 1984, in despite of millions of fans, Little house on the prairie ends up on NBC. A period of doubt starts for Shannen. At 13, to the audience's eyes, she is still unknown. Whilst she would like to go on in her career and having new roles, no serious propositions pop up. Disappointed, Shannen however won't give up, believing that her future is in front of the cameras. For 7 years, going at school to please her parents, Shannen also try up at some auditions and do her best to break-through. Her efforts are leading her to an apparition in an episode of Supercopter in 1984, and in Circus of the Stars in 1985. On the same year, she has also a role in a movie called Girls just want to have fun, with Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) and Helen Haunt. The year after, she plays in the series Our House, where she has a regular role. For the first time, the critics are interested in her. The magazine TV Guide wrote: "Shannen Doherty is the only young actress able to be cute and sexy without giving nausea." After this encouraging experience, Shannen appear in an episode of 21 Jump street. At last, in 1989, the producer Michael Lehmann ask her to play a total bitch in the movie Heathers, with Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. This role will be her springboard. In 1990, probably seduced by Shannen's ability to play a wench, the producer Aaron Spelling ask her to play Brenda Walsh, one of the heroine of his new series: Beverly Hills 90210.