Shannen Doherty's divorce from Kurt Iswarienko was finalized one day before her death
Late actress Shannen Doherty's divorce from Kurt Iswarienko was finalized just one day before she died after a long battle with cancer. Doherty, who died on July 13 at age 53, signed papers for a "default or uncontested dissolution" of her marriage, according to court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight.
Her now-ex-husband, Iswarienko, signed his portion on the day she died, ET reports. The couple began dating in 2008 and married in 2011.
Their divorce settlement was hotly contested. The pair separated in January 2023 and Doherty filed for divorce in April of that year, with her publicist, Leslie Sloane, telling ET it was the "last thing Shannen wanted" but that "she felt she was left with no other option."
In June 2024, Doherty asked in a court filing that Iswarienko be ordered to pay $15,434 per month in spousal support, retroactive to June 1. She also requested that he pay $9,100 to help cover her attorney fees and other costs. She said she needed monetary support due to her medical expenses and dwindling residual checks.
During an episode of her podcast, "Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty," she accused Iswarienko of prolonging the divorce so he didn't have to pay spousal support.
In previous court documents, she accused her then-husband of claiming he didn't have money to support her, but she felt that was untrue.
"While I have been unable to work, incurring exorbitant medical expenses not covered by insurance to undergo experimental treatments in hopes of prolonging my life, Kurt has been utilizing the airplane, spending thousands of dollars at medical spas, jewelry stores, Gucci, and on flights for his 'agent,' while simultaneously claiming that he has insufficient funds with which to support me," Doherty stated in court documents earlier this year, according to ET.
CBS News reached out to representatives for Iswarienko and Doherty and is awaiting a response.
Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, which spread to her lymph nodes in 2016. In 2017, she said her cancer was in remission, but her illness returned in 2019 and in 2023 she revealed the cancer had spread to her brain and was terminal.
She spoke openly on the podcast about her health, giving them updates on her chemo treatment and saying in March that despite her ongoing divorce and cancer battle she was finally feeling "happy" with her life, ET reports.
Doherty, who began acting as a child, is known for roles on "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed." Several of her co-stars paid tribute to her on social media after her death.
Jennie Garth, who also starred in "90210," wrote on social media that she was still processing tremendous grief. "Our connection was real and honest," she wrote.
Fellow "90210" castmate Brian Austin Green called Doherty his "sister" in his tribute post to her, saying, "You loved me through everything. You were a big part of my understanding of love."