Shannen Maria Doherty (English pronunciation: /ˈdoʊ.ərti/; born April 12, 1971) is an American actress, producer, author and television director, known for her work as Heather Duke in Heathers (1989), as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–1994) and its spinoff series 90210, and as Prue Halliwell in Charmed (1998–2001). Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Rosa Elizabeth (née Wright), a beauty parlor owner, and John Thomas Doherty, Jr., a mortgage consultant. She has an older brother (by four years) named Sean. Doherty has Irish Catholic ancestry on her father's side and English, Scottish, and northern Irish ancestry on her mother's side. She was raised in her mother's Southern Baptist religion. Doherty had guest spots on TV series including Voyagers! and Father Murphy. When a casting notice was released in Hollywood for a regular role on the popular Little House on the Prairie, she jumped at the opportunity and eventually won the role of Jenny Wilder at the age of 11, thanks in part to actor/producer Michael Landon seeing her guest spot on Father Murphy, which he also produced. Doherty stayed in the series until the show's cancellation in 1983.