The actress filed for divorce from Kurt Iswarienko in April 2023 after 11 years of marriage.
As the year draws to a close, Shannen Doherty is expressing gratitude for the resilience she found amid a tumultuous 2023, marked by health struggles, personal challenges, heartbreak, and fear stemming from her ongoing battle with cancer.
In a candid discussion on the Dec. 25 episode of her Let's Be Clear podcast, the 52-year-old actress acknowledged the turbulence of the past year. She faced "some massive health struggles, some massive personal struggles, a lot of heartbreak and fear," but despite it all, Doherty found an unexpected silver lining.
Reflecting on her journey, she shared, "God, I think I'm actually starting to live the happiest version of myself." Despite the contentious nature of the year, Doherty expressed a sense of lightness and newfound positivity that has enveloped her life recently.
Having filed for divorce from her husband of 11 years, Kurt Iswarienko, in April, Doherty spoke about her heart "opening back up" and emphasized the importance of gratitude for the people who stand by one's side through thick and thin.
"This year is about just being incredibly grateful that we're here and we get to spend time with the people that are by our sides through thick and thin, who don't walk away, who love us unconditionally," she noted. "I'm just so thankful really to be here for it."
Despite facing several health setbacks, including the metastasis of her cancer to the brain in July and later spreading to her bones, Doherty remains steadfast in her positive outlook. She underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor and discovered alleged infidelity by Iswarienko just before the procedure.
"I went into that surgery early in the morning and I went in after I found out that my marriage was essentially over," Doherty revealed on her podcast, accusing Iswarienko of "carrying on an affair for two years." The actress expressed feeling betrayed and emphasized the emotional weight she carried into the surgery.
Iswarienko has not publicly addressed the accusations, and Doherty refuted claims of an open marriage in a Dec. 12 Instagram post, calling such assertions "an absolute lie."
Doherty was previously married to Ashley Hamilton from 1993 to 1994 and Rick Salomon from 2002 to 2003. She shared that she's still "good friends" with Salomon.
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