Luke Perry has died after suffering a “massive” stroke. The actor was only 52.
TMZ broke the tragic news that Luke had passed away Monday morning at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. His representative told TMZ that the actor was surrounded by his close friends and family — including his kids Jack and Sophie, fiancée Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Rachel “Minnie” Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, stepfather Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, and sister Amy Coder — when he died.
“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time,” his rep said in a statement provided to Variety.
Luke, who shot to superstardom playing the role of ’90s heartthrob Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210, was rushed to the hospital last Wednesday due to an initially unspecified medical emergency. It was later reported that the actor had suffered a “massive” stroke while at his home in Sherman Oaks, California.
Luke’s representatives told TMZ that doctors had sedated the actor in an effort to allow him the chance to recover from the stroke trauma, but the damage to his brain was too extensive.
Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Luke moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school to pursue an acting career. He began working in television at age 16 and went on to star in soap operas like Loving and Another World. He became a household name for his 90210 role, starring on the show from 1990 to 1995 and then again from 1998 until the show’s end in 2000.
The actor was coincidentally hospitalized on the same day that Fox announced it had ordered a revival of the series, starring other original cast members Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Tori Spelling.
Luke made a highly anticipated return to teen TV drama with his starring role as Fred Andrews, the father of show lead Archie Andrews, on Riverdale in 2017. Before his death, Luke also filmed a role in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming star-studded film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
The Perry family is in our thoughts.