Luke Perry, ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ & ‘Riverdale’ Star, Dies From Stoke At Age 52, Celebrities Pay Tribute

Actor Luke Perry died Monday at 52 after suffering a massive stoke last Wednesday. The news was confirmed by publicist Arnold Robinson in a statement to CNN. “He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends,” the statement read. “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.”

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Perry, who initially rose to fame as one of the cast members of Fox’s Beverley Hills, 9020, was currently starring as Fred Andrews on The CW’s Riverdale. Production on Riverdale has reportedly been postponed due to Perry’s death. There is no word yet on whether the same will happen with the recently scheduled Beverly Hills, 90210 reboot that’s coming back to Fox, although Perry was never set to appear in the new show as his schedule on Riverdale conflicted with production timing.

As soon as the news broke, a number of Perry’s former co-stars expressed their grief –– including his Riverdale co-star Molly Ringwald, his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Christine Elise McCarthy, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon.

My heart is broken. I will miss you so much Luke Perry. Sending all my love to your family. ❤️ #LukePerry

— Molly Ringwald (@MollyRingwald) March 4, 2019

With the heaviest of hearts, I am devastated to@tell you we lost Luke. I am still in shock and I have no words beyond saying he was a truly kind gentleman. He will be mourned and missed by everyone who know him and the millions who love him.
RIP, deari… https://t.co/OvqjOm2mqK pic.twitter.com/HktgGQinVy

— Christine Elise 🐀 (@celisemccarthy) March 4, 2019

The first time I met Luke Perry we talked about what kind of movie we wanted “Buffy” to be. I asked if he’d ever seen “Near Dark” and he gave me a look of HOW DARE YOU SIR and I knew we’d get along. Funny, committed, and always gracious. He shouldn’t be gone.

— Joss Whedon (@joss) March 4, 2019

His close friend and Beverly Hills co-star Ian Ziering was the first to post a tribute, promising Perry that he would “forever bask in the loving memories we’ve shared over the last thirty years.”

Dearest Luke,
I will forever bask in the loving memories we've shared over the last thirty years. May your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here, for those you leave behind.

— Ian Ziering (@IanZiering) March 4, 2019

Perry, whose appeal at one point caused a stampede of 10,000 teenage girls at the height of his Beverly Hills fame, will be sorely missed. In an interview years ago, Perry looked back on his career-defining role as Beverly Hills, 90210’s bad-boy hearth-throb Dylan McKay. “I’m going to be linked with him until I die,” said Perry. “But that’s actually just fine. I created Dylan McKay. He’s mine.”