Shannen Doherty Believes Ex Husband Kurt Iswarienko 'Hopes That I Die' to Avoid Paying Spousal Support

In a new legal filing viewed by TooFab, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum is requesting financial information from her former partner, accusing him of delaying the legal process "in hopes" she "will not survive the divorce proceedings."

The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. While she was believed to be in remission in 2017, in 2019 she learned her cancer metastasized as stage 4 in her brain and her bones. "My cancer is incurable," she states in the documents, adding that, as time passes, she is getting progressively worse.

The 53-year-old also claims Iswarienko's is refusing to provide documents regarding his photography business and his "archive" -- which Doherty claims is his "most valuable asset".

"It is simply not right that Kurt be permitted to prolong our divorce in hopes that I die before he is required to pay me while he continues to live his life and shirk his responsibilities to his dying wife of more than 11 years," she states in the documents.

However, Iswarienko's lawyer is disputing the claim, stating that the 49-year-old photographer "wants the best for Shannen" and hopes "to put this case behind them."

"Kurt is not 'simply wait[ing] for Shannen to die," attorney Katherine Heersema stated in the court docs.. "That is why he made an offer to settle all issues back in October 2023. That offer was not accepted."

Doherty claims to have denied the proposed settlements because they, from her POV, "skirted around the issues of his original works created during marriage."

The Charmed star is requesting monthly spousal support of $15,343 "retroactive to June 1, 2024," due to not being able to work during her illness.

"As a result of my recurrent health issues, I have been largely unable to work and have no future employment prospects. Today, virtually all of the income I earn is residual income from work that I performed prior to marriage," she wrote. "The majority of my residual income is from a television show called Charmed. I recently learned that Charmed will no longer be streaming on any major streaming platform after June 30, 2024. As a result, my future residual income will dramatically decrease."

Doherty further claims that her ex-husband has the means to assist her financially and that her medical expenses will "dramatically increase" once she loses her SAG health insurance.

"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," she wrote in the docs.

In January, the actress, who was first diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2015, spoke with her radiation oncologist, Dr. Amin Mirhadi, on her Let's Be Clear podcast, where she and the doctor discussed Doherty's cancer journey, and the "miracle" treatment that's giving her hope.

"I'm not gonna say what it is, I'm on a new cancer infusion and after four treatments, we didn't really see a difference and everybody wanted me to switch, and I just kinda was like, 'We're gonna keep going with this and see,'" Doherty explained at the time. "And yeah, after the sixth or seventh treatment we really saw it breaking down the blood brain barrier. Do I call that a miracle? Yeah. For me, that happens to be a miracle right now. That I sort of rolled the dice and said, 'Let's keep going.'"

Doherty revealed that her other oncologist felt comfortable with her continuing the treatment, and with his support, she was able to get some hopeful results.