Whatever Happened to the Cast of Beverly Hills 90210?
First aired in 1990, the teen romance drama Beverly Hills 90210 soon established itself as a favourite on both sides of the Atlantic. The glamorous and privileged lifestyle led by many of the characters - as well as their transition from childhood to adulthood - proved to be a wining formula for the show's creator, Darren Star. Star would later go on to enjoy widespread success with a new TV format called Sex and the City. In fact, *Beverly Hills 90210 *went on to run for no fewer than ten series until the final, 27-episode season aired in 2010. Recently, a six-episode revival has been announced which is due to go into production in 2019, such is the interest in the characters.
Much like a well-designed game at an online casino or an old recipe you turn to again and again, there is something about the winning formula of a much-loved TV series that means interest in it continues well after the show ended. In the case of Beverly Hills 90210, this is partly because certain members of the cast have continued to live out their lives in the public eye. Although the cast changed from season to season, there was a mainstay of characters who appeared in most. While the double Oscar-winning Hilary Swank may have portrayed a major character - she played Carly Reynolds - she only appeared in season 8 of the show. What happened to some of the programme's more frequently appearing actors?
Luke Perry
Originally from Mansfield in Ohio, Perry played Dylan McKay in the first six series of Beverly Hills 90210, making him one of the most frequently seen actors on the show. McKay returned as a main character in seasons nine and ten, too. Perry went on to take guest slots on shows like The Simpsons and Will & Grace. More recently, he appeared in the critically acclaimed Riverdale, a drama adapted from a comic book series. Perry died at the age of 52 in 2019 following a series of strokes. He left behind two adult children, Sophie and Jack.
Shannen Doherty
Doherty played one of the principal characters in *Beverly Hills 90210 *in the first four seasons. Despite only featuring in the early series, her character – Brenda Walsh – was among the most memorable of the entire show. Doherty had an established acting career before Beverly Hills 90210 starring in films like Heathers and numerous TV shows. After her spell on the show, she went on to appear in comedies like Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Doherty has been married four times, most recently to Kurt Iswarienko, a photographer. In 2017, Doherty acted in and co-produced a movie called Bethany. She has also directed music videos and continued her acting career on TV.
Jason Priestley
Portraying Doherty's on-screen sibling, Priestley starred in all of the first ten series of *Beverly Hills 90210. *A Canadian by birth, Priestley first landed a TV role in an episode of Airwolf before being spotted by the producers of 90210. Priestley continued to act after leaving the show, notably in the well-received Call Me Fitz, made by a Canadian TV production company. However, Priestley is also known for his abilities behind the camera. He directed 15 episodes of 90210, for example. In 2005, the actor married a make-up artist Naomi Lowde with whom he had two children. Priestley also enjoyed a career as a racing car driver, getting behind the wheel in the SCCA Pro Rally Series, among other events. He has also been a live music promoter and was instrumental in bringing the band Barenaked Ladies to a wider audience in the late 1990s.
Tori Spelling
The daughter of one of the show's producers, Spelling has been married twice since leaving Beverly Hills 90210. In 2006, Spelling starred in a show called* So Notorious *that satirised her own public image. She launched a fashion line and wrote a couple of books soon afterwards. Spelling also continued to act. For example, she voiced the role of the Pirate Princess in Jake and the Never Land Pirates for Disney. More recently, she starred in Mystery Girls along with her old cast member from 90210, Jennie Garth. She has also been a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race.
Jennie Garth
As mentioned, Garth co-starred in Mystery Girls alongside Spelling. In *Beverly Hills 90210, *she played Kelly Taylor, a main character in all of the series. She also acted in the 90210 spin-off Melrose Place. Garth appeared in two films during her time on the show. She played Sharon Penn in Power 98 and Mary Bailey in My Brother's War. In 2005, she also voiced a character in a Family Guy spin-off movie. Over the course of 2007, the actor was a major star of that year's season of Dancing With the Stars. She reached the semi-finals and scored highly for her tango performances. Garth was also a sitcom actor in a show called What I Like About You, set in New York City, that ran for four seasons.
Ian Ziering
Ziering played Steve Sanders throughout the entire run of *Beverly Hills 90210. *Since 2013, Ziering found fame once more when he was cast as Fin Shepard in the Sharknado TV movie franchise. Ziering had enjoyed several minor roles in films before then, for example McKenna Shoots for the Stars of 2012. The actor also appeared in TV shows like The Apprentice and The Muppets as himself. Ziering starred in season 4 of Dancing With the Stars. He was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Brian Austin Green
Playing David Silver in the show, Green went on to enjoy a successful acting career. He played a part in Fish Without a Bicycle in 2003 which won a Palm Beach International Film Festival's Special Jury Prize. He was a co-producer as well as an actor in Cross, a film of 2010. In addition, Green has acted in many TV shows. Among his acting credits for the small screen are multiple appearances in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Desperate Housewives, Smallville and Anger Management. He married Megan Fox in 2010.
Gabrielle Carteris
Carteris played Andrea Zuckerman in the early series of Beverly Hills 90210, returning as a guest star in later seasons. In 2012, Carteris was elected as the vice-president of a big acting union. Carteris has been cast in several films, including Raising Cain, Dimples and The Toy Warrior. Her TV credits include roles in shows such as Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Nip/Tuck and NYPD Blue. She has two children.
