The sunny backdrop of Beverly Hills in the hit show “Beverly Hills 90210” may make you wonder why none of the characters ever wear sunglasses. The answer lies with producer Aaron Spelling, who had a strict rule against cast members donning shades. In fact, he disliked sunglasses almost as much as he disliked last-minute haircuts.
According to his daughter Tori, Spelling believed that viewers should be able to see into the character’s eyes during conversations to experience the raw, genuine emotion. As a result, the show features plenty of scenes of the cast squinting in the California sunshine. Despite the challenge, the actors managed to convey their emotions effectively.
The Walshes' Real Home
The whole point of the show is the idea of a couple of midwest kids – Brandon and Brenda from Minneapolis, Minnesota – feeling out of place among the cream of the crop. That's what "Beverly Hills 90210" is all about when you get down to brass tacks.
However, information gleaned from exterior shots of their home makes it seem like the Walshes actually live in Altadena, California — more than thirty miles away. We can forgive the producers a little bit of fudging, though. After all, "Altadena 91001" doesn't exactly have the same kind of pop when we're talking about titles.
Jason Priestley Was Added Last Minute
When you think of the TV show "Beverly Hills 90210", it's hard not to picture the charming face of Jason Priestley. Surprisingly, Priestley was the last cast member to be added to the show. He auditioned for the role of Brandon Walsh and landed the part in record time.
After auditioning on a Thursday, he was offered the job the very next day, and filming began just three days later, on a Monday. It just goes to show how talented and charming Priestley was and how quickly he was able to make such an impact on the show and become a fan-favorite heartthrob.
Valerie Malone's Hand Double
Playing the role of the bad girl Valerie Malone in "Beverly Hills 90210," actress Tiffani Thiessen faced a unique challenge when it came to her character's smoking scenes. While filming a scene that required her to roll a cigarette, the actress was unable to do so. This posed a problem, as the script called for her character to smoke "the devil's collard greens" at the Walsh's house.
As a solution, the producers filmed someone else's hands rolling the joint for her. Despite this minor hiccup, Thiessen's portrayal of the rebellious Valerie was convincing and added a layer of intrigue to the show, making her a polarizing character among fans.
The Cast Was Actually Shouting Something Much Ruder Than Their Lines!
At one point in the series, Donna Martin's classmates all began shouting that she should be allowed to graduate alongside them. The character was originally not allowed because she had gotten drunk at her prom, and the cast members all shouted “Donna Martin graduates.” At least, that's what we hear.
Jason Priestly revealed they were actually shouting other rhyming prophanities. A little bit of editing magic was worked in, and audiences were none the wiser. Donna Martin was allowed to graduate alongside her friends after all, despite this rather rude declaration. It just goes to show how powerful the editing process can be.