Fans of the show around the world cried out when cutie Jason Priestly said sayonara, deciding not to reprise his role of Brandon after season nine. The creators had to find a way to remove Brandon from the show, eventually turning the character into a working journalist.
However, Priestly has admitted he wishes he had stayed on “Beverly Hills 90210.” He said that Aaron Spelling was pushing the storyline in a way that would have stopped Brandon and Kelly from getting together. Had Spelling gone with Brandon, Priestly was much more likely to stay. Happily ever after is always preferable.
The Cast Thought the Show Would Fail
Truth be told, "Beverly Hills 90210" wasn't a hit when it first aired, and even the cast members thought they would soon be looking for work. James Eckhouse, who played Mr. Walsh, says he and Priestly had bets with each other on when the show would get cut from the lineup. We're dead serious.
Zuckerman assumed she would have to get a waitressing job, and Ziering thought the show was too “superficial.” Thankfully, they all turned out to be wrong, superficial or not – the show lasted ten whole seasons and was one of the biggest television hits of the nineties.
Luke Perry Almost Quit Acting
When he went to read for the part of Steve Sanders, Luke Perry was a construction worker. When the producers told him he wasn't right for the role, Perry was so discouraged that he almost gave up his acting career for good. To think that Perry would be on "90210" is crazy.
Thankfully, the producers were still trying to find the right person for the role of Dylan, the squinting, cute-as-a-button bad boy. They called Perry back and had him read as Dylan, and a star was born. The construction industry may have lost a hard worker, but the show gained a standout.
Missed Her Chance
Shannen Doherty was not the first actress to be offered the spot of Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills 90210." That award goes to Kristin Dattilo, who actually turned down the role of Brenda for reasons unknown. She ended up playing a one-off character named Melissa Coolidge, who appeared in season one.
Gabrielle Carteris, who played Andrea, was also up for the Brenda role before producers decided she would be better as Andrea. Kristin went on to have plenty of credits to her name, both as a lead actress and in guest spots. She was even in an episode of "Friends."
The Producer's Biggest Regret
Despite the success of "Beverly Hills 90210," producer Aaron Spelling had one major regret about the show. He acknowledged that the all-white cast was a significant flaw, especially for a series that tackled sensitive and controversial issues. The absence of diversity in the cast stands out as a negative aspect of the show, and Spelling knew it.
Even the spinoff series "Melrose Place" struggled with representation, featuring only a single black character who disappeared due to a lack of storyline. While the show remains a beloved classic, its lack of diversity serves as a reminder that progress must always be made towards inclusivity in media.