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.
Jason Priestley Would Have Stayed for Kelly
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.
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 Curse of 90210
The cast has seen many tragedies: Luke Perry died of a fatal stroke the very same day the reboot version of the show was announced. Shannen Doherty has been battling breast cancer. Tori Spelling has had developed wild spending habits, and was hilariously forced to reign them in when her husband Dean McDermott was unable to afford a vasectomy.
Jason Priestly got into a bad car crash while driving under the influence, Jennie Garth was diagnosed with a leaky heart valve, and Brian Austin Green had a tumultuous separation. Ian Ziering has also broken up with a few of his significant others. They have been through a lot.
Young Character, Old Actors
While some cast members played a character much younger than themselves, others really were near high school age. The youngest of them was Doug Emerson, who was sixteen. Then there were Tori Spelling and Brian Austin Green, who were both seventeen when the show started, which is bizarre when you think about it.
Jennie Garth was eighteen, Shannen Doherty was nineteen, and then things start to go off the rails. Jason Priestly was twenty-one, and Luke Perry was twenty-three. For reference, the actor and actress playing the Walsh parents were thirty-five (James Eckhouse) and forty-two (Carol Potter). So they did take some aging liberties.