The other half of the famous relationship including Dylan McKay was Brenda Walsh, played by Shannen Doherty. It is impossible to imagine anyone else playing this raven-haired beauty, but Shannen was astounded she ended up getting the part.
She bombed her addition – in her own words, it was “horrible.” She walked out thinking she had blown her shot at fame, but before she could even drive away, the casting director told her not to count herself out just yet. Somehow, Shannen got the part. Were they looking for someone who doesn’t wilt under adversity? Were there no other actors?
Different Numbers
Darren Star, the creator of the iconic TV series "Beverly Hills 90210," had originally planned to pay homage to his hometown with the show's name. During the development phase, he named it "Potomac 20854", after the place where he grew up. However, before the show's release, he decided to change the title to something more fitting for the California-based setting of the show.
Star believed that California had a unique natural energy that would be perfect for the show, and thus the iconic title "Beverly Hills 90210" was born. The decision proved to be a wise one, as the show went on to become a cultural phenomenon that still resonates with audiences today.
Cutting Dylan?
Few of the characters on "Beverly Hills 90210" reached the popularity of bad boy Dylan McKay. Viewers tuned in every week to see how his on again, off again relationship with Brenda would develop. Surprisingly, he almost disappeared after only the second episode! Imagine!
Fox network wanted him gone, but producer Aaron Spelling was having none of it. He enjoyed Luke Perry's acting and the character so much he offered to pay the actor's salary himself rather than watch him go – and just like that, a 90's teen idol was born. Why Fox wanted the character gone is still a mystery.
Ditching Hilary Swank
Which big name used to be part of this big show? None other than Hilary Swank. The Oscar-winner was supposed to appear in "Beverly Hills 90210" for a total of two seasons. However, she only managed to get in front of the camera for sixteen episodes before her character was written out of the show.
Swank took it really hard, but she ended up getting the better end of the deal – she was soon given the lead role of "Boys Don't Cry," about the trans man Brandon Teena, which led to her getting an Academy Award. She arguably became the most successful actor out of anyone on the show.
The Cast Was Always Incomplete
While tuning into any random episode of Beverly Hills means that you will end up seeing most of the main cast, there is a good chance that you will not see them all. This was surely an annoying thing for some viewers, but another thing that many would probably not notice.
No single actor or actress appeared in every episode. While they were pretty much a permanent fixture on our screens during the show's running, only four members of the main cast – Donna, Kelly, David, and Steve – were in all ten seasons. Actor availability, the storylines, and even the actors that were let go led to this interesting piece of trivia.