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.
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.
Shannen Doherty's Messed Up Audition
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?
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.
Off-Screen Action
"Beverly Hills 90210" featured what were some of the most attractive people to act in front of a camera at the time it was filmed. It was a pretty good bet that even when the cameras stopped rolling, things remained pretty steamy. It almost didn't seem real that everyone on the show could be so darn attractive.
Actor Jason Priestly has said that “various combinations” of people shacked up during the years of filming. Actress Tori Spelling echoed the thoughts, revealing she had a summer fling with one of her co-stars. However, Tori is staying tight-lipped about just which of the hunks was lucky enough to earn her affection.