tiffani amber thiessen 90201

THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Beverly Hills, 90210' 30 years later

• "Beverly Hills: 90210" was one of the most iconic shows of the 1990s. 
• Focusing on a group of young adults in Southern California, the show starred Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Luke Perry, and Tori Spelling. 
• Even though the original show ended in 2000, subsequent spin-offs, including "Melrose Place," continued airing throughout the years.  
• "BH90210" was the show's latest reboot, and was canceled in 2019 after one season. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

"Beverly Hills: 90210" was one of the most iconic shows of the 1990s, and helped to launch the careers of stars like Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, and Luke Perry. 

The show focused on a group of young adults attending high school (and later college) in the elite zip code of 90210 — located in Beverly Hills, California. 

"Beverly Hills: 90210" ran successfully for 10 seasons, and resulted in several spin-off shows, including "Melrose Place," and a new reboot that aired for one season in 2019 called "BH90210." 

Since the original "90210" ended in 2000, the show's stars have continued their successful film and television careers. 

Here's what the cast of "Beverly Hills: 90210" has been up to since the show ended. 

Jason Priestley starred as Brandon Walsh on "Beverly Hills 90210."

Brandon was often the moral center of the show and helped other characters overcome their problems while also working towards a career as a journalist. 

After "90210," Priestley starred in the Canadian TV show "Call Me Fitz."

After "90210," Priestley appeared on numerous TV shows, including "Without a Trace," "What I Like About You," "How I Met Your Mother," and Canadian-American sci-fi show "The Outer Limits." 

While most of Priestley's appearances were supporting or guest roles, from 2010-2013, he starred on the Canadian comedy "Call Me Fitz," which saw Priestley play a morally bankrupt used-car salesman. 

Priestley, who's also appeared in a handful of feature films,  reprised his role as Brandon on the "BH90210" reboot. 

He currently stars as private investigator Matt Shade on the Canadian comedy-drama "Private Eyes." 

Shannen Doherty played Priestley's on-screen sister, Brenda Walsh.

Both Brenda and Brandon move to southern California from Minnesota at the start of the series. And at first, they have trouble adjusting to their new lifestyle.

Even though Brenda eventually settles in, she eventually departs California for Europe halfway through the series. 

Doherty left the show after four seasons, and went on to star on other shows like "Charmed."

Doherty was reportedly fired from "Beverly Hills 90210" for being difficult to work with on set, with others speculating that she even had a feud with her costar, Jennie Garth. 

After "90210," Doherty went on to star on "Charmed," which was also produced by "90210" executive Aaron Spelling. Much like her time on "90210," Doherty eventually left the show after reportedly being difficult to work with and feuding with costar Alyssa Milano . 

The actress, who starred in the original "Heathers" film, also guest-starred on the television version of the 1988 film, which aired in July of 2018 for one season. 

Doherty has appeared in several "90210" spinoffs and reprised her original role for the 2019 reboot. She even appeared on a Luke Perry tribute episode of "Riverdale" that same year. 

Jennie Garth played Kelly Taylor on "90210."

Over time, Kelly became the show's main character and experienced plenty of ups and downs over the course of the series.

Despite being shot and dealing with a sexual assault and miscarriage, Kelly eventually becomes a successful small business owner at the show's end.

In recent years, Garth has appeared on several "90210" spinoffs, and starred opposite Amanda Bynes on "What I Like About You."

After the original "90210" ended, Garth appeared on several spinoffs, including "Melrose Place." She's also had roles on "Community" and "American Dad," and starred on the WB's comedy "What I Like About You," opposite Amanda Bynes. 

Garth reprised her role as Kelly on "BH90210." 

The role of Steve Sanders was played by Ian Ziering.

Steve Sanders started the show as a spoiled rich kid, but eventually matured enough to run his own newspaper, the Beverly Beat. Steve gets married and has a child with the editor of his paper at the end of the series. 

After "90210," Ziering went on to star in several of the "Sharknado" movies.

Ziering has had a steady stream of guest appearances on shows like "What I Like About You" and "CSI: NY." 

The actor has also starred in all of the "Sharknado" films, and has appeared on reality TV shows like "Celebrity Family Feud" and "Worst Cooks in America." 

Ziering recently reprised his role as Steve Sanders on "BH90210," and has also starred in several Netflix originals, including "The Order" and "Malibu Rescue." 

Gabrielle Carteris played Andrea Zuckerman on the show.

Studious and shy, Andrea was one of the show's more reserved characters, until she got pregnant and had a child. 

Andrea is eventually accepted to Yale, and she moves to Connecticut with her husband and young daughter at the end of the original show. 

Carteris was elected president of the SAG-AFTRA trade union in 2016.

In the years since her stint on "90210," Carteris has kept busy, appearing on shows like "NYPD Blue" and "Nip/Tuck," and starring in the 2008 web series "My Alibi."

She's also voiced characters on several video games. 

But in addition to her film and television roles, Carteris has also been active in the actor's trade union, SAG-AFTRA. She was elected president of the union in 2016, after serving as vice-president since 2012. 

Brian Austin Green portrayed wannabe popular kid David Silver on "Beverly Hills 90210."

David started the show as an unpopular, nerdy classmate of the main characters, but was eventually accepted into the group after he started dating Donna. 

The original series ends with David and Donna getting married, although subsequent spinoffs reveal that the couple separated shortly thereafter. 

In real life, Green was married to Megan Fox for 10 years.

Green has had roles on shows like "Smallville" and "Desperate Housewives" after the end of "Beverly Hills 90210," and even starred on the FX show "Anger Management" from 2012 to 2014. 

The actor married "Transformers" star Megan Fox in 2010, and the couple has three children together. They separated in 2020. 

Green has appeared on several "90210" spinoffs over the years and reprised his role as David on the reboot. 

Tori Spelling, daughter of "90210" producer Aaron Spelling, played Donna Martin on the show.

Donna, a ditzy but well-meaning high schooler, undergoes a significant transformation throughout the course of the series.

She grows from a struggling student into a successful small-business owner, and eventually marries her high school sweetheart David, although their future was left uncertain at the end of the original show. 

Spelling has since appeared on shows like "Smallville" and several "90210" spinoffs.

After "90210," Spelling appeared in films like "Scary Movies 2" and "Cthulhu," and had supporting roles on shows like "Smallville."

The actress and her husband, Canadian actor Dean McDermott, were also the focus of several reality shows, including "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood." 

Spelling also acted on several "90210" spinoffs, and reprised her role for "BH90210." 

In addition to her acting career, Spelling is also an accomplished author, and has written six books so far. Her most recent book, "Spelling It Like It Is," came out in 2013. 

Luke Perry played handsome loner Dylan McKay on the show.

Dylan was one of the show's more isolated characters until he became friends with Kelly, Brenda, Brandon, and others.

Throughout the series, Dylan is romantically involved with several women and struggles with substance abuse before finally getting clean. 

Perry died in 2019.

Before his death in March 2019,  Perry was still landing roles on TV and in films. 

After "90210," he had recurring roles on shows like "Oz" and "What I Like About You," which reunited him with several of his "90210" costars, and featured a loose parody of his and Garth's relationship on "90210." 

Perry, who starred on the Showtime series "Jeremiah," also had a main role on the CW show "Riverdale," where he played Fred Andrews, Archie's dad. 

Perry's final role was in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," where he played real-life Western star Wayne Maunder.

On "90210," Tiffani-Amber Thiessen played bad girl Valerie Malone.

A departure from her wholesome image as teen idol Kelly Kapowski, Thiessen's character on "Beverly Hills 90210" was the show's "bad girl." 

A friend of Brandon and Brenda's from Minnesota with a troubled past, Valerie moves to Beverly Hills and quickly becomes Kelly's antagonist.

Thiessen's character, who was romantically involved with many of the men on the show, eventually reconciles with her family and moves home at the end of season eight. 

Thiessen appeared on numerous TV shows after leaving "90210."

Thiessen appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies after her stint on "90210," including "The Stranger Beside Me" and "Pandemic." She also had recurring roles on shows "Fast Lane" and "Good Morning, Miami." 

From 2009 to 2014, Thiessen starred as Elizabeth Burke on USA Network's "White Collar." 

Thiessen is an accomplished cook who's also appeared on cooking shows like "Hell's Kitchen" and "Food Network Star." 

Kathleen Robertson played wild child Clare Arnold on "90210."

Clare goes from spoiled, overeager rich girl to accomplished student throughout the course of the show, which ends with her getting an offer to study at a prestigious graduate school in France. 

Despite pursuing Brandon for much of the series, Clare eventually has a fulfilling relationship with Steve. 

After her stint on "Beverly Hills 90210," Robertson starred on shows like "Murder in the First."

Robertson had guest roles on a variety of shows after her time on "Beverly Hills 90210," including "CSI: Miami" and "Medium."

She played Kitty O'Neil on "The Boss" from 2011 to 2012, and starred in "Murder in the First" from 2014 to 2016. Robertson currently stars on the Canadian drama "Northern Rescue." 

In addition to her roles on television, Robertson has also appeared in several films, including Gregg Araki's "Nowhere" and "Scary Movie 2" in 2002. 

Hilary Swank had a recurring role on the show on its eighth season.

Swank played a single mother, Carly Reynolds, who gets involved with Steve Sanders over the course of one season of "90210." Carly works as a waitress in a Los Angeles restaurant until her father dies in Montana. She leaves California with her son to return to her home state of Montana. 

Swank went on to star in numerous critically acclaimed movies, including 1999's "Boys Don't Cry," after her role on "Beverly Hills 90210."

Swank was fired from the show after only one season.

But the actress went on to give numerous critically acclaimed performances, including her turn as murdered transgender man Brandon Teena in 1999's "Boys Don't Cry" (which won her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award) and the 2009 biographical film "Amelia."

She also won an Oscar in 2004 for "Million Dollar Baby."

The actress has also starred in films like "P.S. I Love You," "Logan Lucky," and most recently, the horror film "The Hunt." 

Vincent Young played rich boy Noah Hunter on the later seasons of the show.

Noah Hunter met the main characters when they visited Hawaii on season 8. After a brief fling with Donna, and a near-death experience, Noah joins AA for his alcoholism. 

In recent years, Young has appeared on crime shows like "CSI: NY" and "NCIS."

Young has only appeared on a few shows since "90210." He guest-starred on "JAG," "CSI: NY," and "NCIS" in the mid-2000s. 

He's also had roles in films like "Escape 2: Plan to Hades" and "3 Days Rising." 

Lindsay Price played Janet Sosna, editor of the fictional paper the Beverly Beat.

Janet only became a main character on the final seasons of the show, but she had a memorable storyline involving her love interest, Steve, and their publication, the Beverly Beat, where she worked as an editor. 

Janet and Steve eventually get married and have a child together. 

Price has since had recurring roles on shows like "Lipstick Jungle" and "Eastwick."

After "Beverly Hills 90210," Price had multiple-episode runs on shows like "Lipstick Jungle," "Pepper Dennis," and "Eastwick." 

Recently, she starred on the ABC comedy "Splitting Up Together," which ran for two seasons. 

Daniel Cosgrove played attorney Matt Durning on the show.

Matt is one of Kelly's later love interests on the show and even competes with Dylan for her affections. He's the go-to legal expert for any problems that arise in the group, like when Valerie kills her sexually abusive father in self-defense. 

The series ends with Matt breaking up with Kelly so that she can be with Dylan. 

Cosgrove recently appeared on the Netflix crime drama "You."

After "90210," Cosgrove appeared on soap operas like "Guiding Light," "As the World Turns," and "Days of Our Lives."

He's also guest-starred on "The Good Wife" and "Dirty Sexy Money," and even played Ron on Netflix's crime drama "You." 

On "Beverly Hills 90210," Vanessa Marcil played former ice-skating queen Gina Kincaid.

Gina is a former ice-skating champion, and Kelly's antagonist after Valerie leaves the show. While she has a sexual relationship with Dylan, she's not well-liked by most of the characters until the very end of the series. 

Marcil has mostly had roles on made-for-TV movies since "90210."

Marcil, who was known for her role on "General Hospital" before "90210," appeared on numerous television shows after the southern California-focused series ended. 

The actress subsequently starred on NBC drama "Las Vegas" from 2003 to 2008, and was subsequently on shows like "NYPD Blue" and "Lipstick Jungle." 

Marcil has also starred on Lifetime Original movies like "The Wrong Mother" and "Bad Tutor." 

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Tiffani Thiessen

• View history

Tiffani Thiessen is an American actor and model. Thiessen portrays Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills, 90210 .

• 4 Notes and references

Thiessen began modelling at 9, went on to be the 1987 Miss Junior America [1] and won a Teen Magazine Model Search. [2] At 15, Thiessen began starring as Kelly Kapowski in the NBC daytime teen sitcom Saved by the Bell (1989—1993), and it's short-lived primetime spin-off, Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993—1994).

• Thiessen was originally only contracted for Season 5 , as, when production on the season began in summer 1994, the fifth season was expected to be the last. [3]
• Thiessen auditioned for Models Inc. [2] [3]

Notes and references [ ]

• ↑ A Breakout for Tiffani ( PEOPLE • SEPTEMBER 1994)
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 WITH AN EYE ON . . . : Tiffani-Amber Thiessen zips into ‘90210' ready to defy expectations ( EW • SEPTEMBER 1994)
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 SHANNEN’S OUT, TIFFANI-AMBER’S IN AT ‘90210’ (July 1994)
• 1 Dylan McKay
• 2 Valerie Malone
• 3 Gina Kincaid

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This Day In History : May 17

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Final episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210” airs

Donna Martin (Tori Spelling) and David Silver (Brian Austin Green) finally say their vows, and on-and-off couple Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) and Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) reunite, as the curtain closes on the teen drama series Beverly Hills, 90210 after 10 seasons. The final episode of the show, which premiered on October 4, 1990, on the Fox Television network, airs on May 17, 2000.

Beverly Hills, 90210 was created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling, known for his roster of hit TV shows, including The Mod Squad , Charlie’s Angels , The Love Boat , Dynasty , Starsky and Hutch and T.J. Hooker , among many others. At the outset, the show focused mostly on the culture shock that twin siblings Brandon and Brenda (Jason Priestley and Shannen Doherty) experience when they move with their parents from Minneapolis to swanky Beverly Hills. The first few seasons of the series followed the Walsh twins and their classmates—notably played by Garth, Perry, Spelling, Green, Gabrielle Carteris, and Ian Ziering—through their time at West Beverly Hills High School (the fact that many of the actors were noticeably older than high school age was well noted in press coverage of the show). The third season saw many of them go off to college at California University, and by the eighth season the gang (much changed after many cast departures and additions) was making its way into adult life.

90210 became the first in a string of Fox programs that were geared towards teenagers and young adults, combining glamour and style trends with a moralistic spin on teen-focused “issues.” Seemingly, no subject was taboo, and in its 10 seasons the show featured plotlines revolving around alcohol and drug abuse, learning disabilities, teenage pregnancy, date rape, gay rights, domestic violence, suicide and AIDS. Fueled by a young, diverse audience, 90210 proved to be consistently popular in the ratings for most of its run, reaching as high as No. 24.

Frequent cast changes occurred throughout the course of the show, most notably the departure of Doherty, who left at the end of the fourth season amid rumored tensions on the set. Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who played Brandon’s bad-girl cousin for four seasons, replaced Doherty. Perry departed near the beginning of the sixth season but returned in the ninth as a “Special Guest Star.” In 1992, 90210 spawned a spin-off, Melrose Place , which was aimed at a slightly older audience; though it got off to a disappointing start, it eventually became another hit, producing in turn its own short-lived spin-off, Models, Inc. In the 10th season, ratings for Beverly Hills, 90210 dropped to an average of only 10 million viewers per week, a decline from previous seasons. Fox finally pulled the plug in early 2000, and the final episode aired that May. Melrose Place had bowed out the previous year.

In the fall of 2008, an updated version of Spelling’s now-classic series, titled simply 90210 , debuted on the CW network. The show focused on a family from Kansas—parents with two teenage children—who move to Beverly Hills to keep tabs on the father’s alcoholic mother, a former TV star. Garth and Doherty both signed on to reprise their roles of Kelly Taylor and Brenda Walsh. The series ran until 2013. Another reboot, BH90210 , featuring much of the  Beverly Hills, 90210  original cast, ran for one season in 2019.  

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Why 'BH90210' Star Tiffani Thiessen Says She Isn't Returning for the Reboot

And how Netflix is involved in the '90210' drama.

[Warning: This contains spoilers from episodes 1 and 2 of BH90210 ]

“Okay I need MY favorite Val.. Pleeeease!!! Lol,” shared @oceanviewamy771.

“I love this reboot,” wrote @EllenMoschetto. “I kind of miss Val/@TiffaniThiessen though.”

So, is Tiffani Thiessen coming back to 90210 ? Sadly, no. Her Netflix contract for the series Alexa & Katie is keeping her from bringing Val back to BH90210 .

"I'm actually shooting season three of Alexa and Katie right now,” Tiffani told Entertainment Tonight in June. “So I am working at the moment and busy. I'm literally in the middle of my season, and I go 'til September … My shoot schedule won’t allow [me to be apart of it], but I wish them well. I’m sure it’s going to be great.”

If anything, fans are hoping that maybe she’ll find a way to return for season 2.

And they’re even speculating that she’s the person responsible for sending the actors voodoo dolls in episode 2. As the villain on the original 90210 , this prediction isn’t too far off.

There hasn’t been confirmation that the show’s been picked up for another season, but Tori Spelling is already talking about what’s next.

"This season you'll just see us kind of getting back together and finding our friendships again, and starting to film the reboot, so next season would be like a full-on reboot, so it would be a show within a show," she told E! News.

For can't-miss news, expert beauty advice, genius home solutions, delicious recipes, and lots more, sign up for the Good Housekeeping newsletter .

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Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)

Tiffani thiessen: valerie malone.

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WITH AN EYE ON . . . : Tiffani-Amber Thiessen zips into ‘90210’ ready to defy expectations

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There’s a new bad girl in Beverly Hills.

Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, long of NBC’s silly tween sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” replaces the errant Shannen Doherty as the newest vixen in Fox’s fabled zip code, which begins its new season Wednesday.

She won’t take over the role of Brenda Walsh, the sweet, if slightly neurotic, character the publicly sour Doherty played on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” She’ll play Valerie Malone, a family friend of the Walshes who moves into Brenda’s room and the lives of her friends.

For Thiessen, the transition has been easy.

“I knew the cast already,” she says, since her real-life boyfriend Brian Austin Green was already on the show. But what about working on the same set? “Our characters don’t get involved,” she says. But Valerie does get quite cozy with Dylan (Luke Perry), Brenda’s ex. As Thiessen tells it, Valerie moves smoothly into the “90210” storyline.

“Valerie’s described as a chameleon,” she says at a small Santa Monica coffee shop. “She’s totally different from scene to scene and from one person to the next.” When it’s suggested that kind of behavior might indicate Valerie’s not too stable, she says, “They haven’t said if she’s mentally imbalanced yet. But that’s how she feels safe. It’s the only way she knows.”

The “90210” producers don’t want to “reduce Valerie to ‘the bad girl,’ ” executive producer Charles Rosin says in a phone interview. “I don’t want her to be that stereotype. I hope everyone’s patient. We’re reinventing the show and finding her character. Our show’s always evolving and so’ll Valerie.”

For the moment, Rosin says, Thiessen “plays her perky and she plays her very dark. I don’t know her that well, but it doesn’t seem part and parcel of what she is, that dark side.”

“Valerie just does whatever she can to feel comfortable,” Thiessen explains, as she sits back in the oak chair and throws her army-booted foot over the arm of the chair, her long floral dress flowing around her. “She smokes pot a lot.” In her character’s defense, typical of actresses who play connivers (a la Heather Locklear’s “Melrose Place” nightmare, Amanda), Thiessen describes Valerie as “a very troubled lady.”

And much of the hype surrounding the new character dwells on how nasty she is. “I’d call her a bad girl in the sense that she does bad things,” says Thiessen. “She’s had a lot of difficulty in her life and doesn’t know how to deal with them.”

Thiessen, who’s had little difficulty in her own life, proudly says she has nothing in common with her character. A model since the age of 9, she was Miss Junior America and a winner of the Teen Magazine Model Search. Her parents, she says, “entered me in pageants to teach me poise and how to be a girl. It wasn’t to win prizes or do the beauty thing.”

The “beauty thing,” however, did lead to “Saved by the Bell” and its prime-time incarnation, “Saved by the Bell: The College Years,” which lasted four months. She stars in the upcoming movie spinoff “Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas,” which airs Oct. 7 on NBC.

“I haven’t gotten everything I’ve gone up for,” she notes, lest it seem as if her life is too charmed. “I auditioned for ‘Models Inc.’ and didn’t get it . . . but something better came along.”

But does that something better mean she has big shoes to fill?

“I knew you were going to ask me that,” she says with a sigh. “No. I am not Brenda, I am Valerie. I don’t look anything like her,” the blue-eyed brunette says of Doherty, who also happens to be a blue-eyed brunette. “They may say Valerie is a lot like Shannen Doherty. Maybe she is. But she’s completely different than Brenda.”

“Beverly Hills, 90210” airs Wednesday s at 8 p.m. on Fox.

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What You Never Knew About Tiffani Thiessen

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To say Tiffani Thiessen was a teen icon in the '90s is an understatement. The host of KCTV5 News put it best when he said "girls wanted to be her, guys wanted to date her." Through her breakout role playing loveable high school cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on " Saved by the Bell ," she quickly became a household name for her sweet and peppy demeanor. As America's TV sweetheart at the time, her image was — and still is — plastered on everything from  posters to t-shirts to  coffee mugs . And now, over 30 years later, as she revisits the character of Kelly in the "SBTB" reboot , audiences are falling in love with her all over again. 

Since her rise to fame at just 15, the brunette beauty has enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, with roles in series like "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "White Collar" and hosting gigs on MTV and The Cooking Channel. The multitasking actress also expanded her workload to include authoring two books and penning a  lifestyle blog . Although she is undoubtedly busy with multiple projects, earning her a net worth of $10 million , she still makes plenty of time for her family. The actress  married actor and artist Brady Smith in 2005, with whom she shares  two children , daughter Harper and son Holt.

Although fans may think they know all there is to learn about Tiffani Thiessen (a sixth-generation Californian, as she told Us Weekly ), here are some interesting facts to know about the multitalented actress.

Her first audition for Saved by the Bell wasn't stellar

Because she plays the role of Kelly Kapowski so flawlessly, one would assume Tiffani Thiessen nailed her audition for the loveable Bayside cheerleader. However, that wasn't the case. In his memoir, " I Was Saved by the Bell ," the sitcom's executive producer,  Peter Engel , dished on what went down during casting. He likened the starlet's composure to that of a "deer in the headlights" at her first audition in 1988 (via Us Weekly ). Even when she was brought back for another try, he noted that "her delivery wasn't stellar ... but she had potential."

Although she competed for the part with then-up-and-coming starlets Elizabeth Berkley (who went on to play Jessie Spano ) and Jennie Garth, Thiessen ultimately won the role. Engel confessed that something else gave her a leg up in the casting room: She had already earned recognition in modeling. "Her visibility as a teen model had increased," Engel wrote. "Even if she wasn't the best actress we could find, she was icon material."

When cast in "SBTB," Thiessen was just 15. And, even though she worked on the series throughout high school, she still managed to become the valedictorian of her class, which is no easy feat! Committed to her craft, she never went to college but says she "would totally go later in life" (via Us Weekly ).

She auditioned to play Rachel on Friends after Saved by the Bell ended

After "Saved by the Bell" wrapped in 1993, Tiffani Thiessen went on to star in " Saved by the Bell: The College Years ," which ran for one season from 1993 to 1994. That same year, the gang also released a TV movie, " Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas ," where Kelly Kapowski marries her high school sweetheart, Zack Morris, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

When "SBTB" and its spinoffs ended, Thiessen was left looking for another gig. And, because of her popularity, she took a chance at another future iconic sitcom then being cast: "Friends." Thiessen tried out for the part of Rachel Green , which she revealed on " You Up With Nikki Glaser ." "Did you know I tested for Friends, for Jennifer Aniston ?" she said during the interview, explaining why she didn't get Aniston's now-iconic role. "I was a little too young to the pairing of the rest of them."

Additionally, Thiessen auditioned for the Bond girl in "The World is Not Enough," opposite Pierce Brosnan, a job she wanted "more than anything," she told the Chicago Tribune , explaining, "One, I thought it was going to change my career in a great direction. And two, I was a massive James Bond fan." The part, however, ultimately went to Denise Richards. Because that rejection hit her "extremely hard," afterward, she purposely "tried not to want anything so badly."

On 90210, she kissed Luke Perry in front of then-boyfriend Brian Austin Green

In 1994, a year after "Saved by the Bell" concluded, Tiffani Thiessen was cast in the already-established teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210." Cast as a replacement for Shannen Doherty, who abruptly left the series, Thiessen shed the good-girl image she portrayed on "SBTB" to play the manipulative Valerie Malone, who wreaks havoc on the zip code. 

Former "90210" exec producer Charles Rosin told Entertainment Weekly about the choice to bring her onboard, saying, "There was really an edge with Tiffani because she was so sexual." In fact, when Valerie was first introduced on the show, her first episode actually went down in the series' history as one of its most popular (via ABC News ). Her inaugural episode showed her with marijuana in her hand, a far cry from the pom-poms  and teddy bear Kelly used to hold on "SBTB." 

When cast, Thiessen was already dating "90210" cast member Brian Austin Green . However, her first on-screen kiss on the series was with Luke Perry, who played charming bad boy with a big heart, Dylan McKay . On " The Meredith Vieira Show ," Thiessen admitted that lip-lock was somewhat awkward. "Literally having your boyfriend on the show and then literally kissing another man!" she revealed. On " The Beverly Hills Show Podcast ," Rosin said it was "very hard" for Green to watch his then-girlfriend in bed with Perry and that it was pretty evident they wouldn't last as a couple.

The actress dated two of her Saved by the Bell co-stars

On "Saved by the Bell," Tiffani Thiessen's character, Kelly Kapowski, was known for her relationship with Zack, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar . Zack and Kelly's love story , which started as teens at Bayside and continued when they tied the knot in college, gave us major #relationshipgoals back in the '90s. In fact, the pair has had such staying power that now, over 30 years after they were first introduced, they star as a married couple in the show's reboot , which premiered in 2020. 

And, when it comes to Thiessen's dating roster, life imitated art, as she was romantically linked to Gosselaar. Castmate Ed Alonzo, who played Max, the owner of the gang's hangout, told  Entertainment Tonight  about their on-set flirtation, dishing, "They liked each other a lot. It was very cute. It was hand holding and looking over."

Another of her co-stars, the late Dustin Diamond, detailed in his memoir that Thiessen was actually hooking up with both Gosselaar and Mario Lopez, who played A.C. Slater on the series, and was known to visit both of their dressing rooms (via Ranker ). On " The Kelly Clarkson Show ," Lopez revealed that his relationship with Thiessen wasn't just a hookup, though, saying, "She used to wear my letterman's jacket from my real high school." However, "Saved by the Bell" executive producer Peter Engel told  Us Weekly that they split after she caught him making out with an extra.

As a young girl, she was crowned Miss Junior America

Before her acting career took off, Tiffani Thiessen worked as a model. The young starlet's uncle, a professional photographer , helped her get her start in the industry. Her first gig, at just 8 years old, was in a Peaches and Cream Barbie commercial . The model-turned-actress also competed in beauty pageants and was crowned Miss Junior America in 1987, when she was 13 years old. In 1989, she was honored with the title of Cover Girl Magazine's Model of the Year (via TV Guide ).

Over 30 years later, Thiessen still looks at those experiences fondly. In fact, she even posted a photo of her donning the crown and sash from the Miss Junior America pageant for her now 2.7 million  Facebook  followers. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune , Thiessen expressed her amazement regarding the longevity of her career, saying, "I started doing commercials and modeling when I was [8] or [9]. I was a kid; my daughter's 10 and sometimes it's crazy to look at her and think, 'Wow, that's when I started doing what I still do now.""

She made the first real move on her husband

Tiffani Thiessen enjoyed her time as a single woman in Hollywood, building up quite a  dating history  of actors. She started dating young and confessed to  Howard Stern  that she lost her virginity at 14. When it came time to settle down, Thiessen's former "90210" co-star played Cupid. She met  Brady Smith  in 2004 through Jennie Garth after the actor-artist made an appearance on her series " What I Like About You ."

When the pair reminisces about the start of their courtship, Smith credits his wife with making the first move. Although he arranged their first date, when it came to intimacy, it was Thiessen who initiated. "Obviously I wanted to kiss her but I wasn't gonna be that dude that tries to kiss on the first date," he told Yahoo! . "But then she leaned in and laid one on me. And I don't even remember the drive home."

A year later, in 2005, the lovebirds tied the knot  and welcomed daughter Harper Renn Smith  ( who looks just like her mom ) in 2010 and son Holt Fisher Smith  in 2015. In 2020, when the couple celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary , Thiessen expressed her deep devotion to her other half on Instagram , gushing, "I could not feel more blessed or fortunate to be experiencing life next to you."

Tiffani Thiessen wants to teach her daughter that jean size isn't important

As a young woman growing up in showbiz, Tiffani Thiessen felt pressure to look a certain way. "I was not the girl that was a size 2 and didn't work for it. I was never the waify model type," she said in an interview with  ABC News . She went on speak about the difficulty of returning to work on "White Collar," where she played Elizabeth Burke, the wife of an FBI agent, after giving birth to her daughter and gaining 45 pounds. But, as she's matured in Hollywood, she's realized that body size is no longer her focus: Her family is her main priority.

However, when asked about being considered a sex symbol, a title that first came about because of "Saved by the Bell," she said she doesn't harbor any negative feelings about it. In fact, she sees it as a "compliment" even now, all these years later (via Fox News ).

Although she does work on her physical health by doing circuit training, spin, Pilates, and hiking (via the Orlando Sentinel), she's now focused on feeling good about herself and not the number on the scale. And, as her daughter gets older, she strives to be a positive role model for her. "I want to teach her that eating right and exercising and being healthy is what's important, not what size jeans you wear," she told the publication.

An animal activist, she is a mom to multiple dogs

With her busy schedule raising a family while working in television, Tiffani Thiessen still makes time for her furry friends. A lifelong animal activist since childhood, she credits her father, who worked for the city and designed parks in her native California, for sparking her love for four-legged creatures. "We were always the house known to bring in strays constantly all the time," she told  She Said Media Said . "If I weren't doing what I did for a living I'd live in some crazy ranch style place out in the middle of nowhere and have like 9 billion cats and dogs." 

The Thiessen-Smith household is a testament to their matriarch's passion for fur babies — it includes a staggering  four dogs ! And the actress is so committed to animal care that she partnered with  Sergeant's Pet Care Products  for their pet health initiative (via OK! ).

The actress knows her way around the kitchen

In addition to dogs and acting, Tiffani Thiessen has a passion for cooking. She says it started in her youth as she watched the women in her family cook together. However, her interest was piqued even further when she traveled the world during her "Saved by the Bell" days. "I was touring with Mark-Paul Gosselaar in Europe and was learning about different cultures and cooking techniques," she told People. This inspired her to start experimenting in the kitchen, which led her to take her culinary passion on screen with the series " Dinner at Tiffani's ," which launched in 2015 on The Cooking Channel (per IMDb ). The series features Thiessen cooking for her famous friends and former co-stars, including Elizabeth Berkley, Jason Priestley, and Seth Green.

In 2020, she added another food-based series to her resume when she was cast as host of MTV's " Deliciousness ," a spinoff of "Ridiculousness," a series based on critiquing viral video clips. "It's probably the most fun and the easiest job that I get to go to, and that I've ever had in my career — truly!" she explained to People. Thiessen, who's at the helm of the series, which commemorates humorous food moments on the internet, is joined by a panel of celebrity judges — Angela Kinsey,   Kel Mitchell, and   Tim Chantarangsu — who also provide their commentary.

When she's not cooking on TV, Thiessen also runs her own blog , which focuses on "all things food, home and lifestyle."

Tiffani Thiessen is the author of two books

Besides her acting credits, Tiffani Thiessen can add "author" to her resume. The actress-turned-writer has penned two books so far. The first, " Pull Up a Chair ," was released in 2018 and is replete with, as she explains on her website, recipes "pleasing the pickiest of eaters, feeding a crowd or pulling off a party in your PJs." The cookbook is chock full of delicious-sounding dishes, like her husband's favorite: short rib enchiladas.

The project, which took her almost three years, was inspired by her life growing up in a family where all the women cooked together (via KHOU11 ). Thiessen also wanted to gather the recipes for her children one day. "I kind of wanted to leave behind a little love and legacy of mommy's recipes for my kids," she told KCTV5 .

In 2019, she released her first children's book — a collaborative effort with her husband , Brady Smith, who worked on its illustrations. The book, entitled " You're Missing It! ," speaks to the times parents miss certain moments with their children because they are looking at their phones. The dynamic duo revealed the "lightbulb" moment the idea for the book came about, which involved Smith in their backyard with their son. He said, "I was pushing him on the swing and looking at my phone, and my beautiful wife opened up the kitchen window and screamed at me across the yard, 'You're missing it!'"

Her boyfriend died while they were dating

One of Tiffani Thiessen's romantic partners was actor David Strickland , who tragically died at 29 years old. The actor is remembered for his work playing a movie critic on the NBC series " Suddenly Susan ," alongside  Brooke Shields , and a supporting role in the 1999 film " Forces of Nature " as  Sandra Bullock 's ex-boyfriend. The actor had a history of struggling with depression, drug addiction, and alcoholism and had been arrested for cocaine possession, receiving three years of probation (via Throwbacks ).

In March 1999, a day prior to his court hearing, when he didn't show up to court, Shields hired a private investigator (per the New York Post ) who found Strickland in a Las Vegas motel room after an apparent suicide (via the  Las Vegas Sun ). At the time of his death, Thiessen had been dating the actor for six months after meeting him in a boxing studio (via Am ). Sadly, at the time of his death, the actor not only had an adorable girlfriend, but he also had a successful career, as his movie "Forces of Nature" was No. 1 at the box office (via the Las Vegas Sun).

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.  

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

She's 'shocked' that her Saved by the Bell alter ego didn't have more children

In 2020, Tiffani Thiessen reprised her iconic role of Kelly Kapowski in the highly anticipated "Saved by the Bell" reboot . In the Peacock  revival series, she's married to Zack Morris, now governor of California, and they have a son, Mac , a current student at Bayside who has inherited his father's prankster gene. Fans also see a progressive character arc for  Kelly, who reconsiders the decision she made on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" — to forgo her dreams of becoming a doctor to marry Zack. 

On the series, Thiessen joins her former castmates Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, and Lark Voorhies  (who, at first, was not expected to appear in the reboot), and the veteran actress is elated that the "old gang is back together again," sharing an on-set photo on Instagram . And, it goes without saying that she's also excited to revisit Zack and Kelly's love story all these years later. In fact, she even honored the on-screen couple's 27th anniversary, sharing a throwback photo  with this caption: "Way to keep the love going." That deep love, which made the pair one of TV's most iconic couples, is being celebrated in the reboot. And, although she loves the script, there's one part of the couple's life Thiessen may have tweaked. "I am shocked that they only had one child. I would have expected...more," she told Buzzfeed .

Trashed Dressing Rooms, Co-Star Couplings, Fist Fights and Firings: Secrets of the Original Beverly Hills, 90210 Revealed

Ahead of the cast's highly anticipated onscreen reunion in bh90210 , look back on all the drama that went down behind-the-scenes during the iconic show's 10-year run.

Who says you can't go 9021-home again? 

The West Bev High gang is officially back together, with Beverly Hills, 90210 stars  Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Tori Spelling, Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Brian Austin Green and Gabrielle Carteris all reuniting for BH90210 , premiering tonight on Fox. 

In the six-episode revival of sorts, the stars of TV's most iconic teen soap will play fictionalized versions of themselves reuniting to get a reboot of the hit '90s show off the ground, but old rivalries and romances between former friends and frenemies make it anything but easy. And it seems like the show's writers didn't have  to dig very deep to find material for the show, as the original BH, 90210 's 10-year run provided more than enough inspiration. 

Given the mega-fame of the young cast and the popularity  Beverly Hills, 90210 , the behind-the-scenes drama was worthy of its own show with fist fights going down on set, a bunch of the stars hooking up when cameras weren't rolling, and one of TV's most infamous firings, thanks to Doherty's diva tendencies back in the day. 

Plus, one of the cast members lied about their age in order to land a role as a high schooler in America's most famous zip code and Dylan McKay, one of TV's most iconic characters played by the late Luke Perry, was originally only supposed to be in two episodes before legendary producer Aaron Spelling  (Tori Spelling's father) stepped in and saved the day.  

Created by Darren Star , the show was originally called Class of Beverly Hills , and at one point, Star, who based the show loosely on his own high school experience in Potomac, Maryland, used the working title Potomac 20854 before its now-iconic title was settled on. 

While BH, 90210 would go on to become one of the most popular TV shows of the '90s and be largely responsible for launching the teen soap genre, the Fox show was a dud when it first debuted in 1990, earning mediocre viewers and ranking No. 118 in the ratings (going up against Cheers didn't help). 

But after the season one finale, which featured Brenda and Dylan's first time, started gaining buzz, Fox smartly ordered new episodes for the summer, providing some much-needed teen angst and drama in what used to be the TV off-season. 

"We filmed all of our risqué summer episodes at the beach and aired those at the time when the other shows were in reruns," Garth said in a New York Times  interview. "So we caught a huge teen audience, kids that were home from school. And then it just went crazy."

From there, 90210 went from low-rated guilty pleasure to cultural phenomenon and the mostly unknown stars became some of the most famous people in the world, with Garth writing in her memoir, "in just a matter of weeks, we went from being just another generic ensemble cast of any old prime-time drama to being…superstars. I don't think any of us were prepared for the stardom that was thrust upon us in this way."

Before being cast as one of TV's ultimate heartthrobs, being christened "the next James Dean" and becoming the ideal guy for legions of viewers, Perry was working construction as a way to pay his bills between auditions, one of which was for the role of Steve Sanders, which Ziering ultimately landed.

But when producers realized they were lacking a brooding bad boy, Perry, then 27, got the call. "When Luke walked into the audition, it was like 'Wow, that's the person,'" Star gushed to Rolling Stone . "He seems exactly like James Dean to me, but it isn't a conscious imitation—he's really being himself."

While Dylan McKay was only set to appear in a few episodes and Perry wasn't a main cast member initially, it was clear from the moment he drove up in that black Porsche 356 Speedster that a star was born...even if Fox didn't initially think so, with Spelling having to fight to make Perry a series regular. (Imagine their reaction when they learned 20 people were injured after a riot broke out at a mall during one of Perry's appearances, with 10,000 fans showing up?)

Perry remained on the show until 1995, leaving for three years to pursue other opportunities before returning in 1998 and remained on until the end, often credited as a special guest star. 

In March 2019, Perry died at the age of 52 due to complications after suffering a stroke. He was starring on Riverdale , the latest teen soap that can credit the original  90210 for leading the way, playing the father of Archie ( KJ Apa ), the show's brooding lead. While he wasn't set to appear on Fox's BH90210 revival, the show is set to pay tribute to the beloved star in its premiere. 

Fearful of nepotism, Tori Spelling auditioned under a fake name, Tori Mitchell (inspired by a character Heather Locklear had played in a TV movie), when she went out for her famous dad's show, auditioning for the roles of Kelly and Andrea before landing the role that would make her a household name.

"I heard about the show from my agent. She said, 'Your dad is doing it.' I was like, 'I haven't heard anything about it,'" she told EW . "I popped into his briefcase when he got home, and I was like, cool. I really wanted to play Andrea. I went in under a different name, then I got the part of Donna—which I'm sure had something to do with my dad."

Tori's Donna Martin would go on to become a fan-favorite, appearing in all 10 seasons of the show and being at the center of iconic moments, like Donna (finally) losing her virginity, a major TV moment, and the infamous "Donna Martin graduates!" chant when she was initially banned from attending graduation. In his memoir, Priestley revealed a prank he pulled on that day of filming: Knowing they were going to reloop the dialogue anyway, Priestley got the group of extras to chant "Donna Martin masturbates" instead, finding the opportunity "pretty irresistible."

"She really and truly did not give a s--t," Priestley wrote in his memoir of his on-screen sis. "It was a very cool attitude, until it wasn't."

Doherty, praised for her turn in Heathers , was arguably the biggest breakout star from 90210 's earlier seasons...and also the one who developed the biggest diva reputation, upsetting producers and her fellow co-stars until they finally reached their breaking point. "Her lateness was appalling, and she had a callous attitude and an indifference," Rosin told EW, with Aaron Spelling adding, "It wasn't like she ruined the show or anything. It just upset the cast members tremendously."

Looking back on the tumultuous time, Doherty admitted, "There was definitely a time that I did not want to be there. I was unhappy."

The final straw for producers, however, proved to be Doherty's decision to cut her hair in the middle of filming the season four finale episode (continuity be damned!), which would ultimately her her last on the show as the writers sent Brenda off to London to pursue acting.

But it was actually Spelling who went to her father on behalf of the cast to have Doherty fired. 

"I felt like I was a part of something, a movement, that cost someone their livelihood," an emotional Spelling said during a 2015 special. "Was she a horrible person? No. She was one of the best friends I ever had."

After Doherty's dramatic exit, the pressure was on to find her replacement. "We obviously had an exhaustive search to replace her," executive producer Larry Mollin told TeenDramaW--re in 2010 . "We looked at many people." Alicia Silverstone, Alyssa Milano and Drew Barrymore all reportedly were in contention, but  BH, 90210 found their new star in Saved By the Bell  fan-favorite Tiffani Amber-Thiessen, who joined the show in season five as bad girl Valerie.

"We wanted a baaad girl. There was really an edge with Tiffani because she was so sexual," producer Rosin told EW. "In her first episode, she [smoked] some pot. We were making a statement there." (In her first scene, she memorably rolls a joint with one hand, though a stunt double was needed.)

Viewers responded immediately to the character, but there was one cast member who didn't love Amber-Thiessen: Brian Austin Green, her boyfriend at the time. 

"When we cast her, Brian was so upset! Oh my god, he felt betrayed!" Mollin recalled . "We were totally shocked and had no idea. But, then, of course, we realized why: because other people would be kissing...his girlfriend!"

Fact: if you assemble a cast of young, attractive and dramatic people and have them work together for an extended period of time, they will hook up. (See: The O.C., Gossip Girl, Riverdale , etc.)

"Various combinations of people slept with each other over the years," Priestley revealed in his memoir, undoubtedly filling fans with righteous joy that their suspicions were right all these years later. Priestley went on to say his "full-fledged adult relationship" was with Christine Elise (aka Emily Valentine), with the co-stars dating for five years.

During a test on Celebrity Lie Detector , Spelling said she had a quick summer fling with Priestley, dated Austin Green (saying she was "always in love" with her onscreen beau), and just once kissed Perry. (Priestley's response? "I'm not getting into this... It's nobody's business... Either way...," he tweeted.)

After dating Amber-Thiessen for several years, Austin Green dated Vanessa Marcil , one of David's major love interests Gina Kincaid), with the couple going on to have a child together, a son named Kassius , before splitting. 

If viewers thought the rivalry between Brenda and Kelly was intense, it was nothing compared to the behind-the-scenes feuding between Doherty and Garth, with Spelling often attempting (and failing) to play peace-maker.

 "I don't know why it is, but there is a universal truth that when you put three teenage girls together, some serious s--t is going to go down," Garth wrote in her 2013 memoir, "even if it meant sounding like a complete and utter ---h. Poor Tori, the youngest of the three of us was, inevitably, often caught in the middle and she was always trying to smooth things over, trying to get Shan and me off each other's backs and get along, but her efforts usually failed."

Things got so heated that the two stars once came very close to throwing punches (with some accounts saying fists actually did fly), with Garth revealing the cause of the blow-up (which the male cast members had to step in to deescalate): Doherty had pulled up Garth's skirt while filming a scene, with Garth, who described the two women as "gasoline and a match," writing in her memoir, "I did snap and I yelled at her, something to the effect of, 'Come on, bitch! We're talking this outside!'"

Fortunately, Doherty and Garth were able to reconcile years later, becoming close friends. "Now, as grown women, we happen to get along as well," Garth told E! News.

It might be hard to believe, but back in the early '90s, 16-year-old Brenda losing her virginity to Dylan at the dance was a big effin' deal. And the biggest outcry came from "scandalized" local affiliates who were upset that Brenda didn't face any real consequences over her decision to have sex, but was happy about it. 

"I was strongly advised to write a show that would address the consequences of that sexual experience," Starr revealed to The New York Times . "So the first episode of the second season Brenda broke up with Dylan because their relationship had gotten too mature."

While Kelly Taylor was battling cults, cocaine use, love triangles and amnesia on-screen, Garth was privately struggling with anxiety beginning at the age of 19, as she revealed in her memoir. 

"I felt comfortable—almost comforted—by all of the workers buzzing around me during the day, but after hours, I'd find myself getting anxious when strangers approached me," she wrote. "And so simple tasks, like going to the grocery store, or the mall, or to get gas, became overwhelming exercises in having to be ‘on' when my natural inclination was to shut down and not interact with anyone. I…began to suffer a level of anxiety that as, at times, nearly paralyzing. When the panic attacks started to kick in, I became even more withdrawn."

She revealed at one point she had "stopped going to the movies or clothes shopping or doing any of the other things normal young people do," waiting until well after dark to step out of her home. "I wouldn't say that I ever stepped over the line into full-blown agoraphobia, but I would say I definitely came close."

While Ziering mostly avoided any and all drama on-set, he revealed he had an emotional breakdown in season four due to a storyline of Steve's being cut.

"There was an episode where Steve was accused of rape," he told HuffPost Live  in 2015. "But, they edited out so much powerful stuff. That was like the first time I really got some great words to say and I work shopped them and I studied. I brought game, and it never even made it through the edit."

Feeling "betrayed" by the producers' decision not to air the scenes without letting him know first, Ziering lost his cool. 

I tore the dressing rooms apart," he revealed. "We all work so hard for our characters and to not even get a heads up...I'm not a volatile person, I have a very long fuse, but after working so hard on this particular episode, I just didn't feel like they were with me on this one."

After becoming a teen heartthrob for playing the ultimate nice guy Brandon Walsh, Priestley was desperate to shed the goody two-shoes image in real life, indulging in hard partying ways "to prove that I was nothing like the sanctimonious Brandon Walsh," he wrote in his memoir. (During a 2014 Watch What Happens Live! appearance, Garth said he partied the hardest out of all the cast members.) 

"When you're young like that, you feel like a hamster on a wheel. All you're doing is spinning that wheel and your world," he told The Hollywood Reporter . "You have a bunch of people telling you how great you are, so it's really easy to just start believing it after a while."

Priestley ended up changing his ways (thanks in large part to his relationship with co-star Elise, going on to become a producer on the show and directed episodes, which is why his unceremonious exit in season nine hurt his feelings at the time.

"I did the first scene of the morning—literally with this actor who was brought in to replace me—and that was it. I hugged the crew, picked up my box of stuff, went to my car and drove away," he told the Guardian. "There was no party, no nothing. I felt like I'd wasted nine years of my life." He would return via video message for the series finale the following season.

After initially auditioning for Brenda, believing that being a twin IRL would give her an edge, Gabrielle Carteris landed the role of Andrea…after the 29-year-old lied about her age to snag the part of the academically-minded 16-year-old. (Fun fact: Teen Witch star  Robyn Lively , then Priestley's girlfriend, turned down the role of Andrea first.)

"I actually talked to a lawyer about how could I sign these contracts and lie about my age and still be able to do the show. Is it OK?" she told Access Hollywood . "[The lawyer said] ‘Yes it is, as long as you just say you're over 21.'"

A main cast member for the first five seasons, producers reluctantly worked Carteris' real-life pregnancy into the show, making Andrea pregnant and having her marry the baby's father, Jesse Vasquez. But by the end of the fifth season, the producers felt Andrea's time in America's most famous zip code had come to an end, and sent her off to Yale with hubby and baby in tow. 

"It didn't really add to us. It took away a lot of the fun, to have to be in this grown-up stuff," Mollin said . "We eventually just didn't think it was going to work."

Two Oscar wins later, Hilary Swank is still not over being fired from Beverly Hills, 90210 back in the day. 

"I was on 90210 during the eighth season when no one watched anymore and Luke Perry was long gone," Swank recalled during an appearance on Conan . 

After playing single mom Carly Reynolds for 13 episodes, Swank was unexpectedly fired...despite signing a two-year contract, leaving her "devastated" after learning fans didn't love her character paired with Steve Sanders. 

"They were like, 'Look, it's not working,' Swank said of the conversation she had with producers. "And I couldn't move. I was like, 'What's not working? Me? Am I bad? I'm not working because I'm bad?'"

But when one door closes, another opens, and soon after her firing Swank landed the role that would win her her first Oscar in Boys Don't Cry . Your loss, Steve!

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’90s Teen Dream Girl: Tiffani-Amber Thiessen Edition

• January 23, 2023
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It’s time to take a look back at one of our favorite ‘90s stars, one of the ultimate dream girls of the era, none other than… Tiffani-Amber Thiessen! She has been consistently busy throughout her career, but those who grew up in the ‘90s remember her best as Kelly Kapowski from Saved by the Bell . Today, we’re going to take a look back and celebrate some of her most memorable roles.

Born in Long Beach, California, Tiffani got her start in the entertainment industry by participating in beauty pageants, and was crowned Miss Junior America in 1987. The next year, she won Teen magazine’s “Great Model Search” and appeared on the cover, as well as inside the issue sporting swimwear, and in 1989 she was named Cover Girl ’s “Model of the Year.” 1989 would prove to be a pivotal year for Tiffani as that is when she landed her iconic role of Kelly Kapowski.

Thiessen spent about half of the ‘90s dedicated to her Saved by the Bell role, but eventually was able to branch out to more risque characters, from her role as Beverly Hills, 90210 to a variety of made-for-TV movies. While you may feel like she disappeared for awhile, the truth is she has been working pretty consistently throughout the years, guest starring in various TV shows until her regular roles on White Collar in 2009, and Alexa and Katie in 2018. She also re-visited her iconic role of Kelly Kapowski in the Saved by the Bell reboot, which was hilarious and way too short-lived if you ask us.

Tiffani is also a big foodie, and has not only had her own Cooking Channel series, Dinner at Tiffani’s , where she cooked and had famous friends over to eat, but has also written her own cookbook, Pull Up a Chair , and has a website where she often posts recipes. She and her husband, Brady Smith, have also co-written a children’s book together, You’re Missing It .

Before we look back at some of her most memorable roles from the ‘90s and early ‘00s, take a look at some commercials she was in:

Saved by the Bell (1989 - 1993)

Of course, Kelly Kapowski on SBTB is Tiffani’s most iconic role – what girl didn’t wish she was Kelly? (I know I did.) Kelly was a popular cheerleader, and, of course, the love interest of main character, Zack Morris. The storylines revolving around Zack and Kelly’s relationship were often some of the best episodes of the series, and cemented them as one of the most memorable TV couples of the ‘90s .

Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993 - 1994)

If you didn’t watch The College Years , honestly, why not? It’s actually not bad, and pretty funny at times. Tiffani wasn’t on the show in the pilot episode, but quickly appeared in the second episode and was part of the show from there on out. Can you imagine if she wasn’t on it?! It would have been completely different, and not in a good way, am I right?

Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas (1994)

Tiffani’s last role as Kelly prior to the reboot was in the wedding TV movie, where Zack and Kelly want to get married in Vegas. It’s basically a road trip movie where the girls and the guys both have problems making it to Vegas on time, causing the couple to wonder if they should get married at all. Luckily, true love wins out.

Beverly Hills, 90210 (1994 - 2000)

Tiffani did a 180 with her role as Valerie Malone on 90210 . She had always been known as a clean cut good girl thanks to SBTB , and changed things up with this bad girl role. Tiffani joined the cast in season five after the departure of Brenda, and quickly starts mixing things up with the gang. Valerie was a main character up through season nine, when she departed the show, though she did come back for the finale.

The Stranger Beside Me (1995)

In The Stranger Beside Me , a TV movie, Tiffani stars as a young wife whose life is turned upside down when she starts to suspect that her husband is behind a string of rapes in the area. Eric Close co-stars as her husband.

She Fought Alone (1995)

Tiffani stars as a young woman who is date raped, and then humiliated and accused of instigating the rape in She Fought Alone . Brian Austin Green co-stars as her boyfriend ( not the rapist, despite how the above picture makes it look) in the TV movie. Personally, I actually remember seeing this movie on TV back in the day. For some reason, the scene where she takes a shower until the water runs cold still pops into my head from time to time.

Hollywood Ending (2002)

Hollywood Ending is a Woody Allen film, but is widely known as one of Allen’s worst films. Thiessen was very excited to get this role at the time, as it was one of her first big roles not playing a teenager, and made her feel like a real actor.

Fastlane (2002 - 2003)

Fastlane was a dark, flashy, over the top action drama that Thiessen starred in as Billie Chambers, the handler of Peter Facinelli and Bill Bellamy’s cop characters. Basically, they infiltrated the seedy parts of Los Angeles to take down some bad dudes. This show was better than it had a right to be, thanks to how it would often incorporate a lot of humor into the action.

What were your favorite roles of Tiffani’s? Any we missed that you adored? Let us know in the comments!

• Tiffani always wanted to be in a James Bond movie, and got close to being in the 1999 Bond movie The World is Not Enough , but lost out on the role to Denise Richards.
• She was offered the role of Paige on Charmed in 2001, but turned down the role, which eventually went to Rose McGowan.
• Tiffani auditioned for the role of Rachel Green on Friends , but did not get the role as she was too young compared to the rest of the cast. It is reported that Tea Leoni was originally offered the role, but turned it down. Others who auditioned include Jane Krakowski and Lisa Whelchel, but of course it went to Jennifer Aniston.
• Tiffani has said that the two celebrity crushes she had growing up were Harry Connick Jr. and Rob Lowe.
• Her most embarrassing moment on-set was on Beverly Hills, 90210 . She was supposed to drive her car into a scene, but wasn’t able to because she didn’t know how to drive a stick shift.

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Tiffani Thiessen celebrates 50th birthday by posing in nothing but a bedsheet

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In her birthday suit!

Tiffani Thiessen celebrated her 50th birthday on Tuesday, posting a photo of herself tangled up in nothing but a bedsheet.

“Over the hill,” she captioned the solo shot, along with the hashtag, “This is 50.”

In the photo, the “Saved By the Bell” alum lounged on a bed with only a white bedsheet covering her body.

She used one arm to press the bedding against her bare chest and the other to steady herself on the mattress.

The actress’s tousled hair was swept to one side, partially covering her face. Her sultry makeup — complete with a glossy lip and brown eyeshadow — looked untouched.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiffani Thiessen (@tiffanithiessen)

Her friends and former co-stars were quick to flood her comments section with their best birthday wishes.

“Looks pretty 🔥🔥🔥 to me,” Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote, as Mario Lopez added, “Welcome to the 5th level kid!”

“Happy Birthday! I remember knowing you as a teenager and hoping to be as gorgeous as you one day! And I still feel the same! You make 50 look great! ❤️” Jennifer Love Hewitt chimed in.

Many of her other 2.3 million followers also couldn’t believe how good the “Beverly Hills, 90210” alum looks, joking that she doesn’t look a day over 30.

“If that’s ‘over the hill’ somebody please tell me where that hill is,” one follower wrote, to which another added, “Forever 29! Happiest of birthdays to you! 🎂🎉.”

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Thiessen got candid about her decision to age naturally during an interview with Page Six Style in September, insisting that she has never — and likely will never — get any work done to her face.

“I like my laugh lines,” she told us at the time.

“And I call them laugh lines and happy lines because that’s what they are, you know? And I also cried a lot, too. So they probably were created for that, too. But that’s life.”

She added, “And I earned them.”

The actress-turned-cookbook author also noted that she wants to “lead by example” so that her 13-year-old daughter, Harper, learns the importance of self-love.

“I have a teenage daughter, I don’t want her to see that I’m scared [about] turning 50 and that I need to change my face or anything,” she explained.

Along with Harper, Thiessen also shares son, Holt, 8, with husband Brady Smith, whom she wed in 2005.

The mother of two also explained on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” last year that she was heading into her milestone birthday less focused on her outward appearance and more on her mental and physical health.

“Right now I’m really trying to be good [about my health] — not that I haven’t been in the past, because health has always been very important — and I mean body health and mental health,” she explained to host Jennifer Hudson.

She continued, “But I think in my 40s, my time was really for my children. We give so much to our kids, my child was giving so much to my child, you know, that kind of stuff. And now since they’re kids are older, they don’t need me so much as when they were little, it’s a little more me time. It’s about me.”

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The Cast Of 'Beverly Hills, 90210': Who Is The Richest Today?

Most of them were major stars in the '90s — but just how rich are the 'Beverly Hills, 90210' cast today?

If there is one teen drama that immediately reminds us of the '90s it's surely Beverly Hills, 90210 . The show was created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling and its cast immediately became international superstars. Unfortunately, in 2000 — after 10 years and 10 seasons — the show wrapped up. Luckily, the show lives on as it resulted in five spinoffs and reboots ( Melrose Place , Models Inc , 90210 , Melrose Place  again, and BH90210 ).

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Today, we're taking a look at just how wealthy the original cast is. Most of them have been major stars in the '90s — but just how rich are they today? Keep on scrolling to find out!

10 Tori Spelling — Net Worth $1.5 Million

Kicking the list off is Tori Spelling who played Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210 . Besides this role, Tori is best known for appearing in shows like Mystery Girls and The Help — as well as movies such as The House of Yes , Kiss the Bride , and The Last Sharknado: It's About Time . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Tori Spelling is currently estimated to have a net worth of $1.5 million .

9 Gabrielle Carteris — Net Worth $3 Million

Next on the list is Gabrielle Carteris who portrayed Andrea Zuckerman on Beverly Hills, 90210 . Besides this role, Gabrielle is best known for starring in movies like How to Deter a Robber , Meet Wally Sparks , and Raising Cain — as well as shows such as My Alibi and Code Black . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Gabrielle Carteris is currently estimated to have a net worth of $3 million .

8 Kathleen Robertson — Net Worth $3 Million

Let's move on to Kathleen Robertson who played Clare Arnold in the popular teen drama. Besides this role, Kathleen is best known for appearing in movies like Down the Road Again and Three Days in Havana — as well as shows such as The Fixer , Boss , and Bates Motel .

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According to Celebrity Net Worth , Kathleen Robertson is currently estimated to have a net worth of $3 million — meaning that she shares her spot with Gabrielle Carteris.

7 Ian Ziering — Net Worth $5 Million

Ian Ziering who played Steve Sanders on Beverly Hills, 90210 is next on our list. Besides this role, Ian is best known for appearing in shows like Swamp Thing , The Order , and Malibu Rescue as well as movies such as the Sharknado movie franchise and The Legend of Awesomest Maximus . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Ian Ziering is currently estimated to have a net worth of $5 million .

6 Shannen Doherty — Net Worth $5 Million

Next on the list is Shannen Doherty who portrayed Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210 . Besides this role, Shannen is best known for starring in movies like Heathers and Girls Just Want to Have Fun as well as shows such as Charmed , North Shore , and The Secret of Lost Creek . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Shannen Doherty is currently also estimated to have a net worth of $5 million — meaning that she shares her spot with Ian Ziering.

5 Jennie Garth — Net Worth $8 Million

Opening up the top five on our list is Jennie Garth who played Kelly Taylor in the popular teen drama. Besides this role, Jennie is best known for appearing in movies like My Brother's War and Power 98 — as well as shows such as What I Like About You , Mystery Girls , and Brand New Life . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Jennie Garth is currently estimated to have a net worth of $8 million .

4 Brian Austin Green — Net Worth $8 Million

Brian Austin Green who played David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210 is next on our list. Besides this role, the actor is best known for appearing in shows like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles , Freddie , Wedding Band , and Anger Management — as well as movies such as Don't Blink and Cross.

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According to Celebrity Net Worth , Brian Austin Green is currently also estimated to have a net worth of $8 million meaning that he shares his spot with Jennie Garth.

3 Tiffani-Amber Thiessen — Net Worth $10 Million

Opening up the top three on today's list is Tiffani-Amber Thiessen who portrayed Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills, 90210 . Besides this role, the actress is best known for starring in movies like Son in Law , Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th , and Hollywood Ending — as well as shows such as Saved by the Bell , Fastlane , and Alexa and Katie . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Tiffani-Amber Thiessen is currently estimated to have a net worth of $10 million .

2 Jason Priestley — Net Worth $16 Million

The runner-up on today's list is Jason Priestley who played Brandon Walsh in the popular teen drama. Besides this role, Jason is best known for appearing in movies like The Last Rites of Ransom Pride and Enter the Dangerous Mind , as well as shows such as Call Me Fitz and Private Eyes . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Jason Priestley is currently estimated to have a net worth of $16 million .

1 Hilary Swank — Net Worth $60 Million

And finally, wrapping the list up is Hollywood star Hilary Swank who played Carly Reynolds on Beverly Hills, 90210 . Besides this role, Hilary is best known for appearing in shows like Trust , Leaving L.A. , and Camp Wilder as well as movies such as Million Dollar Baby , Boys Don't Cry , and You're Not You . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Hilary Swank is currently estimated to have a net worth of $60 million .

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