Shannen Doherty’s relationship with the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 was always complicated — and the fictionalized version of Shannen in BH90210 is no different.
Stars and cocreators Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth denied that the real-life drama between the women was the inspiration behind the character Shannen’s divide from her costars, which is well documented in the Wednesday, August 7, premiere.
“It wasn’t that. The reason we definitely wanted to show that she was separate from the group was that we really wanted to play in on the public’s perception and there was so much written,” Spelling said at Us Weekly’s video suite at the TV Critics Association summer press tour ahead of Wednesday’s premiere. “Keep in mind, back in the day, there wasn’t social media and Internet, it was just different. So we would see these crazy stories that were so far from the truth, but we couldn’t do anything about them and now were like ‘OK, let’s draw upon what everyone thinks happened and play that into the show.’ So that’s definitely why we had her separated and everyone being like, ‘Oh we don’t know about her being here, there’s some feud.’ We wanted to play into what the public perceived.”
Garth revealed that they play on Tori, Jennie and the rest of the cast’s dynamics with Shannen throughout season 1.
“That’s what makes it so good, because we use — even now, today, in the last several months, there have been all kinds of things said or stories written that are complete falsities but we were like, ‘Let’s use that’ and it’s some of my favorite parts of the show,” the What I Like About You alum explained.
Spelling added, “We had such a crazy time schedule; we were writing the show as we were filming, so a lot of what people will see in the series, happened as we were starting to film.”
Doherty left Beverly Hills, 90210 after four seasons in 1994 amid rumors of tension between her and her costars. Spelling, Garth and Jason Priestley all acknowledged the drama with the Heathers actress in their respective memoirs. More recently, the former Mystery Girls stars recalled a fight between Garth and Doherty after the latter pulled up her costar’s skirt on the set of the ‘90s drama.
“We were teasing, yeah, I didn’t care for that,” Garth said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Monday, August 5, after admitting their male costars had to hold the two women back from getting physical. “Like who does that? I wouldn’t do that to someone. … I’m pretty sure I got in her face.”
BH90210 airs on Fox Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
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With reporting by Emily Longeretta
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