Tori Spelling’s Character Is ‘Broke’ In ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Revival
Fans already know that Tori Spelling and the rest of the Beverly Hills 90210 cast will play “heightened versions of themselves” in the upcoming BH90210 revival. So perhaps it’s no surprise that Spelling’s highly publicized real-life financial woes will be exaggerated in the six-episode Fox series that also features original cast members Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Shannen Doherty.
At a recent Comic-Con panel in San Diego, Ziering, who played Steve Sanders on the original ’90s teen drama, told reporters that in the reboot, it will be Spelling’s “character” who gets the old Peach Pit gang back together for a reunion series because she is in desperate need of money. Ziering spilled major BH90210 plot details while speaking at San Diego Comic-Con late last week, Us Weekly reports.
“We are playing ourselves after meeting at a fan panel. Tori, who, in the TV series, is a mother of six children and is broke, inspires everybody to get the show back on. [Tori’s character] really needs this. So everyone has their reasons of why they don’t want to do it or why it shouldn’t be done, but Tori’s story is so compelling, it convinces everyone to do it.”
In real life, Spelling has five children with husband Dean McDermott — Liam, Stella, Hattie, Finn, and Beau — as well as Jack, McDermott’s grown son from his previous marriage to Mary Jo Eustace.
In addition, Spelling and McDermott’s financial issues have been tabloid fodder for tears. Tori, the daughter of late TV and film producer Aaron Spelling, has made headlines for her alleged spending habits and high credit card bills. At one point, Tori’s then-estranged mom, Candy Spelling, told OK Magazine that her daughter often cried “poor,” while her spending was out of control.
While Tori Spelling was never broke — the star has logged a steady stream of acting and reality TV credits in the 20 years since playing Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210, and her husband is also a working actor and TV personalityn– it sounds like the BH90210 revival will exaggerate her financial situation.
As for Ziering’s 90210 character, he says he’s “a very hard-working, driven individual” and “an even greater entrepreneur than I am.”
“He’s much more motivating and inspiring, and these are things that I try to be in my own personal life, but he takes it to the next level,” the Sharknado star added of the TV version of himself. “He doesn’t need to do this series.”
Of course, there will be twists and turns as the amplified tale of the Beverly Hills, 90210 veterans plays out 19 years after the group’s iconic teen show ended.
In addition to the heightened personalities that will be seen on the revival, the absence of original Beverly Hills, 90210 heartthrob Luke Perry will be addressed in the series.
Jason Priestley, aka 90210’s Brandon Walsh, previously told Entertainment Tonight Canada that it was extremely difficult reuniting with his BH90210 family without Perry, who died in March. Priestley said the cast had to talk about the fact that Perry wasn’t there, but he added that he feels the scene was done in a tasteful way that did not exploit his late co-star’s death.
BH90210 premieres Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 9 p.m. on Fox.
