If you grew up in the 90s, you didn't just watch TV. You lived it. And for millions of us, the face of that era was a blonde, slightly jaded, but ultimately resilient girl from Beverly Hills.
Jennie Garth is the actress who played Kelly on 90210, and honestly, she didn't just play a part; she survived a decade of the most "soap opera" trauma ever televised. From the "I choose me" moment to the heartbreaking love triangles, she was the heartbeat of West Beverly High.
The Girl Behind the Zip Code
Jennie Garth wasn't exactly a Hollywood legacy kid. She grew up on a horse ranch in Illinois. Kind of a far cry from the palm trees of Rodeo Drive, right? She moved to LA as a young teen, and after a few minor gigs, she landed the role of Kelly Taylor.
Actually, she had to audition five times. Five!
People forget that in the pilot, Kelly was sort of a one-dimensional "rich girl" trope. She was the snobby friend who existed to show Brenda Walsh how the other half lived. But something happened. Garth brought this weirdly grounded vulnerability to Kelly that the writers couldn't ignore.
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Pretty soon, Kelly wasn't just the popular girl. She was the girl with the addict mom, the girl dealing with a lot of heavy stuff behind those designer clothes.
Why Jennie Garth stayed while others left
You've got to give her credit for the hustle. While Shannen Doherty (Brenda) left after season four and Luke Perry (Dylan) took a break, Jennie Garth stayed for the entire original run. All 10 seasons.
Because of that, we saw Kelly grow from a 16-year-old Spring Princess into a 20-something woman running a PR firm and a clinic. Garth became the "continuity icon" of the franchise. She even showed up in the first few episodes of Melrose Place to help launch that spin-off. She basically was the 90210 universe.
The "90210" Trauma Checklist
If you look back at what the writers put Kelly through, it’s actually insane. Garth played through:
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- A diet pill addiction in high school.
- Getting trapped in a house fire.
- Joining a literal cult (The New Evolution).
- Being shot in an LAX parking lot.
- Developing amnesia after that shooting.
- The "I choose me" breakup with both Brandon and Dylan.
Most actors would have phoned it in by the eighth catastrophe, but Garth kept Kelly feeling like a real human being. You either loved her or you loved to hate her, but you couldn't stop watching.
Returning to the role as an adult
When The CW decided to do a reboot in 2008 simply titled 90210, Jennie Garth was the first big name to sign on. She came back as a guidance counselor at West Beverly. It was a bit surreal to see "Kelly Taylor" helping a new generation of messy teens.
She later admitted that the reboot felt a little "wonky" once the original producers left. She didn't stay for the whole thing, opting out after the second season. She eventually told reporters that the new show felt like just another Gossip Girl clone and lacked the "lightning in a bottle" feel of the original.
Then, of course, there was BH90210 in 2019. This one was meta. Garth played a "heightened version" of herself trying to get a reboot off the ground. It was weird, funny, and deeply nostalgic. It reminded everyone that without the actress who played Kelly on 90210, the franchise just doesn't feel right.
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What is she doing now?
Jennie hasn't just sat around waiting for reboots. She starred in What I Like About You with Amanda Bynes for four seasons, which was a huge hit in its own right.
These days, she’s leaned into the nostalgia. She hosts the 9021OMG podcast with her real-life best friend Tori Spelling. They go back and watch every single episode, and honestly, the behind-the-scenes tea is better than the show itself. She talks about the feuds, the fashion regrets (the bangs!), and what it was like to be a teen idol in a world before social media.
The Takeaway
Kelly Taylor was a complicated, sometimes judgmental, but fiercely loyal character. Jennie Garth took what could have been a "mean girl" caricature and made her the soul of a decade.
If you're looking to dive back into the drama:
- Check out the 9021OMG podcast to hear Jennie's actual thoughts on the plotlines.
- The original series is usually streaming on platforms like Paramount+ or Pluto TV.
- Look for her 2014 memoir, Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde, if you want the unedited story of her time in the spotlight.
Next time you see a clip of a blonde girl in a black and white prom dress saying, "I choose me," you'll know exactly who she is and why she's still the queen of Beverly Hills.