New 90210

Pop Wrap: I’m sure initially deciding whether or not to return to “90210? was the tougher decision, but what convinced you to re-return for more episodes?
Jennie Garth: Well, the show is doing well and I had a lovely time doing it. Plus, it’s an easy job for me scheduling wise — it works with my family. And I think this sounds so corny, but the fans like to see someone from the original. They like that tie-in and everyone’s first response to me was, “I love seeing you on the show,” so I thought, why not - it’s an easy job, a good paycheck and people love it - how can I lose?

PW: So in a way, you’re doing this for the fans?
Jennie: That was one of the major reasons I wanted to come back, because the original fans were so devout for 10 years - actually longer than that since they watch reruns. And I’m a loyal person, too, I’ve had the same manager since I started in this business - it’s just something in who I am.

PW: How long are you open to playing Kelly Taylor?
Jennie: I always say that as long as the show stays good, my storylines appeal to me and to the fans - you know, as long as the show works on every level. If they came to me and wanted me to work four days a week, I couldn’t do that. If they came to me and presented a storyline I didn’t love, I’d say no thanks. I can walk away at any minute because I have my family and I’m very needed there, so it’s not like, “I’ll never work again!” But if things keep lining up, I’ll stay.

PW: How much of a say do you have a say in Kelly’s path?
Jennie: I have a lot of say. Just the other day a writer asked me what I wanted to do with Kelly - my first reaction was fear because she had no idea what they were doing! So I said, ‘lemme give it some thought,’ because that’s what we initially did, my husband - [actor Peter Facinelli] - came up with some ideas like making her a guidance counselor and having a son. We didn’t know who the father would be but I thought it would make her a deeper and more involved woman. So I know that I’ll come up with something great and the writers will come up with something great and we’ll meet in the middle.

PW: Did you think Dylan would turn out to be the father?
Jennie: I was just as surprised as the viewers - and I don’t even know if Luke knows. We’ve talked, but we don’t talk about business, but I’m sure he was surprised too. I think it’s right, I think that’s what the fans wanted the writers to do.

PW: But Luke has been vocal about not wanting to return, right?
Jennie: There are some people from the cast that don’t want to go back to the characters that made them famous - and that’s totally fine. But the writers wanted Kelly to go [visit Dylan] and wrap it all up with a pretty red bow, off camera. I didn’t want to do that. I thought that the fans, who were so excited to have her go visit Dylan, would be so disappointed that it ended like that. I said, if the time comes when Luke’s schedule opens up it needs to be resolved on camera. Let that play out so people can see it, because they have been waiting for it.

PW: So Kelly’s trip to see Dylan didn’t go well?
Jennie: She comes back and I’m still unclear. The trip went OK but it didn’t answer any questions for Kelly. Now she’s open to a new life without Dylan and that’s the biggest sign that their time together didn’t go as well as hoped. She comes back with an openness to other men and is trying to put Dylan behind her - but he’s not completely history for her.

PW: Personally, I love Kelly and Brenda’s scenes - was there any discussion, pre-”90210? reboot - of having Christmas specials or reunion episodes with the original cast?
Jennie: No, Aaron [Spelling] wasn’t well for many years and that just wasn’t a priority. And I think it was too soon. I would rather come back when we’re all older - like, “who’s got a walker? Who’s on dialysis?” We did a sit around a kibbutz show but that was lame - I didn’t speak during the whole thing.

PW: Was it weird for you to once again be playing Kelly Taylor and sharing scenes with Shannen Doherty in the halls of West Beverly?
Jennie: It was crazy because we did that Entertainment Weekly cover and I hadn’t seen the woman for 15 years! It’s like, “Hi, let’s do a photo shoot! How are we? Do we like each other? Are you nice? Am I nice?” That took some feeling out. I wasn’t so much nervous that we wouldn’t get along, I was just nervous about the initial reunion because I don’t like hand to hand combat.

PW: But to the fans, it seems to be working quite smoothly. Is that accurate?
Jennie: Yeah, we came to the place where we both acknowledged that we’re in different places in our lives. Elementally speaking we’re very different people with different interests, which is great, but at the same time we’re very alike, too. So as much as I want to be Shannen’s BFF, in real life it’s a comfortable friendship. We work together but give one another space - neither of us are trying to force anything.

PW: I love that you’ve infused Kelly and Brenda with the same mentality - they’re not squabbling over boys, or clothes - it’s a more mature relationship.
Jennie: Exactly. Shannen and I didn’t want to do the same old thing, but we’re tapping into the reality of the character’s history and having a dialogue about not going to that place. They’re different now and more mature and have to figure out a way to be friends without going down the same boring roads. I think that’s what women do when they’re older - discuss where they’ve come from and how they got there instead of repeating the same old patterns.

PW: As a married woman with three kids, what’s it like playing Kelly now that you’re in a such different life place personally?
Jennie: Somehow I feel so much more centered and womanly - my life is so much different than it was then. It’s much fuller and more bountiful and I just realized that the magazine covers and the work was all I had then. So I’m in the same place but such a different person - it’s a really cool opportunity to be given. To say, “Wow, look how far I’ve come.”

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Tags: Jennie Garth, kelly dylan, new 90210