Tori Spelling Reveals the Reason Behind Hilary Swank’s Exit from 90210
Tori Spelling seems to have inside knowledge about the circumstances surrounding Hilary Swank’s character on Beverly Hills, 90210.
In the episode of iHeartRadio’s “9021OMG” podcast on Friday, November 21, Spelling, 52, got together with her former co-star Jennie Garth to revisit season 8 of the iconic show.
While speaking about Swank, 51 — who portrayed Carly Reynolds before being written off after 16 episodes — Spelling appeared to suggest she knew the real reason for the actress’s exit.
“[She was] signed on as [a] full-time cast member,” Spelling mentioned, teasing details about her departure. “When it happens, I’ll tell you the exact story because I was right there. Oh boy.”
Garth, 53, expressed her excitement, replying, “Oh my God, I can’t wait!’
Before jumping into the season 8 premiere, podcast producer Amy Sugarman had something on her mind.
“I’ve always felt that Hilary Swank wasn’t great in this role. That’s how I remembered it — thinking, ‘Oh, Hilary Swank was not good.’” She clarified, “It’s not that she wasn’t talented. In fact, she is. It’s just that they wrote her character poorly.”
Sugarman highlighted a scene where Swank’s character “comes in hot” without a proper introduction.
“From the beginning, she appears quite unpleasant,” she elaborated. “Who approaches a dad who’s merely trying to help a kid and says, ‘Why are you touching my kid?’”
While Spelling acknowledged that she “didn’t think the writing was great” in the season 8 premiere, she still “liked” Swank’s character in that scene.
Garth added, “I appreciated that she stood up for her child by saying, ‘Get your hands off him.’ If you’re a mom, and there’s a grown man near your kid?”
Although Swank’s role on Beverly Hills, 90210 was shorter than anticipated, she went on to achieve significant success in Hollywood with award-winning films like Million Dollar Baby.
In a candid 2024 interview with Guy Raz, Swank revealed that she felt “discouraged” to leave Beverly Hills, 90210 so soon.
“I thought, ‘Wow, I’m not good enough for this show that’s past its prime with Luke Perry and all the hype.’ But the irony is… it reminded me that fate works in mysterious ways,” she reflected. “If you genuinely trust what’s happening when one door closes… I landed Boys Don’t Cry two months later.”
Swank’s role as Brandon Teena won her the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2000.
Spelling and Garth’s podcast offers much more than just a recap of one character. The two longtime friends invite listeners on an insight-filled journey as they rewatch Beverly Hills, 90210 from a refreshed perspective.
The podcast also allows them to highlight a friendship that has endured for decades.
“I’m not sure if it’s art imitating life or vice versa — but we’ve cultivated a close friendship over the past 30 years,” Spelling mentioned in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “We’ve reached a point in our lives where we want to collaborate.”
