If you're like me, "90210" wasn't any show - it was the show. It represented your youth - you tried the trends (sideburns are hard for prepubescent teens), listened to the bands ("Vaseline" by Flaming Lips!) and absorbed every irrelevant piece of information about Kelly, Brenda, Brandon, Dylan, Steve and Donna there was to know.
Like me, you followed Kelly to "Melrose Place" -- and subsequently Amanda Woodward to "Models, Inc" -- and cried as she was trapped in a fire, chewed nails to the nubs when Tara held held her hostage and tsk tsked as she dabbled in drugs with Colin (swoon!).
So, as you can imagine, I had to suppress every fan urge when my phone rang and I was told, "Hi Jarett, this is Jennie Garth -- I'm so sorry for calling you late." OMG, so nice right from the jump. We were scheduled to chat about Kelly Taylor's return on tonight's "90210" as she had been off visiting her babydaddy Dylan. A revelation I was dying to know her feelings on.
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.