Tori Spelling and Brian Austin Green’s friendship goes way back.
The pair, who starred on Beverly Hills, 90210 together from 1990 to 2000, famously portrayed love interests Donna and David, respectively, on the long-running Fox drama, and they dated in real life at the start of the series’ run.
Though they have a close friendship now, Spelling and Green were estranged for nearly two decades after Beverly Hills, 90210 wrapped. The duo opened up about their rift in an August 2024 episode of Green’s “Oldish” podcast.
“I remember our last conversation and the last thing we said to each other before those 18 years. I was crying,” Spelling recalled. “I remember crying that we were going to lose touch because we were so close. It was almost like going through a divorce or something.”
Green, for his part, added, “What I remember is going by [your then-boyfriend and our former costar] Vincent [Young]’s house to see you multiple days after we wrapped and trying to keep a connection going. But it got to the point where I just never got that from you.”
He continued, “And then I remember being at the 90210 DVD release party and you were married to [now-estranged husband] Dean [McDermott] and I was with [now-ex-wife] Megan [Fox] when we were still just dating — you guys got there and you never said hello to me once. I just kept missing you guys and then you were gone.”
Keep reading for everything Spelling and Green have said about each other during their friendship.
From Costars to Lovers
Spelling opened up about Green being her “first love” during an episode of her “misSpelling” podcast in April 2024, revealing that she cheated on her boyfriend Ryan with Green at the time.
“That was the first guy I was with, and he was great, and to be honest, I cheated on him with Brian,” she told her late Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Shannen Doherty. “We broke up because I fell head over heels in love with Brian Green.”
She added, “I always say, Brian with a B was the first love of my life. But I was young and I was caught up in it.”
Detailing Her Feelings in ‘sTori Telling’
In her 2008 memoir, sTori Telling, the Saved by the Bell alum made similar comments about Green, revealing that she told costar Jennie Garth that she thought she was in love with him when they filmed their characters David and Donna’s wedding for the series finale in 2000.
Defending Brian Austin Green’s Parenting
Spelling defended Green as a dad amid his split from ex-wife Fox.
(Green and Fox began dating in 2004, wed in 2010 and finalized their divorce in 2022. They share three kids: Noah, born September 2012; Bodhi, born February 2014 and Journey, born August 2016. Green is also dad to son Kassius, whom he welcomed with Beverly Hills, 90210 costar and ex Vanessa Marcil in March 2002. Additionally, he and fiancée Shanna Burgess share son Zane, whom they welcomed in June 2022.)
“He is one of the best dads I ever met,” Spelling told Extra in November 2020. “I’m so proud of the human he’s become, watching him go from a 16-year-old boy to the man he is now, and he always puts his children first — we love him.”
The ‘Last Person’ to Break Tori Spelling’s Heart
During an April 2024 episode of her “misSpelling” podcast, Spelling recalled a conversation she had with Green about her divorce from McDermott, who announced their separation in a since-deleted Instagram post in June 2023. Spelling later filed for divorce in March 2024, almost 18 years after they tied the knot.
“No, I was in love. Maybe I wasn’t in love,” she recalled telling Green of her romance with McDermott, adding, “I’m not sure. No one’s broken my heart since you.”
Why They Lost Touch for 18 Years
During an August 2024 episode of the “Oldish” podcast, which is hosted by Green, Burgess and Tori’s brother Randy Spelling, Tori and Green opened up about losing touch with one another for nearly two decades after Beverly Hills, 90210 ended in 2000.
After explaining to Tori that she did not seem interested in keeping up their friendship when they were dating other people after the show ended, Green said he threw in the towel after one-sided attempts to maintain some sort of relationship with her.
“It was just this thing of like, ‘She just doesn’t want to be my friend.’ I genuinely felt that way,” he admitted of their falling out. “I tried to visit you and I would call you. When that wasn’t reciprocated and so I gave up. I didn’t know what was going on in your life.”
Tori explained her side, telling Green, “On my part, I lost myself in that relationship again as I had done previously in relationships. That relationship was not a good relationship for me, and toward the end I got wrapped up and things weren’t good.”
Noting that his relationship with Marcil affected their friendship situation, Tori added, “That relationship was frustrating to see from a friend’s perspective who loves someone so much. To see what is going on and see how your friend is treated and not be OK with it. But also knowing that you can’t really say anything because the person has to go through their own experience and go on their journey.”
Never Giving Up on Each Other
Despite going through hardships with their friendship through the years, Green and Tori both explained that they never gave up on each other, even when they weren’t in each other’s lives.
“My process was different and I would shy away from those that would really fight for me,” Tori said on the “Oldish” podcast in August 2024. “I never stopped thinking about you and never stopped wanting to reach out and reconnect.”
Green added, “I still showed up. I had come to terms with knowing that wasn’t a good relationship, but you are my sister so there is no cut-off.”
