Tori Spelling And Jennie Garth Reunite For “Mystery Girls”

© 2013 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Credit: Eric McCandless

Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth in Mystery GirlsLong before Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Kim Kardashian became symbols of the “good life” for our society’s youth, the kids from Beverly Hills, 90210 were shaping our idea of what a high-end lifestyle could mean to teenagers. But regardless of their tax brackets, the real heart of that show was the close bond between the characters — in particular, Tori Spelling’s Donna Martin and Jennie Garth’s Kelly Taylor. Now, more than 20 years after they first met, Garth and Spelling are reuniting onscreen in Mystery Girls, a new ABC Family comedy, airing Wednesdays, that Spelling herself helped develop. Still buds after all these years, Tori and Jennie chat it up about having kids, working together again and how they REALLY feel about each other.

What were your first impressions of each other when you first met before working together on Beverly Hills, 90210?

Jennie Garth: Initially? Like, a hundred years ago? Oh, Tori and I became fast friends. We were so young. Oh, my God … how old were you? I was 16… no, 18.

Tori Spelling: I was 16. You were 17!

Jennie: I was 17.

Tori: Didn’t we start in April? You probably just turned 18.

Jennie: Tori was very shy, and excited … and nervous.

Tori: Jennie was very pretty and cool. I was excited to be friends with her. It was really funny because we were playing the popular girls, but we became friends and bonded over knitting and just staying at home. We were instantly sisterly with each other.

You two have clearly built up a great friendship over the years. Do you think that chemistry is something that people are going to enjoy as part of Mystery Girls?

Jennie: A hundred percent! Well, we hope!

Tori: You couldn’t write that chemistry!

Jennie: Yeah, we can’t help it.

Tori: It’s who we are. The dialogue is great, but we have such a connection that that just comes out. You could’ve cast two other actresses in there, but it wouldn’t have been the same connection.

What are the biggest differences in coming to work these days, compared to your days hanging out together at the Peach Pit?

Jennie: We have lots of kids. How many do we have collectively?

Tori: Seven?

Jennie: Seven? Geez!

Tori: We’re bigger than the Brady Bunch.

Jennie: We have a lot more responsibility now. As producers on the show, we have a lot more on our plate. I think that both of us like it that way … just knowing that we’re doing a show that we want to do and our creative voices are being heard is such a great feeling. Knowing that Tori and I are working together, it’s like we’re partners in this. I think it’s a lot different than our previous work together.

Tori: I think there’s so much confidence in it just from having evolved as women and as actresses now getting to do something that we create, and it’s comfortable, and it’s with each other. Jen’s done a lot of behind-the-scenes work; for me, it’s something pretty new. It’s something that I’ve always loved, but I’ve never really been given the chance to do it every week on a series. It’s exciting to step into that and be able to do that, and I wouldn’t feel OK with anyone besides Jen doing it every week. I would be questioning myself all the time, and I feel safe to be myself and be goofy and funny with Jen here.

Jennie: Just knowing that we have each other’s backs. I love Tori like my sister and I support her. I want her to look good, and I want the show to do well. It’s all part of the puzzle. Knowing that somebody’s there. She’s got my back, I’ve got her back; neither of us are going to let the other fail.

Tori: I think last time we worked together, we were just finding ourselves.

Jennie: We didn’t even know what we were doing.

Tori: Yeah. It was like what was the grand plan in life? Who knew?

Jennie: Who knew?

Tori: We were just in it. We were like, “Wow, this is our world.” And now we’re comfortable with who we are in our lives. It’s conscious choices now, so it’s nice to come back together to do it again.

Mystery Girls is a bit of a different vehicle than what we’ve seen from you two in the past. Where did the idea come from, and how long did it take you to move ahead and make this happen?

Tori: I originally created the idea, and brought it to ABC Family. I had just done a TV movie with them; a comedy with our other producer, Maggie Malina —we worked together on The Mistle-Tones. She was like, “You need to do a comedy. You should get back into acting.” So, I came up with this idea and we pitched it to ABC Family and they loved it, and we moved ahead, and then we brought it to Jen, because we thought she would be the perfect fit. Honestly, no one else could have done this role. I don’t know what I would have done if you would have said “no.” It was basically created for you. It would be so weird having to cast someone that was supposed to be you! It just fit perfect. Now we’re in it together, and we are true partners moving forward from the pilot. It’s really fun in the writer’s room and we break stories, we’re executive producing it, and it’s just so cool to be able to have a true partnership in every aspect, onscreen and off.

You mentioned before that both of you are in a place in your lives where family is a big factor. How important was it for you to decide to do a show that the whole family can watch together? 

Jennie: I think that it’s up to the families to decide what’s right for their individual family. Maybe the show isn’t right for every age, but even in the past with 90210 and What I Like About You, I always urge the parents to decide, “Is this right for my kids?” I love doing shows that my girls can watch and get the humor; or if the humor is too adult, it goes right over their heads.

Tori: It’s really nice as a mom to be a part of a network that believes family supports family, and it’s all about family. My kids are really little. They’re not completely there yet, watching ABC Family, but I’m proud to be able to show them the network and that we’re a part of it.

Jennie: Yeah, it definitely feels a family working here, not a workplace.

1 Comment

  1. Please some decent channel treat a class program like the billy brown family decently! Discovery used to be my favorite channel, but they treated the Bushes like dirt! Also they are putting on too much smut.
    Pick them up Animal planet or Natioal Geographic or History Channel,please!
    JamieandAnnie

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