Jennie Garth Thought Kelly and Brandon’s Romance Was ‘Weird’ At First

Jennie Garth is viewing Beverly Hills, 90210 through a different lens now that she and former costar Tori Spelling are rewatching the series for their podcast, “90210MG.”

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly to promote her Planet Oat partnership, the actress, 51, spoke fondly when looking back at her time on the teen drama. “I never watched the show really, because when we were filming it, I was just doing my part,” Garth, who played Kelly Taylor for 10 seasons until the series ended in 2000, explained. “I didn’t see or know what they were filming other than what Kelly was doing.”

Now, “I get why people love the show so much. You really start to root for them and want to be a part of their friend group,” she continued, noting there was something special about the characters and cast, which includes Spelling, Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Brian Austin Green, Gabrielle Carteris, Ian Ziering and the late Luke Perry. “It was like lightning in a bottle.”

The What I Like About You alum and Spelling are now catching up on season 5, which is when Kelly and Brandon (played by Priestley) begin dating. “It was a little weird because Jason is like a brother to me, but when we crawled into the skin of the characters, it really did make sense,” Garth told Us. “I love watching Kelly and Brandon together. What they had was really nice and I’m a fan of it.”

One scene in particular that proved to be the “hardest” to film? Season 5’s “Up in Flames”, in which Kelly finds herself trapped in the bathroom with a woman named Allison after a fuse starts a fire. “We had to really commit to being in a fire, and I didn’t know what that was like,” she continued. “Watching it [now], I was like, ‘Wow.’ I believe that she was terrified and about to die.”

The BH90210 alum — who predicts Kelly is “probably getting a massage somewhere” — has taken a page out of the iconic character’s book, too. “[The phrase] ‘I choose me’ has really become a part of my life,” she told Us. “I really encourage people to take time for themselves.”

Part of choosing herself includes prioritizing wellness, which is why her partnership with Planet Oat, which helped consumers get some pep in their step after Daylight Savings, was one “made in heaven,” the mom of three added. “I am a plant-based believer.”