For an entire generation, Tori Spelling will always be Donna Martin from “Beverly Hills, 90210.” The actress spent a decade playing the beloved character on one of the defining television shows of the 1990s — but 36 years after the series first premiered, her life looks very different.
“Beverly Hills, 90210” debuted on October 4, 1990, turning several members of its young cast into household names almost overnight. Spelling landed the role of Donna in the series created by her father, legendary television producer Aaron Spelling.
The teen drama followed a group of friends growing up in glamorous Beverly Hills, and “90210” soon became one of television’s most recognizable numbers. Viewers followed the characters through relationships, breakups and family dramas until the show ended on May 17, 2000, after ten seasons and nearly 300 episodes. Donna’s story concluded with her marrying longtime love David, played by Brian Austin Green.
Spelling’s own romantic life later became almost as eventful. She married actor Charlie Shanian in 2004, but the marriage quickly fell apart. While still married, she met Dean McDermott during filming in Canada in 2005. Spelling and McDermott married in Fiji the following year.
The couple went on to welcome five children — Liam, Stella, Hattie, Finn and Beau — but their relationship eventually ended. In June 2023, they announced their separation after years in which their marriage had frequently attracted public attention.
Away from “90210,” Spelling remained a familiar face through reality television, books and other acting projects. Shows including “So NoTORIous,” “Tori & Dean: Inn Love” and “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood” gave audiences an unusually intimate glimpse into her family life. Her books, including “Stori Telling” and “Mommywood,” also became bestsellers.
Her later years have included difficult periods as well. In 2023, Spelling attracted headlines after temporarily living in an RV. In 2026, she was involved in an accident in Temecula with four of her children and three of their friends. All eight were treated at a hospital, and Spelling later expressed relief that the incident had not ended more seriously.
Today, at 53, the actress remains active on social media, where she regularly shares moments from her life and family with nearly two million followers. More than three decades after audiences first met the teenage Donna Martin, Tori Spelling has changed considerably — but for millions of nostalgic “Beverly Hills, 90210” fans, that iconic role remains impossible to forget.
