**Jennie Garth Reflects on Love, Loss, and Lessons from Beverly Hills, 90210**
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/jason-jennie-13590977009c43918ea3c85302977de1.jpg)
Jennie Garth, renowned for her role as Kelly Taylor in the iconic series Beverly Hills, 90210, has opened up about her experiences on set and their lasting impact on her personal perspective on love and relationships. In a recent interview with *PEOPLE*, Garth shared insights from her forthcoming memoir, *I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, and Embracing Reinvention*, which is set to be released on 14 April.
During her time on the show, Garth portrayed a character entwined in a love triangle with Brandon Walsh, played by Jason Priestly, and Dylan McKay, a role made famous by the late Luke Perry. Despite the intense romantic connection depicted on screen between Kelly and Brandon, Garth clarified that her relationship with Priestly remained strictly platonic.
“Did I ever make out with Jason in real life? No, I did not,” the 54-year-old actress stated, further revealing that her bond with Priestly is akin to that of siblings. “He and I, we’re very close. We’re like brother and sister. So much love for one another, but no, we kept it to Brandon and Kelly,” she added.
In contrast, Garth’s onscreen dynamic with Perry was more complicated. Their characters’ passionate relationship mirrored Garth’s own feelings for Perry, whose untimely death in 2019 left many heartbroken. Looking back, she reflected, “When Kelly was falling for Dylan, I was falling for Luke.”
She candidly acknowledged that Perry represented her first true love, stating, “I do think he was my first true love. Now looking back, I’m like, ‘You were just like every other girl in the world.’ Everyone imagined him as their first true love.”
Garth explained that the lines between fiction and reality often blurred for her. “It got a little blurry at times,” she confessed, describing moments of intimate conversations and emotional exchanges between her character and Perry’s. “I think I got caught up in it and I allowed myself to think that it was real,” she added.
The complexities of the relationships portrayed on the show significantly influenced Garth’s outlook on romance in her personal life. She admitted that the recurring themes of love triangles and betrayal shaped her understanding of relationships, noting, “It had a huge impact on my view of love and relationships. My character was caught up in a lot of love triangles. And even Brandon ended up being unfaithful to Kelly. Of all people, Brandon Walsh!”
Her experiences on the show, along with the varied messages about love—particularly the risks and dangers of opening one’s heart—contributed to a guarded approach to relationships in her own life. “So I lived my life pretty guarded in the relationship world. Until I found that that didn’t work for me either,” she explained.
Garth’s journey through love and heartbreak didn’t end with the show. She married actor Peter Facinelli in 2001, with whom she shares three daughters, but the couple divorced in 2012 after over a decade of marriage. Since then, Garth has found happiness with actor Dave Abrams, whom she wed in 2015.
As Jennie Garth prepares to share more of her story in her memoir, she hopes that readers can find inspiration in her journey of self-rediscovery and the pursuit of joy. The upcoming book promises a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections on her time in the public eye, and the evolution of her understanding of self-worth and love.
With her insights, Garth not only revisits a pivotal moment in television history but also offers a deeper understanding of how those experiences shaped her into the person she is today. The anticipation surrounding *I Choose Me* reflects a growing interest in the narratives behind beloved characters and the lives of the actors who portrayed them.
As more fans await the unveiling of Garth’s memoir, her candid reflections on love, loss, and identity resonate with anyone who has navigated the complexities of their personal relationships. Garth’s journey serves as a reminder that the lessons learned on screen can often reflect the truths we all face in our own lives.