Secrets of Beverly Hills, 90210: A Reunion Full of Surprises
Before gaining fame as one of TV’s most adored heartthrobs, being dubbed as “the next James Dean” and becoming the ideal man for countless viewers, Perry was working in construction to make ends meet in between auditions. One of these auditions was for the role of Steve Sanders, which ultimately went to Ziering.
However, producers realized they needed a brooding bad boy, and at the age of 27, Perry received the call. Star shared with Rolling Stone how impressed they were with Perry’s audition, saying, “He seems exactly like James Dean to me, but it isn’t a conscious imitation—he’s really being himself.”
Although Dylan McKay was initially meant to appear in only a few episodes and Perry wasn’t originally part of the main cast, his star quality was evident from the moment he arrived in that black Porsche 356 Speedster. Despite Fox’s initial hesitation, Spelling fought for Perry to become a series regular after a riot broke out at a mall during one of his appearances, resulting in 20 injuries and 10,000 fans showing up.
Perry remained on the show until 1995, took a break for three years to explore other opportunities, and then returned in 1998, continuing until the show’s end, often being credited as a special guest star.
In March 2019, Perry tragically passed away at the age of 52 due to complications from a stroke. At the time, he was starring on Riverdale, a show inspired by the original 90210, playing the role of Archie’s father. While he wasn’t set to appear on Fox’s BH90210 revival, the show plans to honor his memory in its premiere.