Former 90210 Actress Says She Found Cut-up Pictures of Herself While Filming the Show

Kathleen Robertson recently spoke about her difficult experience joining the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210. On a recent episode of the Slice of Life podcast, the Canadian actress described arriving on the show in 1993 as super intimidating, leaving her feeling nervous and anxious.

Robertson joined the series in its fourth season in a recurring role, but she quickly realized the set was far from welcoming. At the time, the show was a global hit, and the original cast had a tight dynamic that made it hard for new actors to fit in.

One moment in particular stuck with her. In the makeup trailer, Robertson discovered that her continuity Polaroids had been cut in half. She took this as a hostile gesture from someone on the production. When she asked the makeup team about it, they admitted they had been trying to shield her from the tension behind the scenes.

“It was a tough environment, but I could take it,” Robertson said, noting that she refused to let it affect her performance. The experience has stayed with her, especially as she moved into leadership roles on other shows.

While starring in Murder in the First in 2014, she made a conscious effort to make new guest actors feel welcomed, remembering how hard it was when she first joined 90210. Despite the challenges, Robertson singled out Tori Spelling as a bright spot.

“Tori was amazing from day one—warm, welcoming, and really nice,” she said, adding that Spelling helped soften the impact of the otherwise cold reception. Robertson eventually decided to leave Beverly Hills, 90210 after three seasons. She realized that staying would stunt her professional growth.

“I had a moment of clarity where I told myself I had to get out to save my future career,” she recalled. Since her time on the show, Robertson has built a successful career as both an actress and a writer. She is known for her role as Hildy Mulligan in Murder in the First, where she starred alongside Taye Diggs.

She has also worked as a writer and producer, creating the 2022 series Swimming with Sharks and developing a film adaptation of the novel Little Bee. Her recent TV credits include the final season of The Expanse and the Netflix drama Northern Rescue.

The story of the 90210 cast has long been a topic of public interest. Many of the actors have reconciled in recent years. Jason Priestley, for example, recently spoke about making peace with the late Shannen Doherty before her passing in 2024.

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