5 Best Actors to Guest Star on ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’

Beverly Hills, 90210 had a slew of guest stars throughout its 10-season run.

The ‘90s drama brought on well-known actors, actors who were just starting, and many musical guests.

While some guest stars were pretty brief, others had recurring roles for a while. Of course, considering the show ran for nearly 300 episodes, it’s hard to narrow down the best of the best. 90210 had some pretty great actors grace its sets, and these five are only some of the best actors to guest star because again, it’s pretty hard to narrow down so many greats, but these ones certainly made an impression.

Dean Cain

Before making his mark as the Man of Steel, Dean Cain guest-starred in four episodes of Season 3 in 1992 as college student Rick. He first meets Brenda in the episode, “Shooting Star/American in Paris,” while trying to get directions in Paris, where Brenda and Donna are studying for the summer. Brenda pretends to be French since she likely won’t be seeing him again, as he’s from Wisconsin and she lives in Beverly Hills.

However, things hit a snag when Brenda bumps into him at a video store when she’s back in California, and he reveals that he’s going to California University. Brenda ultimately reveals her true identity, and they get together, but she’s still hung up on ex-boyfriend Dylan, so they end things on friendly terms.

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank had a pretty prominent role during the latter half of Beverly Hills, 90210, starring in 16 episodes of Season 8 as Carly Reynolds. She is a single mother, having gotten pregnant by her high school boyfriend. Carly meets Steve at a soccer game, as she’s there for her son Zach, and Steve is there as a favor to Kelly, taking her little sister Erin. Although Carly and Steve don’t get off on the right foot, he winds up getting her a job at the Peach Pit since he feels responsible for getting her fired from her other job after getting into an argument with her.

While Steve and Carly start going out and Steve starts bonding with Zach, she ends up moving back home to Montana with Zach to care for her sick father, so the relationship ends. Obviously, there is a lot more that happens since Swank was in 16 episodes, and it turns into a pretty memorable arc for Steve.

James Pickens, Jr.

Now known as Dr. Richard Webber on Grey’s Anatomy, James Pickens, Jr. had a recurring role on Beverly Hills, 90210 in Seasons 2 and 3 as Brandon’s boss, Henry Thomas, at the Beverly Hills Beach Club. Since the beach club episodes took place at the beginning of the earlier seasons, Pickens only appeared in 10 episodes. The tough, no-nonsense manager had a soft side at times, or at the very least, would be understanding of some of the events happening at his beach club, but still made sure everything was in tip-top shape.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba appeared in two episodes of Season 8 in 1998 as Leanne, a pregnant teenager who goes to the clinic where Kelly works. She gives birth and leaves her baby in a dumpster, so Kelly turns the baby over children’s services. Later, Leanne comes back to the clinic and begs Kelly to help her get her baby back. Although the baby was placed with a gay couple that Leanne did not approve of due to her being homophobic, the baby was returned to her for a brief time, before she returned her back to the couple.

Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry was also just on one episode. Before Friends, the late actor appeared as West Beverly Hills High student Roger Azarian, a popular student who is lettered in three sports and is involved in the debating team and the environmental awareness program. Not to mention the fact that he had an internship at the governor’s office in the summer and is Kelly’s ex-boyfriend. Brandon befriends Roger after wanting to do a Senior Spotlight piece on him for The Blaze, and Roger gives Brandon a screenplay for him to read, but Brandon believes he wants to murder his father because of the autobiographical elements and Roger resenting his father.

Roger revealed to Brandon that he was suicidal and was planning on killing himself, even pointing a gun at his face in front of Brandon. Luckily, Brandon talks him down, and Roger is admitted into a psychiatric facility.