THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 29, 1994 TAG: 9407300430
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E01 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: VAN NUYS, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
THE SET OF ``Beverly Hills 90210'' is miles away from that swank ZIP code.
They don't film the mega-popular Fox series anywhere near the manicured lawns of Beverly Hills. They do it here in this blue-collar town where you don't have to drive far to find a body shop.
Beverly Hills has Rodeo Drive. Van Nuys has Kmart.
Welcome to Van Nuys, Calif., zip code 91411, where ``Beverly Hills 90210'' has begun began filming its fifth season in a setting that is definitely un-chic and utterly un-glamorous - a squat-looking warehouse next to a lot where row upon row of second-hand washers and dryers stand like soldiers at attention, waiting to be auctioned off.
Archie Bunker would be right at home in Van Nuys.
Within the walls of that warehouse at 15001 Calvert Street in downtown Van Nuys are the sets and scenery familiar to the millions who watch the Wednesday night show that transformed its young cast from unknowns into instant celebrities. Here reside that warehouse surrounded by a chain-link fence is the Walshes' living room, the interiors of California U., to where the cast headed after graduating from high school, the Peach Pit and the beach pad shared by Kelly, Donna and her moody boyfriend, David.
The cast of ``Beverly Hills 90210'' lives in Beverly Hills only in the minds of the show's writers. This month, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen became the newest actor slaving away in that warehouse, playing a 20-year-old soon to have cool friends and a wardrobe even better than you'll find at The Gap.
Shannen Doherty as Brenda Walsh is gone, and in her place, in her old bedroom, as a matter of fact, comes Thiessen. Did I say she's replacing Doherty? Excuse me.
``I'm not replacing her. After five years with the series, she went her own way. The character I play is completely different from the character she played. It's my part, and I'll do it my way.''
This is the same Tiffani-Amber Thiessen who was cast as the wholesomely sexy cheerleader Kelly on ``Saved by the Bell'' when she was 15. She looks the same on ``Beverly Hills 90210,'' but different.
She's still Tiffani-Amber with the high cheekbones and fab figure, but her hair has been bobbed to play Valerie Malone on ``Beverly Hills 90210.'' The writers hint of giving her character a dark side.
There is already talk that Thiessen will be working to seduce Brenda's old squeeze, Dylan McKay (Luke Perry).
Thiessen is sending an alert to the kids who idolized her as Kelly on ``Saved by the Bell.'' Kelly was so-o-o-o-o perfect. ``They should remember that whatever I do on this show will not be done by the real me but by me playing a role. I won't be that perfect girl I played on `Saved by the Bell.' I'm an actress, this is a job, and I will play the character as it is written. The kids will likely be shocked because the character I now play is completely different from Kelly.''
Thiessen is introduced as a family friend of the Walshes from back home in the Midwest who is enrolling at California U. The Walshes take her in and give her Brenda's old bedroom because Brenda won't need it as long as she studies drama in Europe.
Before joining the cast, Thiessen visited ``Beverly Hills 90210'' in its bargain-basement setting because she dates Brian Austin Green - he plays David, the frustrated musician. Thiessen has been hanging out on the set for years.
Won't it be awkward to do scenes with her boyfriend? ``I don't expect to be doing many scenes with him,'' she said. The final word on that is for the producers.
The returning cast of ``Beverly Hills 90210'' seemed pleased to have her on the team for the first week of shooting recently. Perry, who reported to work in a full beard that will probably be gone when shooting begins, said he expected another actress to be chosen to play Brenda.
That didn't happen, and Perry thinks the show will be better because the producers didn't try to bring in a new Brenda. Where would they find another actress whose lower lip turns down when she speaks?
``Tiffani-Amber's presence will give the show a new flavor, bring a new color to the palette. And, hey, she could be my new love interest,'' said Perry. The dude wouldn't mind that.
It was a cool move by producer Aaron Spelling to bring Thiessen into the cast because she has a huge following among young viewers. ``Saved by the Bell'' is enormously popular with kids 12 to 15. How come? ``Our characters give the kids who watch somebody to relate to,'' Thiessen said. ``Kids need that.''
Kelly and Zack. Zack and Kelly. They were the cutest TV couple since Desi and Lucy. MEMO: Television columnist Larry Bonko has been in Los Angeles for the
twice-yearly press tour.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
by CNB