Fired from Set: Globally Famous Actress Recalls Bad Memories on Beverly Hills Show

Matthew Perry, Eva Longoria, Aaron Paul… These are just a few of the actors who made appearances in the iconic ’90s series Beverly Hills, before becoming headliners of their own shows. Jessica Alba also joined this list when she appeared in episodes 23 and 24 of the show’s eighth season in 1998, two years before James Cameron cast her as the lead in his series Dark Angel.

An Outlandish Rule

During an October 2020 appearance on the show Hot Ones, Alba, whose Hollywood career skyrocketed in the 2000s, disclosed that her experience on the series, which starred Jennie Garth, Jason Priestley, Tori Spelling, and Ian Ziering, was less than serene.

“On set, I was not allowed to make eye contact with any of the other actors, which is really weird when you’re trying to perform a scene with them,” Alba revealed. She added that she was explicitly warned, “

You’re not allowed to look at any of the cast members in the eyes, or you’ll be thrown off the set.

This peculiar directive was especially challenging given that she had to act alongside the main characters of the series, leaving a lasting impression on Alba, though seemingly not on her fellow actors.

Memory Gap

Indeed, Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling responded on their podcast 90210MG to Alba’s comments, asserting they didn’t recall such a rule, suggesting it might have originated from the producers.

Kelly’s portrayer, who shared most of Alba’s scenes, commented, “I only remember that she was incredibly talented. She was very young and truly delightful, and I’m not surprised she has achieved such success afterward.“

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