American actress Tori Spelling was born on May 16, 1973 in Los Angeles, California. The daughter of famed television producer Aaron Spelling, she first got a taste of acting by appearing in several of the shows her father produced: The Love Boat, T.J. Hooker, Hotel, Fantasy Island, Vega$ and Saved by the Bell. During the time, she also pursued her studies at the Harvard-Westlake School, where she eventually graduated.
Spelling’s big break came in 1990, when her father gave her a role in the drama series Beverly Hills 90210. She played the role of Donna Martin, the best friend of Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), and later of Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty). Throughout the show’s ten-year run, she dealt with the many struggles in her relationship with David Silver (Brian Austin Green) and her ambitions of becoming a professional model. Throughout the time, she appeared in several films, such as The House of Yes, Perpetrators of the Crime, Trick and Scream 2, as well as numerous roles in television movies and series.
After Beverly Hills 90210 ended its run, Spelling continued playing guest roles in several television series, and also took a regular role in the short-lived comedy The Help. Most recently, she returned to prominence with her participation in two reality shows. In 2006, she appeared in the sitcom So NoTORIous, which lightly parodized her life as the daughter of a famous television producer; despite running for only ten episodes, the series received critical acclaim and gained a cult following. The following year, she appeared in Tori & Dean: Inn Love, which followed her and her husband, actor Dean McDermott, as they leased a bed and breakfast in order to invest the inheritance she received from her father. The series was a considerable success, and an additional two seasons were aired.