Jennifer Eve Garth (born April 3, 1972)[1] is an American actress. She is known for starring as Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise and Val Tyler on the sitcom What I Like About You (2002–06). In 2012, she starred in her own reality show, Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country on CMT. Her memoir titled Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde was published by New American Library on April 1, 2014.[2]

Jennie Garth
Garth in 2023
Born
Jennifer Eve Garth

(1972-04-03) April 3, 1972 (age 52)
Occupation(s)Actress, fashion designer
Years active1989–present
Spouses
Daniel B. Clark
(m. 1994; div. 1996)
(m. 2001; div. 2013)
Dave Abrams
(m. 2015)
Children3

Early life

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Garth was born in Urbana, Illinois, to John and Carolyn Garth. The youngest of seven children (though their only child together), Garth spent much of her youth on a 25-acre horse ranch between Sadorus and Arcola, Illinois. For a time the family stayed in Tuscola, Illinois; but eventually, they settled in Glendale, Arizona, when Garth was around 13 years old. She studied dance and modeled, and was soon discovered at a local talent competition by Randy James, a Hollywood scout and manager. She attended Greenway High School as a freshman and transferred to Apollo High School in her sophomore year. Determined to become an actress, Garth would receive audition materials from Los Angeles that she would work on with Jean Fowler, a local acting coach. She left school during her junior year to work in Los Angeles with James and later obtained her high school diploma in California.

Career

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1989–2001: Career beginnings and Beverly Hills, 90210

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In 1990, she landed the role of Kelly Taylor in the series Beverly Hills, 90210. Throughout the series, Garth's character went through occasional rough times and dealt with difficult issues in her personal life and with her family.[3] Garth appears in all ten seasons of the show. She directed two episodes which was the second most of any cast member, and was the only female cast member of the show to direct. She won a Young Artist Award and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for the role. She was also instrumental in launching the spin-offs Melrose Place and 90210, with the character of Kelly becoming a continuity icon by appearing in most franchise episodes.[4][5] In 1993, she released a workout video titled Body In Progress.[6]

 
Garth at a rehearsal for the 44th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1992

Her successful role on Beverly Hills, 90210 opened the door to several lead roles in made-for-TV films in the 1990s, including Danielle Steel's Star (1993), Without Consent (1994), Lies of the Heart: The Story of Laurie Kellogg (1994), Falling for You (1995), and An Unfinished Affair (1996). She also had minor and supporting roles in the theatrical films Telling You (1998), My Brother's War (1997), and Power 98 (1996).

Garth ranked No. 59 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000,[7] and #93 on the magazine's 100 Sexiest Women of 2001.[8]

2002–2013: Continued television success with What I Like About You

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In 2002, Garth co-starred with Amanda Bynes in the WB sitcom What I Like About You as Valerie Tyler. She and Bynes appeared on the show for all four seasons. The show centered around the Tyler sisters' relationships, friendships, and romances. In 2003, she starred in the television movies The Last Cowboy and the Christmas family drama Secret Santa, playing a journalist. She and the cast of Secret Santa won the 2004 CAMIE Award. In 2004, she appeared in a print ad for Wish-Bone salad dressings as part of their $25,000 Kitchen Makeover contest.

In 2005, she voiced her Beverly Hills, 90210 character Kelly Taylor, as well as an additional role in the Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, in the episode segment “Bango Was His Name-Oh!”. Garth also starred in the TV teen drama film Girl, Positive (2007), playing a teacher who was HIV positive. She and co-star Andrea Bowen (known for the series Desperate Housewives) each won a Prism Award for their performances. In 2007, Garth appeared on Dancing with the Stars: season five and was paired with Derek Hough. They reached the semi-finals of the competition.

 
Garth at The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week on February 13, 2009

In September 2008, Garth returned to the role of Kelly Taylor on the series premiere of The CW's spin-off series 90210. In the series, Garth's character, Kelly Taylor, is a Guidance Counselor at the fictional West Beverly High, where her half-sister Erin Silver attends.[9] Kelly was reintroduced with a four-year-old son, whose father is ex-boyfriend Dylan McKay. The writers were eager to have her share scenes with former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty, who reprised her role of Brenda Walsh.[10]

On November 21, 2008, Garth appeared on the game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?. She won $100,000 for her charity, the American Heart Association, for which she is a spokeswoman for its "Go Red for Women" campaign.[11] This TV show also noted that Garth owns a horse ranch in Santa Barbara, California. In 2009, she played the role of Natasha in Candace Bushnell's Web series of The Boardroom.[12] She also appeared in a cameo role on the December 7 episode of the children's television show Sesame Street, entitled "Mary Mary Quite Contrary". In January 2010, Garth starred in an iVillage web series created by NBC Universal, Garden Party, about farm life, fresh produce, and healthy eating.[13]

2014–present: Memoir and her own reality television show

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On February 18, 2014, it was announced that production had started on The Jennie Garth Project, a ten-episode reality television series that aired on HGTV.[14] It chronicled Garth as she renovated home in Hollywood Hills, California for herself and her three children.[14]

Garth released a memoir entitled Deep Thoughts from a Hollywood Blonde with Emily Heckman on April 1, 2014.[15] On May 3, 2017, Garth launched MomGiftBox.com, "an online subscription box of products to indulge, inspire and pamper moms with every purchase benefiting a charity."[16] Garth collaborated with Dune Jewelry and launched Travelling Heart Collection in February 2018.[17]

In November 2020, Garth began a podcast titled 9021OMG with Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Tori Spelling, where the two, along with TV and radio personality Sisanie Villaclara, share memories from their time on the show.[18] In February 2021, Garth won $168,000 on ABC's Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Garth donated the money to Central Illinois Foodbank in Springfield, Illinois.[19]

On July 29, 2024, Garth launched a clothing line, "Me by Jennie Garth", on QVC.[20][21]

Personal life

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Garth backstage at the 2009 Heart Truth fashion show

Garth was married to musician Daniel B. Clark from 1994 to 1996.[22]

In 1995, Garth met her second husband, actor Peter Facinelli, while filming the movie An Unfinished Affair.[23] Garth and Facinelli married on January 20, 2001, in a traditional Roman Catholic wedding mass.[23] They have three daughters; born in 1997, 2002, and 2006. In March 2012, Facinelli filed for divorce.[24][25] The divorce was finalized in June 2013.[26] Although there was no requirement to do so, Garth had converted to Catholicism when she married Facinelli.[27]

Garth began dating actor David Abrams in the fall of 2014, starting with a blind date. They got engaged in April 2015,[28] and married on July 11, 2015.[29] Garth and Abrams separated in 2017. In April 2018, the couple filed for divorce.[30] In February 2019, they appeared to have reconciled, with Abrams filing a petition to dismiss the divorce proceedings.[31]

In 2002, at age 30, Garth was diagnosed with a mitral valve prolapse and leaky heart valve, a condition she stated would require monitoring for the rest of her life. She revealed the diagnosis in 2009.[32][33] "Down the road it’s something that could get more complicated or it could not," she commented. "People have had valve replacements and that kind of thing … but I’m prepared, that’s the key."[32] She revealed in her memoir that she started suffering from anxiety at age 19, saying "I wouldn't say that I ever stepped over the line into full-blown agoraphobia, but I would say I definitely came close."[34]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Growing Pains Denise Episode: "Ben and Mike's Excellent Adventure"
1989–1990 Brand New Life Ericka McCray 6 episodes
1990 Teen Angel Returns Karrie Donato
1990–2000 Beverly Hills, 90210 Kelly Taylor Main role
1992 Melrose Place 3 episodes
1993 Danielle Steel's Star Crystal Wyatt Television film
1994 Lies of the Heart: The Story of Laurie Kellogg Laurie Kellogg
Without Consent Laura Mills
1995 Falling for You Meg Crane
The Larry Sanders Show Herself Episode: "Larry's Sitcom"
Biker Mice from Mars Angel Revson (voice) Episode: "Hit the Road, Jack"
1996 An Unfinished Affair Sheila Hart Television film
A Loss of Innocence Chelnicia "Chel" Bowen
1999 FANatic Herself Episode: "Jennie Garth, Limp Bizkit"
2000–2001 The $treet Gillian Sherman 8 episodes
2001 Watching the Detectives Celeste Television film
2002–2006 What I Like About You Val Tyler Main role
2003 The Last Cowboy Jacqueline 'Jake' Cooper Television film
Secret Santa Rebecca Chandler
2006 American Dad! Trudy Lawrence (voice) Episode: "Roger n' Me"
2007 Girl, Positive Sarah Bennett Television film
Dancing with the Stars Herself 23 episodes
2008–2010 90210 Kelly Taylor Main role
2011 Accidentally in Love Annie Benchley Television film
A Christmas Wedding Tail Susan
2012 The Eleventh Victim Hailey Dean
Village People Alexa
Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country Herself 8 episodes
2013 Community Ensign Episode: "Conventions of Space and Time"
Holidaze Melody Television film
2014 Mystery Girls Charlie Contour Main role
The Jennie Garth Project Herself 10 episodes
2016 Chopped Junior Herself / Judge Episode: "Summer Sizzle"
A Time To Dance Abby Reynolds Television film
Robot Chicken Courtney, Carol Brady (voice) Episode: "Secret of the Flushed Footlong"
Cupcake Wars Herself / Contestant Episode: "Celebrity: Atari Cupcakes"
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself / Guest Judge Episode: "9021-HO"
Celebrity Family Feud Herself Episodes: "Jennie Garth vs. Kyle Massey & Lee Brice vs. Jerrod Niemann"
2018 The Mick Episode: "The Climb"
2019 MasterChef Herself / Contestant Episode: "Celebrity Family Showdown: Part 2"
Your Family or Your Life Kathy Meyer Television film
BH90210 Herself / Kelly Taylor Also co-producer
2020 2020 American Rescue Dog Show Herself / Celebrity Judge Special
2021 Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story Michelle Reeves Television film
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Herself / Celebrity Contestant Episode: "Jennie Garth, Karamo Brown and Patton Oswalt"
A Kindhearted Christmas Jamie Television film
2022 Bad Influence Joan Miller
2023 Hell's Kitchen Herself Chef's table guest diner for the Red Team; Episode: "Gimme an H!"
2024 I Can See Your Voice Herself / Panelist Episode: "Queen Night: Gavin DeGraw, Thomas Lennon, Jennie Garth, Adrienne Bailon, Cheryl Hines"
25 Words or Less Herself / Contestant 6 episodes

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1996 Power 98 Sharon Penn
1997 My Brother's War Mary Fagan Bailey
1998 Telling You Amber Uncredited
2005 Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story Kelly Taylor Video; voice role

Dancing with the Stars performances

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In 2007, Garth appeared on season five of Dancing with the Stars and was paired with Derek Hough. They reached the semi-finals in the competition.

Week # Dance / Song Judges' score Result
Inaba Goodman Tonioli
1 Cha-cha-cha / "Uptown Girl" 7 7 7 Safe
2 Quickstep / "Suddenly I See" 7 7 7 Safe
3 Tango / "Cite Tango" 9 8 9 Safe
4 Paso doble / "Because We Can" 8 10 9 Safe
5 Samba / "Cosmic Girl" 8 9 8 Safe
6 Mambo / "Mambo Baby" 9 9 9 Safe
Rock N' Roll / "Rockin' Robin" No scores given
7 Viennese Waltz / "Runaway" 8 8 9 Last to be called safe
Rumba / "Fallen" 9 9 10
8 Jive / "It Takes Two" 8 8 8 Last to be called safe
Foxtrot / "I've Got You Under My Skin" 9 9 8
9
Semi-finals
Tango / "The Take Over, The Breaks Over" 9 10 9 Eliminated
Cha-cha-cha / "Mustang Sally" 10 10 10

Awards and nominations

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List of awards and nominations[35]
Year Association Category Work Result
1991 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress Supporting or Re-Occurring Role for a TV Series Beverly Hills, 90210 Nominated
Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Television Series (Shared with Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Luke Perry, Brian Austin Green, Douglas Emerson, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Tori Spelling) Nominated
1992 Won
Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television Series Won
Bravo Otto Awards Best Female TV Star Nominated
1993 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Actress Beverly Hills, 90210 Nominated
Young Artist Awards Favorite Young Ensemble Cast in a Television Series (Shared with Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Luke Perry, Brian Austin Green, Douglas Emerson, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Tori Spelling) Won
TV Guide Awards Favorite Frenemies (Shared with Shannen Doherty) Nominated
Favorite Ensemble (Shared with Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Gabrielle Carteris, Ian Ziering) Won
Bravo Otto Awards Best Female TV Star Nominated
1994 Best Female TV Star Won
1999 Teen Choice Awards TV – Choice Actress Beverly Hills, 90210 Nominated
2005 Camie Awards Camie Award (Shared with Robert Tate Miller, Charles Robinson, Victor Raider-Wexler, Kathryn Joosten, Joel McKinnon Miller, Steven Eckholdt, Barbara Billingsley, Sam Anderson, Cody Fleetwood and Ian Barry) Secret Santa Won
2008 Prism Awards Outstanding Performance in a Miniseries Girl, Positive Won
2022 Canadian Screen Awards Best Lead Actress, TV Movie Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Best Birthday Wishes for Jennie Garth". People.com. April 3, 2011. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2012. The 90210 star is 39 today.
  2. ^ Lee, Ashley (December 2, 2013). "Jennie Garth to Release Memoir". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "Jennie Garth". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved April 1, 2009.
  4. ^ "Jennie Garth Credit Listings". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  5. ^ "Jennie Garth Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  6. ^ Jennie Garth's Body In Progress (Workout and Diet), archived from the original on March 28, 2020, retrieved August 28, 2019
  7. ^ "FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000". FreeJose.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  8. ^ "FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000". FreeJose.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  9. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 10, 2008). "Jennie Garth joins 90210 Remake". Ausiello Report. TV Guide. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  10. ^ "Exclusive: Tori Is Out, Shannen Is In for 90210 Remake!". E! Online. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  11. ^ "Matters of the heart: Jennie Garth goes red". TODAY.com. February 5, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "'Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell delivers 'The Boardroom' web series". nydailynews. New York. September 13, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  13. ^ Gallagher, Brian (January 20, 2010). "Jennie Garth Takes Us Inside Her Garden Party". Movieweb. Retrieved May 31, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ a b "HGTV in Production for "The Jennie Garth Project"". The Futon Critic (Press release). HGTV. February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  15. ^ "Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde by Jennie Garth, Emily Heckman: 9781101630679". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  16. ^ TheGiftBox.com. "Actress Jennie Garth Launches MomGiftBox.com". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  17. ^ "Celebrate February, The Month Of Love with Dune Jewelry's Traveling Heart Collection". PRWeb. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  18. ^ "Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth's 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Podcast Revelations". Us Weekly. November 23, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "Jennie Garth donates to Illinois Food Bank". Associated Press. April 20, 2021.
  20. ^ "Jennie Garth Wants to 'Spread Some Positivity' with New Fashion Line: 'I'm Ready for It' (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Lockwood, Lisa (July 22, 2024). "Jennie Garth, Actress, Advocate and Designer, Partners With QVC for Exclusive Apparel Collection". WWD. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  22. ^ Ravitz, Justin (March 13, 2012). "Peter Facinelli, Jennie Garth to Divorce". Us Weekly.
  23. ^ a b "' Jennie Garth Has Red-and-White Wedding'". ABC News. February 1, 2001. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  24. ^ "Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth Are Divorcing". People. March 13, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  25. ^ "Peter Facinelli Files for Divorce from Jennie Garth". People. March 28, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  26. ^ "Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli: Divorce Final – Nicest Divorce Ever". TMZ. June 12, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  27. ^ "Jennie Garth's Divorce Is Making Her an Ex-Catholic". April 29, 2012.
  28. ^ Lewis, Raha (April 9, 2015). "Jennie Garth on Finding Love: 'I Made Myself Go on a Blind Date'". People. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  29. ^ "Jennie Garth Marries Dave Abrams". July 11, 2015.
  30. ^ Moniuszko, Sara M (April 7, 2018). "'90210' star Jennie Garth's husband David Abrams files for divorce". USA Today. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  31. ^ Jennie Garth's Husband Dave Abrams Requests Petition to Dismiss Divorce Entertainment Tonight. 8 February 2019
  32. ^ a b "Jennie Garth Reveals Heart Ailment". People. May 27, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  33. ^ Pajer, Nicole (March 2, 2020). "90210's Jennie Garth Shares Her Heart Health Journey—' You Have to Be Brave When It Comes to Your Health'". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  34. ^ "Jennie Garth's Shocking Tell-All: 9 Juiciest Revelations in Her Book, Including 90210 Gossip, Amanda Bynes and More!". E! Online. March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  35. ^ "Jennie Garth - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
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