Tori Spelling Reveals What She Thinks Happened With Hilary Swank on 90210

Tori Spelling has shared her thoughts on why Hilary Swank was written out of Beverly Hills, 90210. Swank, now 51, played Carly Reynolds, a main character during the show’s eighth season, but she left after just 16 episodes.

Spelling, 52, discussed the situation with Jennie Garth on their 90210MG podcast on Friday, November 21. She explained that Swank had been signed on as a full-time cast member but felt the writing did not give the character enough to work with.

“I didn’t think the writing was great in this episode,” Spelling said, referring to the first episode of season eight. Garth agreed, noting she felt the same way.

Podcast producer Amy also shared her perspective, admitting she had previously thought Swank’s performance was lacking. However, after rewatching the episodes, Amy said she realized it was the writing that made the character hard to connect with.

“It’s not that she wasn’t good. She actually is good. It’s that they wrote her so ridiculously. Like, she comes in hot. She’s kind of awful from the start,” she said.

Amy added that leaving the show early actually helped Swank’s career. Being let go freed her to audition for other roles, including her Oscar-winning part in Boys Don’t Cry. “Because she gets let go from this show early, that’s why she got Boys Don’t Cry, because she was free to audition,” Amy said.

Swank herself reflected on her exit in a 2024 interview with Guy Raz. She admitted it was discouraging at the time. “I thought, ‘Wow, I’m not good enough to be on this show that’s way past the heyday with Luke Perry and all the hype,’” she said. Swank added that the experience turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “If you trust — really trust — what’s happening when one door closes… I got Boys Don’t Cry two months later.”

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