Tori Spelling first appeared on "Saved by the Bell" in 1990, the same year that she made her debut as Donna Martin on "Beverly Hills, 90210." There was certainly overlap between the two shows, which focused on the day-to-day lives of Southern California teens.
You can't blame Spelling for jumping ship to "Beverly Hills, 90210." The hour-long teen drama was more substantive than its 30-minute sitcom counterpart, and as one of the main characters, Spelling had more room to shine. She also had one foot in the door, as her father, Aaron Spelling, was the show's executive producer. Still, the younger Spelling didn't want to get the part based on nepotism alone, and she auditioned under a different name. The actress later conceded that her nepo baby bonafides had given her a leg up. "I went in under a different name, then I got the part of Donna — which I'm sure had something to do with my dad," she told Entertainment Weekly the year the show ended in 2000.
Even after her 10-year run as Donna Martin, Spelling never forgot her "Saved by the Bell" roots. When Diamond died in 2021, Spelling left a moving tribute.
"My 1st onscreen love Dustin Diamond got his Angel wings today," the actress wrote on Instagram. "Before there was David and Donna there was Screech and Violet. Dustin was my first on-screen kiss. He welcomed me with open arms onto the set of 'Saved By the Bell.' As one can imagine, being the newbie on a hit show was overwhelming for a 14-year-old girl."
