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Rachel in Denver, Colo.: Any scoop on the aftermath of Annie killing someone in the 90210 finale?
We asked Annie’s (Shenae Grimes) 90210 co-star Jessica Stroup that very question: “Of course it’s going to change Annie inevitably. She’s going to be a totally different character. I think next year is going to be amazing for her because she’s going to go through a lot of changes with this character and down some really, really dark roads. I hope, at least, that it affects every one of us. I know that it’s going to affect all the characters, but I hope it brings us back together at some point as a whole group.”
Before you even think about clicking into this item, ask yourself the following question: Do you want to know who kills someone in the season finale of 90210?
For the spoilerphobes, steer clear until you finish the episode tonight. However, if you’re all for knowing what happens and where next season is taking us, Jessica Stroup spills all the juicy details below.
Even more importantly, if you’ve seen the episode already, grab your postprom party gear and get on in here!
This season, you go from fun yet cynical blogger to having bipolar disorder. How did it feel playing Silver this year? This year was, for me, a journey. The journey that I took with Silver was one that I got to experience fully as myself as well. I’ve never played a character that I really respected and responded to as much as Silver. I just felt that she was such a smart, witty, strong girl who was turning into a woman. As the story went along and as we chose paths to try with her—to go down the love path, the parent path, the bipolar situation—I really saw her changing into an even stronger person. She started off with so many ideas and opinions, and she expressed them through a blog. People weren’t afraid of her, but they knew that she was an outspoken person and not to piss her off. I think she really came into her own through discovering more of herself through having this disease. It’s nowhere from being done. This season finishes out on so many levels as a cliffhanger, and a lot of her stuff, including the Dixon (Tristan Wilds) relationship, the Ethan (Dustin Milligan) relationship and her relationship with herself, with this disease, has really only just begun. The path that she’s on, she’s just now started to go on. I’m really excited to see where it goes next year, and I hope people can respond to what’s happened with her.
Ethan and Dixon have a serious thrown-down in the finale. Now, especially with Dustin leaving the show, how is that going to affect Dixon and Silver’s relationship next year?
I have talked to [executive producer] Rebecca [Rand Kirshner Sinclair],and I’ve talked to some of the writers. I’m curious to see where they’re really going to go. I know that next year is going to start with a whole fresh start. The whole season is going to be different. Some storylines might just evolve and disappear—or just reappear. Ethan and Dixon, although they only met this past year and this is a brand-new friendship for them, they still became really good friends. It was never Ethan’s intention to ruin that relationship. It just happened. He couldn’t deny what his feelings are for her after letting them flourish while watching her at the prom. I’m curious to see where Ethan goes and what path they choose to take for him.
We’re wondering the same thing because Rebecca said to us before that Dustin is not going to be back next season at all, but she also said his leaving has nothing to do with the death. Do you think that’s who Annie (Shenae Grimes) hits with her car? I know you can’t say, but who do you think it is? The funny thing is we all have theories. Every single of one of my castmates has a theory, and we have talked about it. We’ve gone through scenarios. I’ve said things like, “It’s Ty! It’s Brandon Walsh’s dad!” We’ve said everything. We have no idea. I’m really curious as well. My pick, if I could pick who I think it could be, I think it would be interesting if it was Dixon, but not dying! I don’t want anyone to die. I don’t want it to be Dixon, but I think it would be a really interesting storyline for Annie to hit her brother and drive off drunkenly.
How do you think the death is going to affect everyone next year?
Of course it’s going to change Annie inevitably. She’s going to be a totally different character. As awful as it is with drunk driving, and playing that character was hard for Shenae, but I think she plays that really well. She has a whole other depth to her, a whole other side. I think next year is going to be amazing for her because she’s going to go through a lot of changes with this character and down some really, really dark roads. I hope, at least, that it affects every one of us. I know that it’s going to affect all the characters, but I hope it brings us back together at some point as a whole group. I really want that whole bonding. Besides Ethan who’s going to be leaving obviously, I love playing that group bond. At some point next season, you’re really going to start to see it all coming together, with us becoming stronger as a whole.
This is a pretty twisted finale for a first season show. When I read it, I was like, “whoa.” I did not see that coming at all.
For the fans who haven’t seen the finale, what would you like to tell them or tease for them to get as many fans glued to the TV set tonight?
For me, I haven’t seen it, and I am dying to see it. I read the script—I was there working on it—but to see the final product, and I know how amazing and how much work went into the finale. I think it’s going to be amazing, and I hope everybody does watch it. It’s going to be exciting.
Annie goes pretty crazy in the finale. It looks like she took a page from Silver. Did you give her any tips about that?
No, that’s funny though. I’m excited to see what she did with it. She worked really hard and worked with some acting coaches and had fun with it.
By far, the Wilson parents accidentally getting high on pot brownies was probably one of the best parts. Hilarious, right? That was one of my favorite parts. I thought it was hilarious. I wasn’t there when they were shooting it, but I just desperately wanted to see Rob Estes doing that.
It came off very, very well.
I’m sure it did. I’m like, “What kind of research did you do for this?”
The kiss between you and Ethan is pretty hot. Of course, that comes naturally to you guys. [Laughs] What do you mean? I don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s a good friend of mine.
I know you might be biased, but who is the better kisser? Tristan or Dustin?
That is never going to be answered. They are both great boys. They’re both just different.
You’ve had so many alums come on the show, between Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty and, of course, Jennie Garth. Who would you like to see come on the show next season? I really hope my other brother-ish person, David Silver, comes back. I actually met Brian Austin Green before I ever started shooting. I was with one of my best friends at a Coffee Bean, and he was sitting there on the phone. I had just gotten the part, and I was freaking out, thinking I have to go talk to him—I have to tell him I’m playing his baby sister. Of course, he thought, “Who is this crazy chick hovering over me while I’m on the phone.” But he was supernice to me once I explained that I wasn’t a crazy stalker. I think he’s a great actor and is funny and hot, so why not come back?
You just said your show brother is hot.
I know. It could be a very weird situation for us.
When it comes down to it, are you for Silver and Dixon staying together next season?
I am for them taking the situation that comes up at prom and actually working through it. I don’t want it to be something where they are just in the relationship, move on and are not friends anymore. I don’t want them to be over it. I want it to be something they talk about—something that they both seriously and maturely think about and whether or not this is detrimental to the foundation they built as a relationship. Do I want them to stay together? I love their coupling as a whole, but I think there are a lot of other places they both can go individually. Whether or not they do that together, I don’t know.
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Just when you thought things were calming down for Silver, think again. When last we saw her, Silver had an emotional, near-fatal episode at Los Angeles’ Union Station — read: She was almost hit by a train — and Dixon realized that his crazy-in-love girlfriend was actually manic depressive.
But things are far from settled. In tonight’s episode, an embarrassed Silver will ship off to an all-girls school to get away from her problems. (To that we say, simmer down, sister: Adrianna was a druggie who got knocked up by non-boyfriend Ty. And now? It’s all good.) Luckily, Silver’s in line for some TLC from Donna Martin – she’s back and feeling maternal – and a potential love interest from an unexpected (and yet, convenient?) place. Actress Jessica Stroup, 22, spills the beans.
Where is Silver’s head at in tonight’s episode?
Silver is at her most raw. She’s just completely shattered. When she starts her recovery, she’s going to struggle with big time with [big sis] Kelly, who wants her to go to bed at a certain time and take medication and not do too much or be influenced by outside people.
From the preview (above) it looks like Silver may be getting help from the one and only Donna Martin, now world-famous fashion designer.
Yes, Donna is like family!
Tori Spelling’s return has been a long time coming. Does she live up to the hype?
Oh, my God, yes. I just remember thinking she’s everything I thought and more. She’s such an incredible woman. When she arrived it was like, “Donna Martin is back on the 90210 set – Aaaaaaaaaa!” The girls on our crew are all really young, and we all knew the importance of having Donna Martin back. I met her in the makeup trailer, and she’s got her reality show filming, and I met her husband and her kid. It was awesome. I so admire her. I mean, she’s really got a million things going on. She’s got the show, a book, a jewelry line … kids! And she still came back! We shot a scene in a car riding around Beverly Hills, and paparazzi was everywhere. That was wild, but she was an old pro handling all that.
How did she and Jennie Garth get along?
I know Jennie and Tori are lifelong friends. They will be forever be bonded. To see them together was like seeing sisters being reconnected, and I was just lucky enough to get sucked up into it
You don’t like the Emily Valentine comparison, but it’s the first one people made when Silver went nuts on Dixon. Do you think you did enough in last week’s episode to separate Silver from the infamous Emily?
The scene where Silver breaks into Mr. Matthews’ apartment was out of a horror movie, right? [Laughs] I really didn’t want her to seem like a crazy stalker person, but she was in a manic episode when you saw all of that, and I wanted to play her extreme. I wanted the audience to know something was very, very wrong – you know, if they couldn’t tell from the tattoo, the sex tape, the burning. That was Silver on her last straw. Everything was crumbling around her.
Did Jason Priestly, who directed last week’s episode, give you any advice on going all out?
He gave me a lot of freedom. He wanted me to push it, to go to Silver’s extreme because that’s where her head was at. It was a lot of crying and monologues – they actually cut out a lot of the rants I was supposed to deliver that were in the original script – but I was really pleased with the outcome.
Did we see Silver hit rock bottom?
When someone is manic depressive, it’s a lifelong disease. I know absolutely there will still be issues with it. It’s not going away. But when the story picks back up, she’s beginning her recovery. She’s figuring out how to deal with it. Can she go back to West Beverly and be with her friends? Can she stay with Dixon? For Silver, it’s the unknown. She wants the support of everyone, but she’s feeling lonely and embarrassed.
From the looks of the preview, Dixon’s got his own mama drama coming up. What’s the future for Dixon and Silver?
He’s been by her side for a long time. Silver has not been the easiest person to date. Even while she’s trying to get better, she hasn’t found what makes her comfortable. She and Dixon will struggle because Dixon wants a normal life with her. He supports her, he loves her, but it’s hard for him to see her struggling. As the season goes along it’s going to be a lot of ups and downs for them.
And then Ethan swoops in? That’s cold.
In the next couple of episodes, you’re going to see Ethan stepping outside of his bubble. You’re going to see him as this open-minded person with a lot of potential and a lot of creativity. He’s trying to live as much life as he can. What he sees in Silver is kind of the same thing. She’s trying to figure out who she is and what life means to her. There’s going to be some bonding that goes on there. But Ethan and Dixon are best friends, so the question is, would Ethan try anything? Does he feel anything that’s real? Whether he tries anything specifically or makes a move remains to be seen. You’re going to have to watch.
So is the door still open for Ethan (played real-life boyfriend Dustin Milligan) to come back next season?
He’s not going to be regular, but will he come back? Will there be some sort of resolution? Yeah, definitely. I’m just not sure what it will be. I know how this season ends, and it’s a humongous cliffhanger. It’s crazy, but really good. I’m like begging for them to get me an advance [script] for next season.
Things on 90210 were shaken up last week when Silver went a little insane, showing her class a sex tape and throwing a bottle at her teacher’s head. BuddyTV spoke to the actress behind the madness, Jessica Stroup, for the full story on what’s going on with Silver.
The 90210 star talked about her crazy new storyline and the many changes that lie ahead for the series. Jessica Stroup also talked about working with Tori Spelling, Diablo Cody and “stud muffin” Jason Priestly. Continue reading for the full transcript and to listen to the interview.
This is John with BuddyTV and I’m talking to Jessica Stroup from 90210. How’s it going?
Hello! It’s going great. Thank God!
I’m glad to hear it because Silver’s not doing so great. What is going on? She had a pretty severe meltdown last time.
Yeah, that was a fun one. I watched it for the first time that night as well as everybody else because I didn’t get a copy to view early, so I was so nervous about how it was going to end up looking. Yeah, she’s going through a lot. I think it was difficult because there was such a long hiatus that happened before we finally got to see the new episode.
We worked with the team and really tried to build these emotions, these heightened feelings, everything that was going on with Silver over the past five weeks, at least. So when we came back to this one on Tuesday night we really see where it was going, and it just got really, really big and really, really heightened by the end of it. So yeah, the end when she’s in Ryan Matthews’ apartment, which is also where it’s going to pick up next week, and continue on and get even bigger, you really see that something has just snapped and something is just definitely not OK
Jessica Stroup, star of 90210 stopped by the Seventeen office recently to tell us all about the show, her friends and what she was like as a teenager!17: Did you watch 90210 when you were growing up?
JS: I was watching cartoons at the time. My parents are extremely strict and wouldn’t let me watch it! But I knew what the show was and how big it was.
17: What was it like working with Shannon Doherty?
JS: Shannon is so blunt. She will tell you how it is.
17: Do you hang out with Shannon [Doherty] and Jenny [Garth]?
JS: We hang out on set and in the trailers, but we don’t go out with each other, no.
17: You’re the resident blogger on 90210. Do you have a blog?
JS: I don’t have my own blog, but I love this YouTube series called “Val’s Art Diary.” It’s a series of video where this woman auctions off art.
17: What do you watch besides 90210?
JS: I love Gossip Girl. I used to hang out with Blake Lively and Jessica Szohr. I’m also addicted to Bravo and reality shows like Top Chef.
17: Switching gears a little, we’d love to know what you were like in high school! Were you a good student?
JS: I was obsessive. I had to have straight A’s. I got Mono one year because I stayed up so late studying.
17: What kind of after-school jobs did you have as a teenager?
JS: When I was 15, I got a job at the first Hollister that opened up.
17: What was your quote in your high school yearbook?
JS: My friends and I had a page in the yearbook and I put a quote from a Dave Matthews Band song.
Before you even think about clicking into this item, ask yourself the following question: Do you want to know who 
Jessica Stroup, star of 90210 stopped by the Seventeen office recently to tell us all about the show, her friends and what she was like as a teenager!17: Did you watch 90210 when you were growing up?
