Brian Austin Green Encouraged Tori Spelling to Do DWTS

Tori Spelling has had her eyes set on Dancing With the Stars for years, but it took a little push from former Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Brian Austin Green to make things official.

“I was like, ‘What do you think? Should I do it?’” Spelling, 51, exclusively recalled to Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 4. “And he’s like, ‘Absolutely.’”

While Green, also 51, wasn’t the only 90210 alum to compete on the reality dancing series (Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Shannen Doherty all appeared), he was Spelling’s first phone call. (Green was partnered with his now-fiancé, Sharna Burgess, during DWTS season 30 in 2021.)

“He’s like my best friend,” she told Us of Green, who played her onscreen love interest for a decade. “I didn’t tell anybody else.”

Spelling was announced as a cast member of DWTS season 33 on Wednesday alongside celebs including former Bachelor Joey Graziadei, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and model Brooks Nader.

Spelling, who’s competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy with partner Pasha Pashkov, revealed that she had an opportunity to star on DWTS nearly two decades ago.

“I was offered, I think, the first season and it’s been like a lifelong dream. But I was too scared to say yes,” she confessed. (DWTS premiered in 2005.)

As for why now is the perfect time to lace up her dancing shoes, Spelling noted that this has been her year of “finding myself.” Spelling added, “So anything that really scares me, I’m like, ‘Let me try.’ So I’m going for it.”

While Spelling has yet to inform all of her kids about DWTS — “It was such a secret,” she told Us — her 16-year-old daughter, Stella, was in the know.

“My daughter, who’s 16 was like, ‘Mom, just don’t get hurt. I’m worried you’re gonna get hurt. Like, you don’t move mom, you don’t do physical activity,’” Spelling said. “I was like, ‘Great.’”

Spelling shares Stella, son Liam, 17, daughter Hattie, 12, son Finn, 12, and son Beau, 7, with her estranged husband, Dean McDermott. (Spelling filed for divorce from McDermott in March, but listed their date of separation as June 2023.)

Spelling gushed that McDermott has been encouraging of her endeavors in the ballroom.

“He does know about it and he’s been really, really supportive,” Spelling said, noting that they are “great coparents and really good friends.” She added, “I think that’s important.”

Dancing With the Stars season 33 premieres on ABC Tuesday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET.

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi