Tori Spelling recounted how Hilary Swank broke down in tears after her abrupt dismissal from Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1998. During a recent episode of the 90210MG podcast, Spelling, 52, described the emotional moment when Swank, then 25, learned she was off the show after portraying Carly Reynolds in 16 episodes of season eight.

The Close Friendship on Set

Spelling, who starred as Donna Martin, explained that she and Swank had grown close. Swank often confided in her, and they spent time together with Swank’s husband at the time, Chad Lowe. ‘I was kind of her safe place on set, and she would talk to me about everything,’ Spelling shared.

The Shocking Dismissal

Spelling detailed the events leading to Swank’s firing. While in their dressing rooms, Swank mentioned that producer Paul Waigner wanted to see her. Unaware of the reason, Spelling waited. Swank returned in tears, announcing she had been let go. ‘She comes back, and she’s crying, and she comes into my dressing room,’ Spelling recalled.

Caught off guard, Spelling noted the news surprised everyone. Swank panicked, fearing her career was over. ‘She was like, “Oh my God – if I get fired off of 90210, I’m never gonna make it,”‘ Spelling remembered, clarifying it was from her perspective.

A Career Turning Point

Swank played a single mom and server at the Peach Pit, romancing Steve Sanders, played by Ian Ziering. The firing, however, proved a blessing. It freed Swank to audition for Boys Don’t Cry, earning her a Best Actress Oscar in 2000. She later won another for Million Dollar Baby in 2005.

‘She would not have been able to get that role, do that role and then win an Academy Award,’ Spelling reflected.

Swank’s Own Reflection

In a 2014 interview with Conan O’Brien, Swank described feeling devastated, especially as the show’s popularity had declined after Luke Perry’s exit. ‘I was on 90210 in the eighth season when no one watched it anymore, and Luke Perry was long gone, so I was fired off the show,’ she said. Yet, two months later, she landed her breakout role. ‘I looked at it as a silver lining,’ Swank added. ‘When something bad happens, there’s something else that could be looming around the corner.’