Jennie Garth Is Embracing the ‘I Choose Me’ Mantra

You have some health challenges. [In 2002, Garth was diagnosed with a leaky heart valve; in her mid-40s, she was diagnosed with arthritis.] Have you made any changes to your fitness and diet routine?

I started focusing on weight training so that my muscles would be strong and support my bones. I stopped eating dairy because I personally believe that dairy is a big contributor to heart disease. And the sugar for me was an addiction. I don’t like to be addicted to anything. I had to stop that cold turkey. I feel so much better from it.

What else do you do to keep fit?

I like to walk my dogs in the hills around my house. That’s good exercise. I think walking is the best thing you can do. I always wanted to be a runner, but my body just did not agree with me.

Garth starred on "Beverly Hills, 90210" along with Luke Perry, Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestley.

Mark Sennet/Getty Images

It must have been both sad and scary for you when Luke Perry died. [Perry had a fatal stroke in 2019 at the age of 52.] Did it change you in any way?

Absolutely. It changed me on so many levels. It made me a little bit more frightened for my health — thinking a stroke can come out of nowhere and kill you like that — and it’s just really eye-opening and puts things into perspective. Also, there’s something beautiful about when someone passes and you can still feel them in your life, and [it] made me a little bit more sensitive to being open to that. [Garth’s 90210 costar Shannen Doherty, 53, passed away from cancer on July 13, after this interview was conducted. Garth wrote on her Instagram account: “I am still processing my tremendous grief over the loss of my long time friend Shannen, the woman I have often described as one of the strongest people I have ever known. Our connection was real and honest. We were so often pitted against each other but none of that reflected the truth of our real relationship which was one built on mutual respect and admiration. She was courageous, passionate, determined and very loving and generous. I will miss her and will always honor her deeply in my heart and in my memories.”]

Are your daughters [with ex-husband actor Peter Facinelli, 50] interested in fashion or show business? Would you encourage or discourage them to do either?

I encourage them to do whatever their hearts desire. One of them [Lola, 21] is interested in fashion. She’s actually designing with me for the Me by Jennie Garth line. We’re doing the whole thing together, and I literally could not do it without her. Her young, supple brain is so helpful. I don’t know what will happen with Fiona, the youngest one [17]. She doesn’t say anything so far about wanting to be in the business, and the oldest one, Luca [27] is working for amfAR [a nonprofit with the mission of ending AIDS].

You and Tori Spelling also have a 90210 rewatch podcast, 90210MG. What’s it like to revisit the show?

We’re watching it from the beginning. It’s the first time I’ve ever watched the show. I never watched it when it was first on. It’s on Paramount+, and we’re on the sixth season right now. I can’t wait. We are trying to do it like you used to have to do it in the old days — [watch] one episode a week. We’re not allowed to binge. We’re not allowed to go forward. I’m really loving it.

What do you love about it?

It’s been really empowering, because you forget what you were like in your teens and in your early 20s. I feel so blessed to have that imagery available on television forever. I feel so lucky, because I don’t have home videos from back in the day. I have just the show, and I do watch it and I have a deeper appreciation for myself as a young person managing all that and dealing with that and doing a really good job of it. It’s been really cathartic, and I just have really, really enjoyed looking back at young Jennie and learning from her.

What would you tell that young Jennie if you could give her some advice?

I would tell her to choose herself. I would say choose you, because you give up that power so often in life — of doing what it is that makes you happy or what it is that sort of fills your bucket. Especially as a female, especially as a mom with three girls — I’m a caretaker. I love to help people and take care of people and nurture people. I love to keep my home nice and take care of my dogs. It’s in my nature. So remembering to take care of myself — remembering to take time for myself — is what I would remind her of.

Who gave you the best life advice?

My mom gave me this little figurine once of an angel holding a bunch of stars in her skirt, and she had [a star] in her hand and she was holding it out, and my mom said, “Don’t give all of your stars away.” It’s kind of the same concept [as my advice], now that I think about it.