Former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Gabrielle Carteris was spotted enjoying some festive retail therapy in Los Angeles this week, looking cheerful and relaxed just weeks before her 65th birthday.
A Rare Public Sighting
The actress, best known for playing the studious editor Andrea Zuckerman in the iconic Aaron Spelling-produced teen drama, was seen on Wednesday, December 17. Carteris opted for a casual and comfortable outfit for her outing, wearing track pants and trainers paired with a cosy green sweater and minimal jewellery.
In a poignant detail, her canvas bag appeared to bear the name of her late co-star, Shannen Doherty, who tragically passed away from cancer in 2024. The sighting comes just two weeks before Carteris celebrates her 65th birthday on January 2.
From 29 to 16: The Age Fib That Launched a Career
Reflecting on her early days on the wildly popular show, Carteris has previously revealed how she secured the role of a 16-year-old while she was actually 29. She told producers she was 21, a move advised by a lawyer at the time.
"When I got the role, a lawyer told me I could sign a contract and state a different age, as long as it was over the age of 21," she explained to People magazine in 2019. She admitted her luck when the truth eventually emerged: "When [my real age] did come out, the show was just starting to take off and my character was established enough that they did not fire me."
Life Imitating Art on 90210
Carteris also shared how the writers often wove the cast's real-life events into the show's storylines. When she underwent bunion surgery and needed a wheelchair, Andrea was written into a serious car accident. Later, when Carteris became pregnant with her first child with husband Charles Isaacs, she requested that her teenage character also experience pregnancy.
"I went to Aaron [Spelling] and said, 'My husband, Charlie, and I would like to start a family, and I’d like for you to write it in,'" she recalled. The decision, while groundbreaking, faced some backlash, which Carteris addressed head-on, arguing that smart people make real-life decisions and mistakes.
The actress, who starred in the show’s first five seasons and returned for guest appearances, later reunited with most of the original cast for the 2019 reboot, BH90210. She described the experience as "full circle" and one of the most impactful moments of her life.
Carteris remains grateful for the show's enduring legacy, telling fans at 90s Con 2024 that hearing how the series connected with people is "the biggest tribute you can give." The actress is now a mother of two and has been married to Charles Isaacs for 33 years.
