Beverly Hills, 90210 star Jason Priestley looked virtually unrecognizable from his days as a teen idol in a new video posted to Instagram, which saw the actor speaking about his latest TV venture.
The 56-year-old spoke directly to the camera as he shared the good news that his show, Private Eyes West Coast, was coming to The CW network. The series is a spinoff of the Canadian show by the same name, and will see Jason star in and executive produce the project.
The father of two looked so different in the clip, clad in a navy hoodie and sporting a graying beard. Jason’s piercing blue eyes still commanded attention, 26 years on from his star-making turn as Brandon Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210.
Friends and fans took to the comment section to share their congratulations with Jason, including his former co-star, Tiffani Thiessen, who commented a series of clapping emojis; his daughter, Ava Priestley, who wrote: “YAY DAD!!!”; and his other 90210 co-star, Jennie Garth, who added several heart emojis.
The actor has undergone a major transformation in recent years, as his fans pointed out in a previous video posted to Instagram in which Jason spoke about his wine business. “You are still beautiful,” commented one supporter, while another added: “I honest to God did not recognize him.”
“Good lord, is that really him?” said another, while a fourth chimed in: “It’s always great to see a celebrity who’s aging naturally and proves that it’s okay to get older.”
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyJason starred as Brandon on the show for 10 years before wrapping the project in 2000. In the years following his time on 90210, he dipped his toes into directing and also starred in the Canadian TV series Call Me Fitz. He later acted in the comedy-drama Private Eyes and in Wild Cards.
Jason and his wife, Naomi Lowde-Priestley, opted to move their children away from the hustle and bustle of LA in 2021 and brought the family to Nashville, where they set up a Pilates studio.
© Getty ImagesThe move came about after the couple struggled to find a good school for their eldest, Ava, in the LA area. “My wife and I just said to each other, ‘If the kids get into the school, we’re going to Nashville!'” he told E! News. “And lo and behold, they both got in, so we moved, and we love it.”
© Sygma via Getty Images“It’s just ease of operation,” he continued. “It’s so much easier to navigate your life here. And it’s a cool, interesting place.”
© Getty Images“We get four seasons instead of one season,” Jason said. “Because you have markers, and you know what time of year it is, it seems to make time go a little bit slower. There was something about the homogeneity of Los Angeles, where it was, ‘Is it March or is it October? I don’t know, I can’t really tell.’ So time just kind of evaporates. Whereas living here, with four very distinct seasons, you have to take advantage of what the season is offering.”
Jason shares his kids, Ava, 18, and Dashiell, 16, with Naomi, and shared that the pair were entirely uninterested in his showbiz career. “[I’ll say], ‘Look, guys, I used to do that, look at how cool I was.’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, whatever, Dad.’ It’s sad, but I know as a parent I’m not alone in this. There just comes a point where you’re not cool to your kids anymore.”
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