Tori Spelling shares late Shannen Doherty's encouraging words
"She definitely inspired me during that last year to kind of turn on my power, as she would say," Spelling tells EW.
By Emlyn Travis
The inspiration that Tori Spelling received from her late Beverly Hills, 90210 costar and friend Shannen Doherty will always stay with her — even as she prepares to waltz into the ballroom on season 33 of Dancing With the Stars.
“I think in general, Shan was always a big champion of mine,” Spelling tells Entertainment Weekly during a press line with the dance competition's new cast. “And, in the last year, I was really grateful that we were able to spend time together.”
She continues, “She definitely inspired me during that last year to kind of turn on my power, as she would say, and kind of go for it. And that's staying with me, definitely, in my heart.”
Tori Spelling and Shannen Doherty
Tori Spelling and Shannen Doherty. Tori Spelling/Instagram
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Doherty died July 13 at age 53 following a long battle with breast cancer. At the time, Spelling penned an emotional tribute to her former costar on social media, describing them as “each other's wing women, true confidantes, support systems navigating bad relationships, roommates of sorts at times, travel buddies, and so much more."
While the pair lost touch for several years, they were ultimately able to reunite and rekindle their friendship prior to Doherty’s death. In fact, the “go for it” gumption that Doherty imparted on her during the last year can be seen in her decision to join the cast of Dancing With the Stars — a show that Spelling's long wanted to compete on, but always shied away from because of nerves.
“I've gotten that call before — many seasons, since the first season of Dancing With the Stars — and I said no. Not because I didn't want to do the show, because I was terrified and I was so scared,” she confesses. “But this year, when I got the call, I was like, ‘You know what? I'm really trying to turn things around and find myself.’ So I was like, ‘What scares me the most is gonna push me forward in life. So I'm doing it.’”
Her five children, however, had a completely different reaction to discovering that their mom would soon be dancing opposite her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, onstage each week.
ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" stars Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling on 'Dancing With the Stars'. Disney/Andrew Eccles
Shannen Doherty's costars Rose McGowan, Jason Priestley, Brian Austin Green, and more pay tribute
“They were worried I was gonna get hurt, because I don't work out,” she says through laughter. “I’m the girl at the shopping mall. I'll, like, drive around for 30 minutes to find a parking spot closest and my kids know it. They're like, ‘Mom, wait, you're gonna dance…
Are you gonna be okay?’ I’m like, ‘We’ll see!’”
While the actress admits that she’s “not used to putting myself first,” the idea of winning being the last team standing and receiving the Mirrorball trophy at the end of the show would mean a lot to her.
“I can put [Pashkov] first, so I'd like to win it for him and his family,” Spelling says, then pauses. “Oh, no, screw it! I'm going to be a different me now: I want to win!”
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