Jennie Garth Reflects on 'Beverly Hills, 90210'

— -- Jennie Garth became a household name almost overnight after "Beverly Hills, 90210" premiered in 1990.

Today, the actress looks back at that time in awe.

"I was so young and green, I didn’t even know what a major project was or what it meant to be signing on for something like this and the possible impact it would have on my life," she told ABC News. "I don’t think you have that mental capacity to think about the possible outcome at that age, so I was just thrilled to be doing something that seemed fun."

Garth, now 43, played popular teenager Kelly Taylor on the series for its entire 10-year run. When she landed the role, she bonded quickly with Jason Priestley, whom she knew before they were cast, as well as Gabrielle Carteris, whom she described as "motherly and caring" and her "little sister" Tori Spelling.

"We would all just hang out during lunch, sometimes on the floor in my dressing room, in Tori’s dressing room -- any place we could sit and relax and take a deep breath," Garth recalled. "Because we were sequestered deep in the San Fernando Valley in that warehouse [where we filmed], it wasn’t like we could venture out for our lunch hour!"

However, it wasn't always smooth-sailing. Garth, who appeared in more scenes than anybody else in show's run, admitted that as a result of her newfound fame, she was forced to become an adult very quickly.

"Everything that I had known before [was] replaced by my new life: working very extensive hours, managing having a house of my own and all that goes with that, dealing with money and all the complications of having it," she said. "I was thrown into a grown-up world that I really wasn’t equipped to handle quite yet. On the other hand, I was 'living the dream,' so how could I complain? [But] people looked at me differently, even some family members. People treated me differently. It was a head trip for sure. I honestly just didn’t know what was happening, or have any idea of changing the course."

On set she felt a deep camaraderie with her castmates (she's still very close with Spelling, with whom she works on the show "Mystery Girls") and was grateful for the experience. Now a mother of three daughters, she's letting them watch the show and getting a kick out of their reactions.

"My middle daughter, Lola, has been watching the series in order lately [and] it is fun to see her take on things," she said. "She loves all the dramatic eye rolling!"

Today, the Lowe's spokeswoman, who still has Kelly Taylor's motorcycle boots ("to be worn with a loose, flowery '90s dress!" she said), is enjoying life with her family and and focusing her attention on "Mystery Girls."

"Being a producer on 'Mystery Girls' made me realize how much I enjoy being part of the creative process on a show, not just from an acting standpoint but being involved with the writing, look, and direction of the whole project," she said.