Jennifer Eve Antoinette Garth (born April 3, 1972 in Urbana, Illinois) is an American actress, best known for her roles of Kelly Taylor in Beverly Hills, 90210 and of Valerie Kelly Tyler in What I Like About You.
Early life
Jennifer Eve Garth was born in Illinois to John and Carolyn Garth, who each already had three children from different marriages. She grew up on a 25-acre horse ranch in Arcola, Illinois with her six older half-siblings: Johnny, Chuck, Lisa, Cammie, Wendy and Lynn. Jennie also lived in Tuscola, Illinois during her younger years. When Garth was 11, she and her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. She took dancing lessons and did a little modeling while living there, at the time wanting to go to college and later start her own dance studio. At age 15, she was discovered and encouraged to pursue an acting career by a talent scout, who had seen her win a talent competition.
She dropped out of Greenway High School during her junior year, and she and her mother moved to Los Angeles so she could become an actress. She later obtained her diploma in California. There, she started taking acting classes and went to auditions almost every day. After living in L.A. about four months, she landed the role of 'Erica McCray' on the NBC series A Brand New Life (1989).
Career
Garth is best known for her role as the beleaguered Kelly Taylor on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210. At various points in the series, Garth's character was involved in a love triangle between Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) and Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestly), became a diet pill abuser, was trapped in a fire, became involved in a cult, used cocaine, was raped, shot, got amnesia and had a miscarriage. She and former costar Tiffani Thiessen are best friends.
Garth starred in the sitcom What I Like About You as Amanda Bynes' sister Valerie Tyler. Along with Leslie Grossman and Amanda Bynes, she starred on the show for all four seasons. Garth's story, "I Am Home," was featured in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. She played the lead female role in the 1993 television production of Danielle Steel's Star.
In May 2008, TV Guide confirmed that Garth will reprise the role of Kelly Taylor in the new CW spin off of Beverly Hills, 90210. Kelly will be on recurring status as a guidance counselor at West Beverly High.
Popularity
Garth was ranked #41 in VH1's Top 100 Greatest Teen Stars
She also ranked #59 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000, and #93 on the magazine's 100 Sexiest Women of 2001.
Personal life
On April 16, 1994, Garth married musician Daniel B. Clark. They separated in January 1996 and Garth filed for divorce in November 1 of that year.
On January 20, 2001, she married actor Peter Facinelli; they met in 1995 while filming the movie An Unfinished Affair. They have three daughters: Luca Bella (born on June 22, 1997), Lola Ray (born on December 6, 2002) and Fiona Eve (born on September 30, 2006).
She speaks Italian fluently, and is a vegetarian.
She is a long-time sufferer of migraine headaches, for which she has done public service announcements on TV.
