Jason Priestley became visibly emotional as he recalled his favorite directing moment from "Beverly Hills, 90210," which involved his late co-star Luke Perry.
During a June appearance on the “Best With Them” podcast, Priestley, who directed during the show's third season, reflected on working with Perry during the actor's final episode.
"My favorite directing moment? In Luke Perry’s last episode that he ever did, you know, Luke falling to his knees in the rain… we had rain towers everywhere, and Luke was falling to his knees, you know, looking up at the heavens and crying out," Priestley recounted. The scene depicted Perry's character, Dylan McKay, discovering that his wife, Antonia "Toni" Marchette, had been killed in a drive-by shooting.
Priestley described the moment as a "big camera on a crane pull[ed] away from him in the rain." He added, "Luke and I were just having the best time shooting all of that stuff, and I think back to those kinds of moments a lot now that he’s gone," he said, his voice breaking.
Perry, who also starred in "Riverdale," died in March 2019 at the age of 52 following a massive stroke. Priestley confirmed he misses his friend when asked during the podcast, falling silent with tears welling in his eyes.
Following Perry's death, Priestley shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, writing, "My dear friend of 29 years, Luke Perry, was one of those truly special people who really cared… Luke was not only a star. He was an incredibly bright light that was extinguished far too soon… and that is why I, and so many others, are in so much pain today…"
Priestley also spoke in August 2024 about how the deaths of Perry and his "Beverly Hills, 90210" co-star Shannon Doherty had impacted his perspective on life. "It has made me think about my own mortality. I woke up on my 50th birthday and I realized that I’d already lived most of my life," he told The Mirror.
"Luke's passing away was totally a shock because there was nothing wrong with him," Priestley added. "We were neighbors as well as friends and spent a lot of time together. We shared so much."