'Beverly Hills, 90210': You Wouldn’t Recognize Brian Austin Green Today

In 1986, at just 13 years old, Brian Austin Green took on the role of Brian Cunningham in the soap opera “Under the California Sun.” The child star remained part of the series until 1989 and gained his first experience in front of the camera. These early years laid the foundation for his later breakthrough in Hollywood.

In 1990, Brian Austin Green first portrayed David Silver on “Beverly Hills, 90210” and became a teen idol practically overnight. Producer Aaron Spelling cast him because of the resemblance between the actor and the character, so Green’s own interests in hip-hop and DJing were incorporated directly into the script. The series made him one of the most recognizable faces of 1990s youth culture.

In 1996, he dropped his middle name, Austin, and ventured into the music industry under the name Brian Green. With the album “One Stop Carnival,” produced by Slimkid3, he tried his hand at rapping—an unusual move for an established TV star. This musical foray remained a one-time chapter in his career.

In 2000, after ten seasons, the era of “Beverly Hills, 90210” came to an end—and with it, his time as David Silver. For Brian Austin Green, the series finale marked a farewell to the role that had shaped him like no other. From then on, he turned his attention to new genres and characters beyond high school drama. Visually, too, the actor had matured and left his teen image behind.

In 2004, Brian Austin Green met the young actress Megan Fox during a guest appearance on the sitcom “Hope & Faith.” Their encounter on set led to a relationship that repeatedly sparked public interest in the years that followed. This new chapter in his personal life coincided with a period in which Green was increasingly focusing his career on drama and action series.

Between 2008 and 2009, he played the resistance fighter Derek Reese in “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” initially as a recurring character and later as a regular cast member. Positive reviews and fan reactions led to his character taking on a much more prominent role in the second season. The role showcased a more serious, action-oriented Brian Austin Green, a far cry from his Beverly Hills image.

In 2009 and 2010, Brian Austin Green took on the role of John Corben—better known as Metallo—in the series “Smallville.” The character of the war-traumatized reporter with cybernetic implants earned him another appearance in the superhero genre. Ultimately, due to budget constraints, a stunt double took over the role for his final appearance on the series.

From 2012 to 2014, he was first a guest star and later a regular cast member on “Anger Management,” while also playing the bandleader Tommy on the TBS series “Wedding Band” in 2012 and 2013. These roles showcased Brian Austin Green’s versatility, as he was just as comfortable in comedy formats as he had been in drama.

In 2020, Brian Austin Green took an unusual step away from traditional acting roles with his appearance on the fourth season of “The Masked Singer.” That same year, he began a relationship with dancer Sharna Burgess, to whom he later became engaged. The two also danced together on the show “Dancing with the Stars.” Both personally and professionally, the year marked a visible fresh start following the end of his marriage to Megan Fox.

Brian Austin Green has since become a self-assured man in his mid-50s whose appearance bears little resemblance to that of the youthful David Silver. The former teen star has evolved into a versatile actor, musician, and reality TV contestant who has remained in the business for decades. Today, in 2026, Brian Austin Green is regarded by many as a striking example of how a child star can transform over the course of four decades. His career is also still going strong. Most recently, he appeared on camera for upcoming productions such as “Perfectly Imperfect.”