Actress and former “Beverly Hills 90210” star Tori Spelling has revealed that her late-1990s romance with Freddie Prinze Jr came to a quick end thanks to the exploits of her friends.
On the Wednesday, March 4 episode of her podcast, “misSPELLING” — which was appropriately titled “Kissing Confessions – Tori Kisses & Tells” — recorded at a studio by the ocean at Baha Mar, Spelling explained that her one and only date with Prinze was “ruined” by pals.
Spelling has since been married to both Charlie Shanian (from 2004 until 2006) and Dean McDermott (from 2006 until 2025). Meanwhile, Prinze has been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar since 2002. However, things could have been very different for both of them if their budding romance had blossomed.
Tori Spelling Says Her Romance With Freddie Prinze Jr ‘Wasn’t Meant to Be’
GettyNow 52, Tori Spelling said her brief fling with Freddie Prinze Jr spawned from their time working together on Mark Waters’ 1997 dark comedy movie “The House of Yes.”
Per Page Six, Spelling said on her podcast, “It was supposed to be this very innocent relationship on camera, and it kind of was off camera, and he and I actually developed a thing for each other.”
She continued, “We went on one date, and to this day — I mean, it wasn’t meant to be. My friends ruined it.”
Marijuana Was the Culprit
Spelling then revealed that, at the time, she was living in an apartment with her best friend. Said best friend had a few friends over and they were smoking marijuana. The actress says that was what ruined her chance of a relationship with Prinze Jr.
“I was like, ‘You guys, I have a date. Take this serious[ly]. He’s gonna smell this, he’s gonna think it’s me. It’s not me.’ And they were just like, We’ll be good, we’ll be good,'” she said.
The actress elaborated, saying, “And I was like, ‘Well, it’s too late now, you’re all stoned and you’re sitting on my couch and he’s gonna walk through.’ Because I lived in a building where the elevator came up. So he came up to pick me up to go to a movie at Universal City.”
She went on, “Anyway, he came up, and my friends were so weird, and they were so embarrassing, and I just remember one of my friends was like, ‘Freddie, is that Frederick?’ And I was just like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ He goes, ‘Do I call you Fred?’ I was like, ‘What is happening?'”
The potential lovebirds then went to see Jim Carrey’s 1996 black comedy movie “The Cable Guy.” However, they decided not to pursue their romance further. “So that was it, but we stayed friends-ish,” Spelling says.
The actress said they did kiss a few times, but that was the extent of their physical affection.
Both Spelling and Prinze Have Enjoyed Subsequent Success
GettyHaving both found love with other people after their failed romance, as previously mentioned, both Tori Spelling and Freddie Prinze Jr moved on in their personal lives. Moreover, they’ve both carved out successful subsequent careers for themselves.
Per IMDb, Spelling has appeared in movies like 2001’s “Scary Movie 2” and 2016’s “Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?” Her television credits include “Smallville,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and “Dancing with the Stars.”
Prinze’s movie credits include 2002’s “Scooby Doo,” 2008’s “Delgo,” and 2025’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” On television, he’s appeared in the likes of “Frasier,” “Friends,” and “Bones” (per IMDb). He’s also worked as a writer and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment.
We wish them both well.
