--- title: 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Creator Remembers Actor Luke Perry description: He was unforgettable from the moment I met him.' Darren Star, creator of 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' remembers Luke Perry, who died at 52. canonical: https://time.com/5546768/luke-perry-darren-star-obituary/ author: Darren Star article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-03-07T10:43:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:52:54.764Z article:section: Ideas og:title: '90210' Creator Darren Star Remembers Luke Perry og:description: Perry died on March 4 at 52 after a stroke og:url: https://time.com/5546768/luke-perry-darren-star-obituary/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt164e44d7ef027b32/6989465716d884397bc34bc4/luke-perry-milestones-web.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Luke Perry Milestones og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: '90210' Creator Darren Star Remembers Luke Perry twitter:description: Perry died on March 4 at 52 after a stroke twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt164e44d7ef027b32/6989465716d884397bc34bc4/luke-perry-milestones-web.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # _90210_ Creator Darren Star Remembers Luke Perry, 'an Avatar of Cool' > Sponsored content. 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Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: In Memoriam: Luke Perry [Watch (HLS stream): In Memoriam: Luke Perry](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1di5fC24.m3u8) (1:39)  _Published 2019-03-04. Luke Perry, the actor best known for roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Riverdale, died in Los Angeles on Monday after suffering a massive stroke, a publicist confirmed. He was 52._ by [Darren Star](https://time.com/author/darren-star/) ## Darren Star Mar 7, 2019 10:43 AM UTC  Perry in Las Vegas in 1994 Perry in Las Vegas in 1994Ron Galella—WireImage/Getty Images by [Darren Star](https://time.com/author/darren-star/) ## Darren Star Mar 7, 2019 10:43 AM UTC The pilot of _Beverly Hills, 90210_ had been shot, but the series was missing a secret ingredient: an avatar of cool. It seemed like an impossible role to fill–until Luke Perry walked in the door. He was unforgettable from the moment I met him, in the summer of 1990. Luke was taking time off from his day job when he came in to read for the role. One day he was paving parking lots, and the next day he was Dylan McKay. Dylan was a sensitive hunk, world-weary and wise beyond his years, with mysteries you could only guess at. Abandoned by his parents, he found his true family with the Walshes and the gang at West Beverly Hills High. Dylan was the wildest, most fascinating, truest friend you could ever have. Though he came from money, he thumbed his nose at the hypocrisy and privilege all around him. Luke created that iconic character by channeling his vulnerability, his strength and his big heart. And despite the unexpected torrent of fame that followed, Luke–who died on March 4 at 52 after a stroke–always remained Luke. Soulful, sweet and down-to-earth, he led a life that was a master class in graciousness and humility. The degree to which he touched us all–then and so many years later–is a tribute to his remarkable nature. I am blessed to have known him and to have worked with him, and am heartbroken by his passing. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5546768/luke-perry-darren-star-obituary/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5546768/luke-perry-darren-star-obituary/"},"headline":"90210 Creator Darren Star Remembers Luke Perry, 'an Avatar of Cool'","datePublished":"2019-03-07T10:43:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:52:54.764Z","description":"He was unforgettable from the moment I met him.' 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