Meet Trevor Donovan, 90210's New Golden Boy

The new 90210 has seen a lot of changes since original show-runners Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs handed off the reins to Rebecca Rand Kirshner last spring. The show is brighter, sunnier, all around more Californian. The storylines have amped up the teen drama (street racing, a sex tape and one heck of a hit-and-run accident in the season finale), and there are a few new faces as well.

90210 Exclusive: Meet Ethan's replacement

Series regular Dustin Milligan, who played Ethan, has left the show, and in his place newcomer Trevor Donovan has arrived. You might recognize Donovan from his stint as Jeremy Horton on Days of Our Lives or from his other life as an Abercrombie & Fitch model. He plays Teddy Montgomery, a tennis star who is also the son of an Oscar-winning actor. Though by all accounts Teddy is very much a golden boy, Donovan tells us that he has some secrets too, including a romantic past with one of 90210's leading ladies.

As the show prepped for its second-season premiere (Tuesday, Sept. 8, 8/7c, CW), TVGuide.com spoke to Donovan about his new gig, who Teddy might have eyes for and how his arrival in the new new 90210 will shake things up.

90210: Trevor Donovan to play "Teddy"

TVGuide.com: Tell us about Teddy. What does he bring to the table?
Trevor Donovan: Teddy brings a very Southern Californian summer vibe -- the beach, sunshine, surfing, he brings a lot of that element. He's also a very genuine person. Any sort of comments or things that he does that may rub people the wrong way or offend anybody, it isn't intentional. Because he grew up in the entertainment world around a lot of adults, he's mature beyond his years. He doesn't fall into all the teen drama stuff.

TVGuide.com: But since this is 90210, we have to ask: Does Teddy have a dark side?
Donovan: He's definitely going to end up having some secrets, stuff from his past. You'll see a darker or grittier side of him eventually.

TVGuide.com: What has changed from Season 1?
Donovan: Man, everything's changed, from the look of the show, the lighting, the soundtrack, the scoring — the audio's changed. There are new writers, some new directors, production. I think in first season the character development was a little scattered. I think the storylines interact with each other better.

TVGuide.com: So what can you tease about what's upcoming for Teddy?
Donovan: He's bringing a little drama and sexual tension. There might be a love triangle between him, Adrianna and Navid. He's not the type of guy to jump into a relationship, so there's going to be interactions with different women throughout the episodes as well.

TVGuide.com: Yeah, I hear Teddy's a bit of a manwhore. Will he ever get a steady girlfriend?
Donovan: [Laughs] Well, I wouldn't call him a manwhore per se! He's not a player; he's not running around lying to these girls and dating a bunch of girls at different times. He's very honest and straightforward. I think he's just much more realistic about adult, more mature relationships instead of thinking, "Oh, this is the one and only" like a lot of high school kids do. He does genuinely care about all these women in his life. When he's dating a girl, he's upfront with them and lets them know that he's not Iooking for any sort of relationship. He's not deceitful in any way.

TVGuide.com: Did you watch the original Beverly Hills, 90210? Were you a fan?
Donovan: Yeah, I grew up in Mammoth Lakes, and they shot an episode up there and I was hanging around when I was on the ski team. I was very, very involved in athletics, so I didn't watch a lot of TV, but I definitely watched a lot of 90210.

TVGuide.com: Who is Teddy like from the original?
Donovan: He's like a combination of Steve and Brandon. He's a bit of a ladies' man, but a nice guy, but they're also trying to write some goofball humor to it. Any humor that comes out of him is supposed to be very nonchalant, not intentional.

TVGuide.com: Are you having fun?
Donovan: I'm having a great time; it's a blast.                                                    

Are you excited for 90210's new season — and the addition of Trevor Donovan to the cast?

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