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The Real Story Behind Jennie Garth’s Book I Choose Me

13 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In this interview excerpt, Jennie Garth explains the origin of her New York Times bestselling book title, 'I Choose Me.' She reveals that the phrase comes from a pivotal line spoken by her character Kelly in the 1995 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, where Kelly chooses herself over two love interests, Brandon and Dylan. Although Garth didn’t fully grasp the line’s meaning at the time, she later recognized its deeper significance as a message of self‑empowerment. She recounts how many fans, who grew up watching the show, have told her that the line helped them realize they could choose themselves in difficult situations. This personal resonance inspired Garth to expand the concept into a book that encourages readers to prioritize self‑choice and empowerment, a theme she has also lived by.

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Okay, you just put this new book out. It's already a New York Times bestseller, I Choose Me, which is a line from 90210, right? What was the inspiration or what made you decide to write it?
Well, like you said, it's a line that has, you know, stuck with a lot of people. A line that Kelly said in the moment when she was asked to choose between Brandon and Dylan. She didn't choose either of them in that moment. She chose herself. And I said that line in 1995. I had no idea of what it really meant. And somehow giving true meaning to something, even though I didn't really fully understand it. Maybe something inside of me really did. But since then, I've met so many women who, you know, fans of the show that have grown up with me, and they've told me, like, I remember that line. I never knew I had a choice. I never knew I could choose myself in any given situation. And I thought, oh my gosh, this is something that we have to keep talking about. This is something that we have to remember. And it's It's certainly something that I have lived.