Brian Austin Green Bio
Brian Austin Green (born July 15, 1973) is an American actor best known for his long-running role as David Silver on the iconic television series Beverly Hills, 90210, which aired from 1990 to 2000. Born Brian Green in Van Nuys, California, he adopted the stage name Brian Austin Green early in his career and briefly dropped Austin in 1996 before later returning to the full name. Over the course of his career, he has built a versatile presence in television and film, moving easily between teen dramas, science fiction, comedies, and reality competition shows.
Beyond Beverly Hills, 90210, Green has been a series regular on shows such as Freddie, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Wedding Band, and Anger Management. He has also entertained audiences on competition programs including The Masked Singer and Dancing with the Stars. His career, which began in the mid-1980s, reflects a steady evolution from child actor to established television performer.
Early Life and Background
Brian Austin Green was born on July 15, 1973, in Van Nuys, California, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. He is the son of Joyce and George Green. Green has some Scottish and Jewish ancestry, a heritage that has shaped his family background. Growing up in Southern California placed him near the heart of the American entertainment industry, offering early exposure to the world of acting and television production.
As a child, Green joined the Screen Actors Guild, and to differentiate himself from another actor with the same name, he added the middle name Austin as a professional marker. This decision later led to the familiar stage name the public knows today. His early years in Los Angeles provided a natural pathway into the entertainment industry, where child actors frequently found opportunities in television and commercial work.
Path to Celebrity
Green’s path to television stardom began in childhood, and by the mid-1980s, he was already landing on-screen roles. His first major recurring role came on the CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing, where he played Brian Cunningham for three seasons between 1986 and 1989. This early work allowed him to develop his craft within a long-running, character-driven series and gave producers a clear view of his talents.
Following his work on Knots Landing, Green appeared in the 1987 pilot of Good Morning, Miss Bliss as Adam Montcrief, further building his résumé. These formative roles positioned him for the opportunity that would define his career. Producer Aaron Spelling cast him as David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210, noting that Green shared similar personality traits with the character. This casting launched Green into the spotlight and established him as a recognizable face of 1990s television.
Brian Austin Green Career
Early Career (1985–1989)
Brian Austin Green began his professional acting career in 1985, working steadily in television throughout the late 1980s. His most significant early role was a three-season stint on Knots Landing, where he portrayed Brian Cunningham, the son of Abby Cunningham Ewing. This role placed him within a respected primetime drama and gave him valuable on-set experience alongside established performers.
During this period, Green also appeared in the 1987 pilot of Good Morning, Miss Bliss, a Disney-produced series that later evolved into Saved by the Bell. These early credits helped him transition from a child actor into a more mature television performer, setting the stage for his casting on one of the most popular dramas of the 1990s.
Breakthrough (1990–2000)
Green’s career-defining moment arrived in 1990 when he was cast as David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210. The character was often scripted to reflect Green’s own interests, and as the series progressed, David experimented with hip hop music and DJing, mirroring Green’s own creative pursuits. The role made him a household name and remains the work for which he is most widely recognized.
During the run of Beverly Hills, 90210, Green explored other creative outlets. In 1996, he briefly dropped Austin from his professional name and released a rap album titled One Stop Carnival, produced by Slimkid3 of The Pharcyde. He also made guest appearances throughout the decade on shows such as Growing Pains, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, Melrose Place, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, expanding his range across different genres and formats.
Notable Works and Milestones
Following Beverly Hills, 90210, Green built a diverse career across television. He played Derek Reese on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles from 2008 to 2009, becoming a series regular in the second season after positive reception from critics and fans. He appeared in the Showtime drama Resurrection Blvd. as Luke Bonner, a police officer attending law school, from 2001 to 2004. Green also guest-starred on shows including Smallville, where he played the villain Metallo across three episodes, Desperate Housewives, One Tree Hill, and Happy Endings, demonstrating his ability to shift between drama, comedy, and genre television.
More recently, Green competed on The Masked Singer in 2020 as Giraffe and later joined the Australian version of the show in 2023 as Crash Test Dummy. In 2021, he appeared on the thirtieth season of Dancing with the Stars alongside his partner Sharna Burgess, placing thirteenth in the competition.
Brian Austin Green Family
Brian Austin Green was raised by his mother, Joyce Green, and his father, George Green, in Van Nuys, California. His family life in the San Fernando Valley provided a stable foundation as he pursued acting from a young age. Green has spoken about his Scottish and Jewish ancestry, which contributes to his broader family background.
Personal Life
Green’s personal life has often drawn public attention. He began dating his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Tiffani Thiessen in 1992, and the couple remained together until 1995. From 1999 to 2003, he was in a relationship with fellow castmate Vanessa Marcil, with whom he shares a son named Kassius, born in 2002. In 2004, Green began dating actress Megan Fox, and the two married in 2010 before ultimately finalizing their divorce in October 2021. Together, they have three sons, born in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
Since October 2020, Green has been in a relationship with Australian professional dancer Sharna Burgess. The couple became engaged in September 2023 and welcomed a son together in June 2022. In June 2022, Green publicly revealed that he has been living with ulcerative colitis, a chronic health condition he has spoken about openly. Green and his ex-wife Megan Fox have also supported charitable causes, including funding the creation of over ten water wells through the organization Generosity Water.