S1 cast members Heather Locklear, Josie Bissett, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Daphne Zuniga, Vanessa Estelle Williams, and Laura Leighton reminisce about 90s hit Melrose Place. They filmed in Santa Clarita and worked long 12-14 hour days so they didn’t realize they were famous until later.
Heather had it written in her contract that she got to keep Amanda’s wardrobe. She said that she would put aside the outfits she didn’t want to keep and let her friends take what they wanted. Josie said her contract did not say she could keep her wardrobe but she took a lot of Jane’s clothes anyway. The writers did not know she wanted to be a fashion designer when they wrote that for Jane’s character. Vanessa said she wishes she had taken Rhonda’s ski outfit.
They all loved how strong, assertive, and powerful Amanda was and how audiences celebrated those aspects of Amanda. Laura said that Sydney definitely got judged more for being messy.
Laura talks about dating her costar Grant Show (who is now married to Katherine LaNasa of The Pitt). She said usually their storylines were completely separate so it felt weird when they had scenes together. She said everyone (including the writers) knew they were dating.
In contrast, when Courtney started dating Andrew Shue, it was a secret but eventually everyone knew. She said they realized that they were very different (her example: when they weren’t filming, he wanted to go to Africa and she wanted to go home and watch tv) but they ended up staying good friends.
Similarly, Laura said that her breakup with Grant wasn’t dramatic and they were able to keep working together. She later dated another costar on the show, Doug Savant. They have been married since 1998 and have two kids.
Josie married Rob Estes (Silk Stalkings) on a Friday and started filming Melrose Place the following Monday. Rob guest starred on S1 and then later joined the cast as a different character for the final three seasons. She was five months pregnant when the show ended and she said it was nice that she got to enjoy the end of her pregnancy without having to decide if she should take time off from the show (in 1996, Hunter Tylo was fired from Melrose Place by Aaron Spelling when she disclosed her pregnancy – she subsequently won $4.8 million when she sued him for discrimination).
Daphne asked Vanessa what she would have done if she could have had any influence on the writers’ room. Vanessa’s response: “I would have had a Black writer in the room.” She wishes that Rhonda could have had as much salacious fun as the other characters. She also talks about being let go from the show and explains that back then, there was a more set schedule for tv shows and they let her go too late for her to do any pilots for the next year. She ended up hosting a variety show in Spain. Rhonda and Amanda were briefly on the show at the same time at the end of S1, but they never had any scenes together. 25 years later, Vanessa and Heather did a movie together.
Where are their characters now? Although Sydney was killed on the show, Laura said she thinks Sydney isn’t really dead and is off living her life away from her old neighbors. Vanessa said Rhonda is now a real estate mogul and owes the Melrose Place apartment complex (in the CW reboot, Jane inherited the complex after Sydney died). Daphne thinks Jo is a trauma therapist. Heather said Amanda should be her patient. Courtney said Allison is a barfly and showing up to things uninvited. Josie thinks Jane has sworn off men. Heather said Amanda went to Hollywood and developed a hit show called Melrose Place about her life during that time. Courtney says that Amanda should be on a reality show.
In a realistic Melrose Place reboot, Heather said Amanda should have a walker and wear flat shoes with orthotics. Vanessa said Amanda would have a hot home health aide. Daphne appeared on the reboot but she pointed out that the pool was horizontal instead of vertical.
