BH90210 sensation Natalie Sharp on joining the buzzy revival

BH90210 hasn’t just brought back old favorites; it’s also introduced new talents like Natalie Sharp, who spoke to Hidden Remote about playing Anna.

BH90210 has generated a ton of buzz for FOX as fans have reconnected with the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 in this semi-meta revival. But what makes the show worth watching isn’t just who’s come back—it’s also some of the new arrivals.

One particular standout is Natalie Sharp, who portrays writer Anna in the series. And as we move closer to the season finale, Natalie joined Hidden Remote to discuss her familiarity with the 90210 phenomenon, the TV shows that were her obsessions as a teenager, and what it was like to play a fictional character when many of her co-stars were playing versions of themselves.

Get to know more about Natalie in our interview below, then don’t miss a new BH90210 episode tonight on FOX at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Hidden Remote: What did you think of BH90210 originally? Were you familiar with Beverly Hills, 90210 before or was there something else that made it intriguing for you?

Natalie Sharp: It all kind of happened really, really fast. I just loved that it was going to be so “meta.” I’d never watched 90210 because it was before my generation, but I know how much the show means to so many people.

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I loved the fact that they’re cranking it up and just going in as heightened versions of themselves. I think it’s a really cool twist on such an iconic show!

Which raises an interesting point: what’s it like when you’re playing Anna, an entirely fictional character, against people who are portraying different takes on themselves? Does BH90210‘s meta angle affect the acting process?

Sharp: I am still playing a character, so I do still get to act. However, I do find that most of my characters are a little part of me that I either subdue or heighten; Anna is a certain version of myself, and one that I like exploring.

It was interesting to act alongside people playing themselves because they are such a family. It’s cool to see people with so much history have so much fun together and reconnect. There would be a lot of times they would improvise, and I would find myself in awe, thinking “Wow, I’m amongst legends right now.” That was really cool.

What do you love the most about Anna? Are there highlights that stand out to you in playing her this season?

Sharp: I think what is really cool about Anna is that she is a young, smart, female writer in a heavily male-dominated industry. She has learned to stand on her own, but battles with the insecurities and vulnerability of being so young in a position of power.

Also, I didn’t realize how much criticism writers take! Much of her arc has a secret to it, so I don’t want to ruin it. But I think people are going to enjoy her. She’s very sarcastic and witty and carves her own path.

You may not be able to tell us her secret, but did you go into BH90210 knowing what it was, or did you have to find out as the season went on? How did you develop Anna?

Sharp: We had no idea where my character was going to go. I would arrive to set and there would be a new revision in my trailer. Sometimes I wouldn’t get the script until the night before I was to start shooting! They really kept me on my toes, but it added to the fun. I got to feel all of those surprises in real time, and that made it really exciting.

So you weren’t a Beverly Hills, 90210 superfan but were there other TV series that you were similarly into growing up? What shows influenced you?

Sharp: The shows that were “my 90210” growing up were One Tree Hill, The O.C. and Friday Night Lights. Those were like the three main shows that I was obsessed with! I fell in love with the characters and their storylines. I know that if they did a reunion series, I would have them all set to record months before.

I was also a huge Disney watcher as a kid. The shows Lizzie McGuire and That’s So Raven were a huge reason why I wanted to go into acting; I looked up to those girls…and I want to be able to be that person for someone else.

What other roles would you point BH90210 fans toward to see more of Natalie Sharp?

Sharp: Hit the Road was a show that I did with Jason Alexander. I play Ria, his diva wannabe pop-star daughter, in a story about a traveling family band, like the Partridge family gone totally wrong! It’s really twisted and funny and sort of dark and very weird, but honestly endearing at times as well. I had the time of my life filming that series, and absolutely adored playing Ria! We did ten episodes and it’s on Crave and AT&T’s DirecTV.

You’re a multi-talented performer; you also sing and dance in addition to acting. Any chance that Anna gets to belt out a song before BH90210 ends?

Sharp: They have not talked to me about it—yet. But I’m always down to sing! I feel like in every project I’ve been in so far there has been a little opportunity and it just happens. I just wrapped up a lead role in a movie and they feature one of my original songs, “If You Knew Me.” The movie is called The Babysitter and it will be airing on Lifetime.

What else do you have on the horizon after BH90210?

Sharp: I just finished a feature film with my cool director brother Alexander Sharp! The movie is called “Wired Shut,” and I’m the lead in that. It’s a thriller and it’s going to do the festival route in 2020.

That entire experience was so special, as we have been dreaming about collaborating in the industry together since we were kids. It was also fun having the classic brother/sister feuds on set—you know how it is. Siblings. (laughs)

New episodes of BH90210 air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX. For more about BH90210 and other FOX shows, be sure to check out the FOX category at Hidden Remote.