Interview with Michael Steger of 90210

As you all know, 90210 is one of my favorite shows along with Gossip Girl. I love the characters, the fashion and most of all the drama!! Haha. Kind of like my life. When those two shows aren’t on, I’m usually only watching old movies and Lifetime (yes, Lifetime). I’m all revved up for its return on the CW next Tuesday. Mark your calendars for March 9th!

I got the inside scoop on the series directly from one of its stars, Michael Steger who plays Navid Shirazi. I put my journalist hat on Friday from New York and called Michael to ask some juicy questions and found out even more about him and his co-stars than I expected I would; like his super spontaneous Vegas wedding, that he’s a huge Tim Burton fan and that Anna Lynne is… well you’ll just have to read the interview below to find out.

H: The character on the show is really stylish. Do you share his style in real life?

M: Not really. I dig some of the clothes my character wears but I’m just more laid back, grungy when I’m at home. My character is into more expensive clothes and being fashionable. I’m into fashion, but not to the extent that he is.

H: Do you have any input into the evolution of your character?

M: Yes, actually. [The show runner] Rebecca Sinclair wanted all of our opinions and was very open to our ideas, so there was a lot of creative room to contribute. It was my idea to have the Blaze newspaper be more prevalent, like a character- a place where more of the action took place. For me it’s like the Central Perk Coffee House of West Beverly High.

H: You’re a native of California. Is there anywhere else you would want to live?

M: I’d love to give New York a try. Or Vancouver.

H: What’s the craziest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself?

M: That I was a Scientologist. I used to live by the Scientology Celebrity Center in Hollywood. It was made into a really big deal. All respect to them, but that was the craziest rumor.

H: Who is your favorite character from the original 90210?

M: I’d have to save Brian Austin Green because I can relate to him the most.

H: Is there any particular celebrity you’d like to see make a cameo on the show?

M: Johnny Depp would be cool of course! But someone who I think would actually be able to do the show would be Gabrielle Union. (Laughing) She’s hot!

H: Was your high school anything like what it is on the show?

M: (laughing) HELL NO! It was so different. I was embarrassed about the car I drove. People would give me the craziest looks. Now I drive a Lamborghini , but I think I have trauma from high school because I still feel like I’m driving a Toyota pickup. It’s just completely different. I used to dread getting into my old car.

H: What’s the most awkward scene you’ve ever had to shoot on for the show?

M: Probably when Naveed lost his virginity. It looks like we’re in the privacy of a bedroom but there were 30-40 people on set watching. There’s an entire audience. It took some time to get relaxed.

H: You were in a video for The Killers. Have you been in any other music videos?

M: I’ve had offers to be in others, but I couldn’t do them because of the show. Tim Burton directed The Killers video and it was the only one I was able to do. It was so fun. Tim Burton was so cool and really involved with every detail from the makeup, wardrobe, and everything right down to the ball cap they put on me.

H: What character on the show are you most like in real life?

M: I would probably say Tristan because he’s the new kid at school and it was hard for people to accept him at first. It took him awhile to adjust.

H: Out of the whole cast, who do you think is most like their character in real life?

M: I’d have to say Anna Lynne, except in a more positive way. She’s really funny and has a tremendous amount of energy which she’s able to channel into her character on the show. On the show she uses that energy to get back at people, but in real life she uses it for good. She is a burst of energy. It comes off on screen and in real life.

H: You’re married to Brandee Tucker. How did you two meet?

M: We met in junior high actually. I don’t remember her from back then, but she remembers me. We ended up going to high school together and were friends right away, then coincidentally went to the same college. She moved to LA first- me second. We started dating after college.

H: How did you propose?

M: After I got my first acting job I had some money so we ended up going to Vegas and I proposed at the Paris Hotel.

Watch a trailer for Season Three on CW’s official site and make sure to tune in on Tuesday!