Tori Spelling said Beverly Hills 90210 co-star Luke Perry had a protective side and showed it big-time when he threw down with Spellings verbally abusive boyfriend at the time.

Spelling said on Mondays Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast that she was 19 at the time and unaware that her relationship was hard on others as well. Perry hated the boyfriend, according to Spelling.

At my parents Christmas Eve party one year, (Luke) was there and he just like saw this ex-boyfriend, and they got into it and he tried to punch him, Spelling said. Jason Priestley had to pull him off it was one of those epic stories, youre like Whoa, looking back, like thats crazy.

The dustup ruptured Perry and Spellings friendship. They didnt talk for a while, but still worked together daily, she remembered. Her boyfriend complained about Perrys behavior and she recalled resenting her castmate for the clash.

Spelling said she finally recognized that Perry was just trying to stand up for her and they reconciled.

I was mad at him instead of realizing in hindsight it was like this guy loved me and he was like, I dont care. Im gonna go to bat for her, she said. He was a great friend.

Perry, who played Dylan on the 1990s teen drama, died at 52 after a stroke in March 2019. Spelling, who played Donna, appeared in the BH90210 series in 2019 as a fictionalized version of herself.

Spelling, 48, has recently faced tabloid reports suggesting she and husband Dean McDermott are headed for legal acrimony.