Brandon Walsh

Brandon Walsh is a fictional character played by Jason Priestley on Fox television series Beverly Hills, 90210. He was the first character introduced in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise and served as the lead male character in the television drama. Brandon was best known for his altruistic nature and strong moral values. Unlike his close friend Dylan McKay, who was portrayed as an anti-hero, Brandon's motives were often unselfish, and he was more of a traditional hero than Dylan. His friendliness made him so popular among his peers that, during the show's run, his sister Brenda, along with his friends, Dylan and Steve, all revealed that they considered Brandon the best friend they ever had. For his portrayal of Brandon, Priestley was nominated twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, in 1992 and 1994, for the 50th and 52nd ceremonies, respectively. Until his departure in the ninth-season episode, “Brandon Leaves,” his character appeared in every episode but one, and he later returned for a last appearance in the final episode of the series. Starting on season 6, Priestley also became a producer, and for the eight season was promoted to executive producer, until the ninth season. About his departure, Priestley says he regrets leaving the show too early.