"'Beverly Hills' changed the audiovisual landscape," says Jason Priestley

Stars, glamour, and 21 programs from twelve countries!

Created in 1961, at the instigation of Prince Rainier III, the 61st edition of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival opens its doors this Friday in the Principality.

After two years of global health crisis, the event will reconnect with what it does best, welcoming many international celebrities on its red carpet, including 10 former jury presidents.

Among them, actor, producer and director Jason Priestley, who chaired the 56th edition of the event.

Ahead of the festival, the unforgettable interpreter of Brandon Walsh in the cult 1990s series

, kindly agreed to return for

on more than three decades spent in the television industry. 

What does the Monte-Carlo Television Festival mean to you? 

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has such a long history, this is the 61st iteration of this event.

For me, it is always a great honor to attend.

Moreover, it is always a great joy to have the opportunity to visit Monte-Carlo once again! 

As the oldest festival dedicated to television, it is the first to have considered television as an art... 

What I really love about this festival is that it provides great exposure and TV awards from all over the world.

That's really what I appreciate.

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival allows you to see programs from all over the world.

And I think what you're saying is right, he was one of the first to celebrate television as an art.

As someone who works primarily for television, I think it's important to celebrate the medium itself.

The festival is important for all of this. 

Isn't it frustrating to always be associated with the character Brandon Walsh in "Beverly Hills 90210"? 

People still talk to me sometimes about

and the character of Brandon Walsh... But I was lucky enough to be able to participate in so many other series, with so many equally dynamic and interesting characters.

I'd even venture to say that I've had more interesting characters in the last twenty years since I left the show.

Time spent on this show hasn't been a hindrance to me or my career ever since... This show was so iconic and was so successful around the world.

It's obvious that people want to talk about this show, it was an incredible worldwide phenomenon when it aired.

It was an amazing opportunity for me as a young actor, so I have no problem discussing it! 

"Beverly Hills 90210" changed the world of young adult series... 

Yes, this series has changed the television landscape.

At the time, people weren't making shows specifically aimed at young people until

.

I really feel like this series was a game changer in the way of doing television. 

Do you watch young adult series like “Euphoria”, “Riverdale” or “Gossip Girl”?

Do you consider them heirs to "Beverly Hills 90210"? 

I watch some!

I have a daughter who is a teenager and I watch them with her.

I feel like these series are distant relatives of

.

Many of them are much more daring and their production value is much higher and better than what was produced at the time.

I even feel like

, in many ways, was even a bit dated for its time.

We tried to tackle in a relevant way the problems that were faced at the time.

In terms of production, it was very simple to film and make.

The series that my daughter watches seem much more complex and of higher quality than what we were doing at the time. 

From Matt Shade in “Private Eyes” to Richard Fitzpatrick in “Call Me Fitz” to Brandon Walsh in “Beverly Hills 90210” or yourself in “BH90210”, which recurring role did you enjoy playing the most? 

The role that was the most fun to play was Richard Fitzpatrick on

.

Filming this series was so much fun for everyone involved.

There weren't really any rules when we were making this series.

Fitz was definitely an unpredictable character that I actually had a lot of fun playing him. 

In "BH90210" you play a fictional version of yourself, isn't it strange to play another self? 

Yes, it was difficult.

We tried to do something difficult by playing these fictional characters that we called by our own names... We tried to do something that was both nerd and not nerd... it kind of worked and it didn't work at the same time.

Sometimes you think you have a win, you take it head on and it doesn't work. 

You have worked for more than thirty years as an actor, director and producer, what do you think is the biggest change in the television industry since your beginnings? 

The biggest change since I entered the business 30 years ago is the rise of technology in all its forms.

When I arrived in the business, we still shot everything on film.

Now we record digitally.

With the rise of streaming services, we broadcast digitally.

As a director, you use digital visual effects... The technology and the speed at which it evolves has been the biggest change I've seen.

And it continues today, right?

The industry is constantly changing and that's what makes this business so exciting.

And that's something that I really appreciate. 

Can you tell us about your future projects? 

I spend all my time behind the camera right now.

I realize a lot.

Currently, I'm making a Netflix series called

. 

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