Beverly Hills, 90210 star Luke Perry stole viewers' hearts as Dylan McKay, appearing in countless episodes of the beloved series. A '90s heartthrob, Luke's life off-screen was filled to the brim as much as his filmography, with a longterm marriage to his ex-wife Rachel Sharp, their two children, and a loving relationship with Wendy Bauer, to whom he was engaged at the time of his death.
Luke died at the age of 52 after suffering a stroke in 2019. To mark the anniversary of the actor's passing, we're looking at the family upholding his legacy and forging their own paths in very different industries.
© Getty ImagesJack Perry had worked alongside his actor father, but his primary passion is inside the ring
Jack Perry
Luke Perry's son, Jack, was born on 16 June, 1997. The 28-year-old had an early turn in acting alongside his dad in Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-winning feature, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (2019), but has since set his sights firmly on the wrestling ring.
Previously known as "Jungle Boy", Jack now goes by "Scapegoat'" and shares updates regularly via his Instagram. Speaking to Sports Illustrated in 2019, Jack explained his relationship with his father's on-screen fame. "My family is a part of who I am, but I'm trying to make my own way," he said. "I don't want to use [Luke's fame] to be successful, I want to have my own success."
© WireImageSophie has mostly opted for a life away from the spotlight
Sophie Perry
The actor's daughter, Sophie, was born on 7 June 2000, after her father's more intensive period of fame. Sophie explained on her Instagram story in 2019: "I think people forget or don't realize that in my lifetime he wasn't famous the way he was during the 90210 era."
Sophie opened up via her Instagram that she struggled with some negative online attention following her father's death. However, she seems to be focussing her energy on making the most of every day, sharing her travels to Thailand, Scotland and Italy. After her father's death, she worked with two friends to build preschools in rural areas in Malawi, the first of which she named after her father.
© WireImageLuke was married to Rachel Sharp for 10 years and partnered with Wendy Bauer for over 11
Marriage and engagement
Luke met his wife of 10 years, Rachel "Minnie" Sharp, at a restaurant, explaining, "It's that simple". They dated for two years and tied the knot in 1993, welcoming two children before splitting in 2003. After their amicable separation, the actor met therapist Wendy Madison Bauer. Details on their relationship are scarce, but the couple seem to have made things official around 2007.
Wendy said of her late fiancé: "The past 11 1/2 years with Luke were the happiest years of my life, and I am grateful to have had that time with him. I also want to thank his children, family, and friends for their love and support. We have found comfort in one another and in the knowledge that our lives were touched by an extraordinary man. He will be dearly missed.”
© Getty ImagesLuke Perry got his first big role, like many other actors in the' 90s, on a soap opera
Early career
Luke didn't have a clear "in" to the acting industry, rather made it there by picking up cash with ad-hoc jobs. According to his biography, he kept track of his failed auditions, attending 216 castings until number 217 landed him a role as "a dirt-poor mechanic from Tennessee" in 1987 on the soap opera Loving.
Following his this role, he had a brief stint on Another World, appearing in a few episodes before his big break with Beverley Hills, 90210.
© Getty Images'Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood' is dedicated to the actor's memory
Legacy
The beloved '90s heartthrob began his role as bad boy Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1990. During castings, he was the only actor to read the audition line given in French. Later on, Luke returned to his teen drama roots, this time playing a dad. He starred as Fred Andrews on The CW's Riverdale.
Luke's last appearance was in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, leaving the former starstruck. "Honestly, as soon as I saw Luke on the set, I was brought back to my teenage past and felt starstruck," biographer Margaret Wappler quotes the Titanic actor as saying. "I remember being a young actor and he was television’s James Dean figure, the guy that everyone was crazy about." Tarantino dedicated the movie to Luke, who passed before its release.
