Tori Spelling Reveals the 'Evil Alien Conquerors' Nightmare That Made Her Want to Be Uncredited

Tori Spelling "didn't have to think twice" when asked about her worst movie. Spelling, 53, recently joined Stephen Baldwin's One Bad Movie podcast to talk about her venture into film after her Beverly Hills, 90210 role as Donna Martin thrust her into stardom in the '90s. Spelling explained that she thought signing on to 2003's Evil Alien Conquerors, directed and written by Chris Matheson, would boost her comedic career, but things didn't go as planned.

"It was a straight offer, and I got it, and they're like, 'It's a comedy!'" Spelling remembered, noting that it starred Chris Parnell and Dietrich Bader, who played "aliens that come to Earth and find what they think are these two human girls that they're into, but they are not humans; they're aliens as well."

"All I know is I had a big furry unibrow and furry feet, and I was one of the girlfriends, and it was just I was so excited," Spelling shared.

A Career Shift That Backfired

Spelling explained that, coming off of her run on 90210, she felt like she had this "forever persona being Aaron Spelling's daughter," so she thought the switch-up would "be great for me." The film, a sci-fi comedy about inept alien invaders who find themselves stranded on Earth, seemed like the perfect opportunity to showcase her comedic chops and break away from the dramatic roles that had defined her career.

But from the moment she stepped on set, the experience took a sharp turn. "From the moment I stepped on set, it was like I couldn't say one word without the director being like, 'Uh, Tori, can you do that again?'" she recalled, noting that she was always told to do "just a little bit less."

"Now, although I was in a drama for 10 seasons and did other work, my comedy was on point, like I was a comedian and am a comedian," she continued. "And so, in drama sometimes I was like, 'Okay, if I get that note, I understand that,' but comedy, no one ever gave me a note. It was always like, 'Oh my God, that's great, go for it.'"

A Director's Constant Criticism

Spelling said it "didn't matter" if she had one line or if she had a monologue; she felt like Matheson would critique her regardless. She said it got to a point where it made her feel disconnected from the role as a whole, so she would deliver lines without much emotion.

"It could be a scene with me and one other actor or a scene with like 20 of us... By the end I knew he'd go through the first take, and then he'd be like 'Cut!' And I'm like, 'Wait for it,' and he'd be like, 'Tori...'" she claimed. "Every time! He would say it out loud across all the other actors and everyone in the room, and I'd be shuddering."

Spelling noted that she is "good with directions," but just wished there was more of an open line of communication so she knew what the issues were. She believes that in comedy, the collaborative spirit is essential, and a director's ability to communicate a vision can make or break an actor's performance.

In the end, Spelling felt like Matheson, 67, "hated" her. "I was like, 'Just fire me and recast. This is so hard on me.' I went to set every day just like a puddle of... I don't know. I watched it. I'm fine in it, but I'm like, 'Oh, I wish I had done more with it,'" she said. "It was a comedy. It was just like a goofy comedy. He just didn't like me. And I'm like, 'That's okay.'"

The Decision to Be Uncredited

Spelling said she was on the phone with her manager every day and thought it was so bad that she asked to be uncredited in the movie, yet at the time, she was young and didn't even know what that meant. "So if you look it up, it doesn't credit me."

The decision to request anonymity was a significant step for an actress who had grown up in the spotlight. Her name had been synonymous with television success, and her father, Aaron Spelling, was one of the most influential producers in Hollywood. Removing her name from a project was a rejection of the very industry that had raised her.

A Film That Faded Into Obscurity

The 2003 sci-fi comedy also starred Bader, Parnell, Michael Weston, Elden Henson and Phil LaMarr. Despite its cast of familiar comedic faces, Evil Alien Conquerors failed to make a lasting impact, earning mixed reviews and disappearing from the cultural conversation almost as quickly as it arrived. For Spelling, however, the film left an indelible mark not for its content, but for the emotional toll it took on her.

The Director's Response

In response to Spelling's claims, Matheson tells PEOPLE, "I'm sorry she felt that way. I like Tori personally. I just think we have some different ideas about comedy."

His response, while brief, acknowledges the disconnect between their visions. For Spelling, the experience was a painful reminder that not every project is a good fit, and that even the most seasoned actors can feel undermined by a director's approach.

A Lasting Impact

Spelling's experience on Evil Alien Conquerors serves as a cautionary tale about the challenges of navigating Hollywood's unpredictable dynamics. Despite the negative experience, she has continued to work steadily, appearing in reality shows, independent films, and television projects. Her resilience in the face of such a difficult experience speaks to her dedication to her craft.

Tori Spelling's candid recollection of her experience on Evil Alien Conquerors offers a rare glimpse into the challenges actors face on set, even in seemingly lighthearted productions. Her decision to be uncredited in the film underscores just how profoundly the experience affected her. While the film itself may have faded from memory, the lesson it taught her about the importance of creative collaboration and mutual respect has clearly endured.