Jason Priestley Reacts to 'Bachelor in Paradise' Name-Drop

Jason Priestley got an unexpected shout-out on Bachelor in Paradise this week — and he too was surprised to learn how fast the ancient texts are disappearing.

“There are 5 stages to every actor’s career. 1 Who the f*** is Jason Priestley?” the Beverly Hills, 90210 actor, 55, quipped via Instagram on Friday, July 18, alongside a clip from BiP. “2 Get me that… Jason Priestley guy. 3 Get me Jason Priestley. 4 Get me a young Jason Priestley. 5 Who the f*** is Jason Priestley? Look[s] like I’ve arrived at stage 5. Oh well, I had a good run!”

The clip showed a producer telling contestant Sean McLaughlin during the Tuesday, July 15, episode that he looks like Priestley. Much to the dismay of viewers who are still carrying a torch for Brandon Walsh, Sean, 28, didn’t understand the comparison.

“Who the f*** is Jason Priestley?” he asked.

In Sean’s defense, Beverly Hills, 90210 aired its final episode on May 17, 2000, at which point he was only 3 years old. (He must not have grown up in a household with Soapnet.)

The clip also included a moment where Sean told Golden Bachelorette alum Keith Gordon that he and the other Golden contestants remind him of his grandparents. “Ow! That hurt,” Keith, 63, replied. (Keith does have three daughters but is not a grandfather just yet.)

Earlier in the episode, Keith referred to Sean as “the Ken doll,” adding, “Hopefully he’ll find his Barbie.”

Sean made his Bachelor Nation debut during Charity Lawson’s season 20 of The Bachelorette. After his elimination during week 5, he appeared on season 9 of BiP, which aired in 2023. He was eliminated in week 2.

During Charity’s season, Sean was able to lean extra hard into the Ken doll comparison, as one challenge saw the suitors dressing up as various Kens following the success of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. Sean, who then had blonde hair, ultimately won the challenge, with Charity, 29, choosing him as the Ken to her Barbie.

It remains to be seen how far Sean’s Ken doll — or Priestley-esque — looks will take him on BiP. As the latest arrival in Paradise, he was able to go on a date with a woman of his choosing during the most recent episode, but the ladies will have the roses during the next rose ceremony on Monday, July 21. (Sean chose Jill Chin as the recipient of his date card.)

Bachelor in Paradise airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Hulu.