User:Songsteel/Annie Wilson

Annie Wilson is a fictional character from the CW primetime drama 90210, the fourth series of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, portrayed by Shenae Grimes. Based in part on Brenda Walsh from the original Beverly Hills, 90210, Annie was conceived as the reboot's central heroine for the first two seasons before fan reception led to the focus being shifted more greatly onto Naomi Clark (AnnaLynne McCord) in latter seasons.

Casting and creation
The role of Annie (then named Annie Mills) was first offered to Hilary Duff in early 2008, but she passed on the role to pursue more mature projects. Canadian actress and Degrassi: The Next Generation alumnus Shenae Grimes was then cast as Annie. Grimes is a huge fan of the original Beverly Hills, 90210, having watched it with her mother while growing up. Executive producers Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah revealed to USA Today that they had been impressed by Grimes' "acting chops" from previous roles and that she "just killed" the dramatic scene she performed for her audition.

Annie has been described as a "sweet" girl with a passion for theatre. She is conceived as a fish out of water who is forced to start from the bottom of the social pyramid as she adjusts to live in Beverly Hills, while her experience of culture shock serves to make her relatable to viewers.

Reception
Her edgier demeanor in the second season drew praise from critics, including Jennifer Armstrong of Entertainment Weekly, who wrote that "rock-bottom Annie" is "much more fun."