Laura Leighton Was ‘Fighting Tears’ on Last Day FilmingMelrose Place: ‘It Was Difficult to Say Goodbye’

Mar. 15, 2025

Laura Leighton on ‘Melrose Place’ in the mid-’90s.Photo:Aaron Rapoport/Fox Network/Courtesy Everett

Aaron Rapoport/Fox Network/Courtesy Everett

Laura Leighton had a hard time leaving her breakout role onMelrose Place.

On the Jan. 6 episode of theStill Here Hollywood Podcastwith Steve Kmetko, the 56-year-old actress opened up about her decision to leave the series — and her role as Sydney Andrews — after the show’s fifth season.

She called that time in the show a “turning point,” because many of the cast members — who were working on five-year contracts — left then. The series went on for two more years.

Laura Leighton in ‘Melrose Place’ in 1993.Photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo

Photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo

“But I definitely felt sad enough to be fighting tears and thinking, oh, I shouldn’t let that out,” she said.

Leighton’s Sydney was the show’s chaotic bad girl, who always shook things up. Off-camera, she also mether husband — Doug Savant — on the series, on which he played Matt Fielding.

Melrose Placewas Leighton’s first major role. Back in 1994,she told PEOPLEin a cover story about the show that her most challenging performance before was in a commercial for Dep hair gel. “I can still do the move,” she said, flipping her hair.

“Doing this show is great, nothing but great,” she said at the time, though she added that her mom had some issues getting used to bad girl Sydney. “She said, ‘Oh, can’t you just be good?’ ” she said “She’s used to it now. On Thursday mornings she can get together with her friends, who all say, ‘She was so bad last night!’ ”

Leighton and her costars Courtney Thorne-Smith and Daphne Zunigalaunched a rewatch podcast,Still the Place, back in July. Leighton — who also appeared onPretty Little Liars— told PEOPLE thatshe actually never rewatchedMelrose Placeepisodesprior to the pod. “Maybe I did it once, but it just depressed me,” she said. “Just seeing yourself 30 years ago — it’s dated in ways and you are so young. I don’t know. It’s just a trip to watch yourself that many years ago.”

Laura Leighton in 2024.Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

She also told PEOPLE that she only realized how popular the series was when she attended the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner and learned so many attendees were fans. “All of these writers for national magazines and politicians watched it, and I’m like, ‘Aren’t you supposed to be running the country?’ ” she said.

Speaking to Kmetko, Leighton said she still misses the routine of heading to theMelrose Placeset. “There’s something really special about a television show, more than even a film, I think, because if you’re lucky enough to get one that lasts as long asMelrosedid, it becomes a family,” she said. “And so having that place to go every week is something there’s nothing like it. And you miss it when it’s gone.”

source: people.com