Early Life and Education

Ian Andrew Ziering was born on March 30, 1964, in Newark, New Jersey. He is the youngest of three sons born to Muriel, a schoolteacher, and Paul M. Ziering, a saxophonist and orchestra leader. Alongside his older brothers, Jeff and Barry, Ian was raised in West Orange, New Jersey. He graduated from West Orange High School in 1982 and went on to earn a degree from William Paterson University in 1988.

Breakthrough Role in Beverly Hills, 90210

Ziering rose to fame in 1990 when he was cast as Steve Sanders on Fox's teen drama series Beverly Hills, 90210. The show became a cultural phenomenon and ran for ten seasons, ending in 2000. Ziering appeared in all seasons, making his role one of the most enduring of the series.

Voice Acting and Television Appearances

Beyond live-action roles, Ziering has also found success in voice acting. In 1998, he voiced Dr. Niko "Nick" Tatopoulos in the animated series Godzilla: The Series, based on the 1998 film. His other notable television credits include appearances in JAG, What I Like About You, The Doctors, and Guiding Light.

In 2007, Ziering competed on Season 4 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. He also made a return appearance to the show later that year. That same year, Variety reported that he auditioned to host CBS's The Price Is Right, although the role ultimately went to Drew Carey.

Reboot and Later Projects

In 2015, Ziering joined the cast of NBC’s reality competition Celebrity Apprentice. In 2019, he reprised a version of his iconic role in Fox’s reboot titled BH90210. The meta-series featured the original cast playing fictionalized versions of themselves, reuniting at a fan convention and later attempting to launch a revival of the original series as a means to navigate their lives and careers.

Marriage and Family Life

Ian Ziering announced his engagement to Erin Ludwig on February 3, 2010. The couple married on May 28, 2010, at a lakeside ceremony in Newport Beach, California. Their wedding ceremony, adorned with white orchids and crystals, was attended by several of Ziering's former co-stars, including Jennie Garth, Jason Priestley, and Brian Austin Green, along with Megan Fox and Peter Facinelli.

The couple has two daughters — Mia Loren, born in 2011, and Penna Mae, born in 2013. Interestingly, both girls share the same birthday, April 25, two years apart.

Previous Marriage

Before marrying Ludwig, Ziering was married to model Nikki Schieler. The couple wed in July 1997 but divorced in February 2002. Though the separation attracted media attention due to public remarks, Ziering has generally remained private about the details surrounding the dissolution of that marriage.