WHEN IAN ZIERING DROVE UP TO L.A.'s posh Ma Maison Sofitel in his maroon-and-white '60 Corvette convertible on March 30, he wondered why there were paparazzi at the door. Surprise, Ian! Wailing inside to celebrate Ziering's 27th birthday were 100 friends, including most of his Beverly Hills, 90210 castmates. (Only Jason Priestley and Jennie Garth were otherwise engaged.) "I thought I was going to a quiet dinner," said Ziering, who plays the cocky rich boy Steve. "I was totally overwhelmed."
Surveying the balloon-bedecked ballroom, the dateless Ziering spied buddy Brian Austin Green (David) spinning hip-hop tunes. He borrowed Green's Nike high-tops and took to the dance floor. "I can bust a move," he said, "but I had to put on his shoes."
While Green is considered the cast's best dancer, Ziering's rep as most popular accounted for the big turnout. "Ian keeps it all together," explained Green. "Sometimes on the set we'll get a little p——-off because one girl will be in makeup for two hours. [No names named.] If everyone is in a bad mood, Ian will do something like jump on an air-conditioning hose and ride it like it's a bull."
Not everyone brought gifts, but Ziering scored a few bottles of wine, a Tiffany key ring and—lest he fee too old—a Super Nintendo game. After the party wound down at midnight, he continued on at the disco Roxbury.
A few hours later a limo arrived at his house to take him to the set for a 6:30 a.m call. "Am I on lime?" asked the groggy Ziering. After all, he'd been out late for a school night.
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