Ian Ziering is suing The CW and two production entities for $100,000 in unpaid wages from a reality series he hosted.
The “Beverly Hills, 90210” alum, 62, claims he was stiffed on the second of two promised $100,000 installments for hosting “The Great American Road Rally,” a celebrity driving competition that traces Route 66 across 2,211 miles of American terrain. Ziering began the gig in September 2025 and had already collected $60,000 of his $260,000 total salary, according to the lawsuit.
The contract specified that two $100,000 payments would arrive on August 23 and October 21. The October installment never came, the filing states. “The defendants failed and refused to pay the 100,000 installment due October 21,” the papers read. Whether Ziering received the August payment remains unclear from the documents.
Ziering’s work on the series included preproduction duties and on-location filming in Santa Monica, at a car dealership, and at a California desert site, according to the suit. The agreement also designated three vehicles as collateral to protect the actor, who was “agreeing to furnish valuable professional services while deferring substantial compensation.”
Those cars — a 2016 F-150 Shelby Super Snake, a 2014 Dodge Challenger, and a 2023 Chevy Corvette Z51, collectively valued above $200,000 — were supposed to serve as security. Ziering alleges they were owned not by “The Great American Road Rally LLC” but by production company 7BMG, whose CEO Eric Richey is also named as a defendant alongside the network and rally entity. The vehicles have not been turned over to him, the suit claims.
The actor is seeking the $100,000 plus interest. Representatives for all defendants were contacted for comment.
“The Great American Road Rally” features celebrities piloting vehicles along the historic highway for charitable causes. The next installment airs November 11 on The CW.
The legal action arrives as Ziering continues to deal with fallout from a violent public encounter on New Year’s Eve 2023. Shocking footage captured the “Sharknado” star trading blows with members of the 605 minibike gang on Hollywood Boulevard while his then-12-year-old daughter Mia sat trapped in his car. The bikers had surrounded his vehicle in traffic, and Ziering threw the first punch before fleeing the pursuing group on foot. The riders vandalized his car with Mia still inside, according to the LAPD.
“I am relieved to report that my daughter and I are both completely unscathed, but the incident has left me deeply concerned about the growing boldness of such groups who disrupt public safety and peace,” Ziering said at the time.
Police arrested bikers Jacob Esteban Hernandez, 20, and Angie Tereza Guizar, 40, on felony vandalism and assault with a deadly weapon charges, respectively. Hernandez later sued Ziering for assault and battery in Los Angeles Superior Court, but that case was dismissed in June.
“The Great American Road Rally” continues November 11 on The CW.