Kelly Taylor was, for the majority of the show's run, the lead female character on the American television series Beverly Hills, 90210, and remains one of the most well-known roles portrayed by actress Jennie Garth.

Throughout the course of the series, Kelly became—alongside Ian Ziering's Steve Sanders and Kathleen Robertson's Claire Arnold—one of the show's most developed characters. When introduced, Kelly was presented as a stereotypical spoiled brat who placed high value on posh appearances. However, it was revealed that Kelly had a deeper personality. Deep down, she was very lonely, having grown used to disappointment (due to a troubled mother), abandonment (due to an absent father), and being judged by her exterior appearance.

Eventually, Kelly was revealed to have a conscience during a summer fling with Dylan McKay, the sweetheart of her friend Brenda. Over the following years (particularly during her ascension to lead status after the departure of Shannen Doherty's Brenda) the writers made Kelly a more compassionate, down-to-earth character—largely through her interactions with pure-hearted boyfriend Brandon. Tori Spelling's Donna was Kelly's best friend. Tiffani Thiessen's Valerie, who replaced Brenda, became Kelly's nemesis, but right before Valerie's departure, the two women formed a truce.

Kelly faced many difficult issues and obstacles, often with the assistance of loved ones, including her difficult home life, being date-raped, using diet pills, being tricked into joining a cult, being able to quit the cult, being caught in a fire, and temporarily becoming addicted to cocaine. In addition, she endured being shot, getting amnesia, being raped, going to rehab, being stalked and almost killed by a patient from rehab, becoming unexpectantly pregnant and having a miscarriage, and learning that she might not be able to have children because of a condition in her body. In overcoming these obstacles, she was able to become a better person and help others.

Kelly would be romanced by many during the story's run, but her two most notable and popular loves were her on-and-off relationships with Jason Priestley's Brandon and Luke Perry's Dylan. At one point when they both await her decision between the two of them, she is unable to make one, walking away after saying she'll love them both until the day she dies. Her line, "I choose me," became much-quoted. However, in the episode "The Long Goodbye," Kelly states that she's finally chosen and soon moves in with Brandon. Years later, following Priestley's departure from the show and Perry's return, she is again paired with Dylan.

At the show's conclusion, the matured Kelly had drawn on some of her roots by running a fashion business with best friend Donna.