Bridgette Lean Wilson Sampras is a retired American actress, singer and model. She’s probably best known for her portrayal of Lisa Fenimore in the TV series “Santa Barbara”, in 1992 and ‘93. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband Pete Sampras and their two children.
Early life, family, educational background
Bridgette Wilson was born on 25 September 1973, in Gold Beach, Oregon USA, where she was raised by parents Kathy Wilson and Dale Wilson along with her sister Tracy. When she was in high school, she played volleyball and competed with her school’s team.
Bridgette was interested in the entertainment industry since she was young. She participated in a beauty pageant when she was 17, and won the title of Miss Teen USA in Biloxi, Mississippi. The actress matriculated from Gold Beach High School in 1991, but didn’t continue her studies at university.
Career
Career as an actor
Bridgette embarked on her acting journey in 1992, with her role in the soap opera “Santa Barbara”, appearing in 20 episodes and starring in the show ‘til 1993. During the same period, she played Ginger in “Saved by the Bell”, and Emily Griffith in an episode of “Murder, She Wrote”.
In 1993, she debuted as a film actor, starring in the “Last Action Hero” alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1995, she appeared in multiple movies, including “Higher Learning” and “Billy Madison”, and played the role of Sonya Blade in “Mortal Kombat”, during the production of which Bridgette performed all the stunts herself, acquiring the nickname of “RoboBabe”.
From 1995 through 1999, Wilson landed several major roles in various movies, appearing in “Nixon”, “Unhook the Stars”, “Nevada”, “The Real Blonde”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, “Starstruck”, “The Suburbans”, and “Love Stinks”. In 2001, she played the role of Fran Donolly in the movie “The Wedding Planner”.
From 2000, she continued starring in various movies, but also made a comeback to television, playing the role of Bridget Deshiel in 11 episodes of “The $treet”. Later, she appeared in single episodes of famous TV shows such as “Frasier”, “CSI: Miami”, and “Jake in Progress”.
Bridgette’s last appearance as an actress was in the movie “Phantom Punch” (2008). At that point, she quit her acting career to focus on her children and family – she’s always prioritized her children and family over her career;
In 2020, Bridgette voiced Sonya’s character in the video game “Mortal Kombat 11”.
Career as a singer
Bridgette was also a singer during the ’90s, releasing two albums: “I Only Wanna Be with You” (1994) and “Gimme a Kiss” (1996). In 2002, she recorded a guest single “What We’re Gonna Do About It” with the artist Tommy Shane Steiner for the album “Then Came the Night”; the single reached 43rd position on the Billboard “Hot Country Songs”.
Personal life, husband Pete Sampras
Bridgette met Pete Sampras in the late 1990s, started dating and it took Pete just a few months to realize that Bridgette was the love of his life. He proposed to the actress and the couple tied the knot after four months. According to ABCNews, the couple married on 30 September 2000, in Beverly Hills, California, in a small, yet luxurious ceremony – Bridgette wore a Vera Wang gown with over $400,000 worth of diamond jewelry.
Bridgette and Pete are still together, and have two children. Their first son Christian Charles Sampras was born in 2002, and second son Ryan Nikolaos in 2005.
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There’s no information about Bridgette’s dating history before meeting Pete.
Who is Pete Sampras?
Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player, regarded as one of the best of all time. He began his career in 1988, and achieved significant success until retiring in 2002. He has won 64 singles titles in total, including major titles in the Grand Slam – Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. In 1993, he was named No. 1 for the first time, defending the title for approximately five years. He was a right-hand player with impressive skills and a precise serve.
Taking a four-year break after his retirement, Sampras returned to tennis in 2006, playing exhibition matches against renowned players. He was admitted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. Regardless of being out of the scene for several years, Pete still showcased impressive skills during his exhibition matches.
Hobbies, favorite things, and interesting facts
- When she was a child, Bridgette taught herself to play piano;
- Her songs are quite popular in Japan;
- She is left-handed;
- Bridgette had a pet goldfish when she was younger;
- She played basketball while in high school;
- She is vocal about her views, and supports organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), American Oceans Campaign (AOC), and AIDS charities;
- Bridgette isn’t active on any social media platform;
Appearance, clothing style
Bridgette has a slim figure – her height is 5ft 9ins (175cm), while her weight is about 120lbs (54kgs). She has a light complexion with blonde hair and brown eyes, straight hair and mainly wears relaxed hairstyles. As a mom of two, she prefers to dress casually and wear comfortable clothes. During her recent appearances, she was mainly wearing jeans with shirts and tank tops.
Net worth and salary
As of mid-2022, the estimated net worth of Bridgette Sampras is close to $25 million, accumulated mostly through her acting career. There’s no information about Bridgette Wilson’s current salary and annual earnings. However, her net worth is also associated with her husband, as Pete has an estimated net worth of $150 million, from being a successful tennis player. In 2014, the couple bought a 5,100-square-foot house in Bel Air, Los Angeles for $6 million. The couple had a house in Brentwood that they sold for $8.9 million in 2016 – it’s unknown whether they have any other properties.
According to sources, Pete also has a collection of luxurious cars – including a Porsche 918, Porsche 918 Spyder, Mercedes S Class, Range Rover Vogue, among others.
