Who is Elizabeth Berkley?
American actress and producer Elizabeth Berkley was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan USA, on 28 July 1974, meaning that her zodiac sign’s Leo. She’s had roles in nearly 70 movies and TV series, and is perhaps still best known for playing the lead character Nomi Malone in the 2005 drama movie “Showgirls”, directed by Paul Verhoeven, and which also starred Kyle MacLachlan and Gina Gershon. It follows carefree drifter Nomi, who’s come to Las Vegas, Nevada wanting to work as a dancer; the movie won 10 of its 20 award nominations.
Education and early life
Elizabeth was raised alongside her older brother Jason in Farmington Hills, by their father Fred Berkley who was an attorney, and mother Jere who was the owner of a gift-basket business; the family’s Conservative Jewish. Elizabeth was born with a half-green half-brown right eye and all-green left eye, which is a condition known as partial heterochromia.
She grew up being interested in both acting and dancing, and was only 12 years old when she made her debut TV series appearance, in the 1986 episode “Getting to Know You” of the comedy “Gimme a Break!”, and in the same year, Elizabeth played Melissa in the episode “Rick Moves Out” of the family comedy “Silver Spoons”.
She continued acting while attending North Farmington High School, and upon matriculating in 1992, Elizabeth moved to New York City in pursuit of a dancing and acting career, but subsequently enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1995, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree four years later.
Roles in movies
Elizabeth’s debut film role was her playing of Kathy in the 1988 family fantasy comedy “Frog”, and she could then have been seen appearing in the 1988 short drama “Platinum Blonde”, the 1989 family drama “Who Shrunk Saturday Morning?”, and the 1992 comedy “Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style”.
What marked the ‘90s for her was perhaps playing Phoebe LaVelle in the hit 1996 comedy “The First Wives Club”, directed by Hugh Wilson, and which starred Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn. It follows three divorced women who’ve teamed up wanting to have their revenge on their former husbands, all of whom divorced them for younger women – the movie won three of its 12 award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score.
A couple of Elizabeth’s following notable performances were in the 1998 crime thriller “Random Encounter”, the 2001 drama “The Elevator”, and the 2002 comedy “Roger Dodger”. The year 2008 saw her portray Angelique in the short romantic drama “The Butler’s in Love”, starring alongside David Arquette and Richmond Arquette; the film follows a butler and a guest who fall in love during a party in 1912, and it won a Second Prize for Best Screenplay at the 2009 Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Elizabeth’s since had roles in only three movies: the 2009 comedy “Women in Trouble”, the 2009 mystery science fiction “S. Darko” and the 2011 family comedy “Lucky Christmas”.
Roles in TV series
From 1989 through 1992, Elizabeth portrayed Jessie Spano in the hit romantic family comedy “Saved by the Bell”, which Sam Bobrick created, and which starred Dustin Diamond, Mario Lopez and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. It follows six friends as they’re attending Bayside High School, and the series won six of its 32 award nominations. The remainder of the ‘90s saw Elizabeth appear in an episode of a couple of series, such as the crime mystery “Burke’s Law”, another crime mystery “Diagnosis Murder”, and the action comedy “Perversions of Science”.
In 2001 and 2002, she played Shannon in the comedy “Titus”, which Jack Kenny and Brian Hargrove created, and which starred Zack Ward, Cynthia Watros and Christopher Titus. It follows mechanic Christopher Titus as he’s dealing with his alcoholic father, and the series won one of its 11 award nominations. What also marked the decade for Elizabeth was her playing of Kelly Wentworth in four episodes (2009) of the romantic drama “The L Word”, which Ilene Chaiken and Michele Abbott created, and which starred Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey and Laurel Holloman. It tells the story of several gay women from Los Angeles, California, the series aired from 2004 to 2009, and won five of its 30 award nominations.
Elizabeth’s three most recent roles have been in the 2014 episode “Couples Therapy” of the romantic comedy “Melissa & Joey”, the 2016 episode “The Apartment” of the romantic comedy “New Girl”, and 20 episodes of the 2021 comedy “Saved by the Bell”, a revival of the original ‘90s sitcom.
Other credits
Elizabeth sang the song “I’m So Excited” in the original series “Saved by the Bell”, as well as producing 11 episodes of the 2021 eponymous revival series.
She’s made a guest appearance in more than 30 talk-shows, most recently in “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, “Access Hollywood”, and “Entertainment Tonight”.
Awards and nominations
Elizabeth’s ‘won’ three awards: two Razzie Awards in 1996, for Worst Actress and Worst New Star for “Showgirls”, and a 1996 National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble, for her and her colleagues’ performance in “The First Wives Club”.
She’s been nominated for six other awards, including a 1995 The Stinkers Bad Movie Award for Worst Actress, and two Razzies in 2000, for Worst Actress of the Century and Worst New Star of the Decade, all three for her performance in “Showgirls”.
Love life and relationships
Elizabeth dated Dutch movie director Paul Verhoeven in 1994, and from 1997 through 1999 was in a relationship with American actor and writer Roger Wilson; Roger eventually accused famous American actor Leonardo DiCaprio of pursuing Elizabeth while they were in a relationship, and in 2000 filed a lawsuit against him, claiming that Leonardo had encouraged Elizabeth and several others to engage in a street fight.
On 1 November 2003, Elizabeth married American actor and painter Greg Lauren, who’s appeared in more than 30 movies and TV series, and is probably still best known for his playing of Young Stud in the 1997 drama movie “Boogie Nights”; on 20 July 2012, Elizabeth gave birth to their daughter Sky Cole Lauren.
She hasn’t spoken of other men whom she’s dated; Elizabeth’s married to Greg Lauren as of December 2022, and they have a daughter together.
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Interesting facts and hobbies
Elizabeth auditioned for the lead role in the 1982 family comedy movie “Annie”, but was unsuccessful because she’s too tall.
She’s close friends with popular American actress and producer Jennifer Beals, and American actress Carla Gugino.
Elizabeth published her book “Ask Elizabeth: Real Answers to Everything You Wanted to Ask About Love, Friends, Your Body… and Life in General” on 22 March 2011.
She was praised for her performance in the 2005 off-Broadway production of “Hurlyburly”.
Close to 400,000 people are following Elizabeth on Instagram today, and she’s posted nearly 1,200 pictures and videos onto the social media network.
Elizabeth’s favorite actresses are Emma Watson and Julianne Moore, and some of her favorite movies include “This Is the End”, “Noah” and “Regression”.
Height, weight and wealth
Elizabeth’s 48 years old. She has long blonde hair, is 5ft 10ins (1.78m) tall and weighs around 155lbs (71kgs).
Elizabeth’s net worth’s been estimated at more than $6 million, as of December 2022.
