(44 years)
28 July 1972
Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Elizabeth Berkley was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Her mother, Jere, owns a gift basket business and her father, Fred, is a lawyer. Her family is Jewish. Her screen debut was a role in the TV movie Frog (1987). She then got work as an extra in some TV series, including TV 101 (1988) and Día a día (1988). In the summer of 1989 she was in Los Angeles and auditioned for a role on Salvados por la campana (1989). She got the role and became a TV star. After four seasons she left the show to try to break into theatrical films. In 1994 she filmed four movies, including Showgirls (1995), and continued to guest-star in popular TV shows, such as Diagnóstico asesinato (1993). At the same time she was studying English Literature at a college in California. After "Showgirls" she signed with United Talent Agency and got some small roles in major films, including El club de las primeras esposas (1996) and Oliver Stone's Un domingo cualquiera (1999), and starred in some indies (Taxman (1999), Last Call (1999), Una rubia auténtica (1997)).
In 1999 she performed on stage in London as Honey in "Lenny", opposite Eddie Izzard, and was directed by the legendary Sir Peter Hall. Her performances in Cosa de hombres(2002) and Moving Malcolm (2003), two independent movies released in 2002 and 2003, impressed the critics. She made her Broadway debut in "Sly Fox" in February 2004, three months after her marriage to New York artist Greg Lauren. She then returned to New York City in the Off-Broadway production "Hurlyburly" directed by Scott Elliott and co-starring Ethan Hawke, Parker Posey and Wallace Shawn. She received some of the best reviews of her career for her performance as Bonnie.
She appeared for several seasons in the hit series CSI: Miami (2002) as Julia Winston, and in the final season of Showtime's L. (2004). Thanks to television syndication of "Saved By the Bell", Elizabeth is a favorite among a whole new generation of teen girls. Elizabeth has been making life-changing connections with these girls over the past seven years through Ask Elizabeth, her not-for-profit organization that includes self-esteem workshops she facilitates as a volunteer in schools and for youth organizations, a thriving website (ask-elizabeth.com) that hosts digital content as a way to be of continued service to girls and, most recently, her book "Ask Elizabeth" (published by Penguin), which made The New York Times' best-seller list. This nationwide movement has affected the lives of over 100,000 girls and counting. She was also a featured contributor on Oprah.com, bridging the communication gap between mothers and daughters.
She and husband Greg Lauren are the proud parents of son Sky Cole Lauren. - IMDb Mini Biography By: myself-1983 (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
Spouse*
Greg Lauren (1 November 2003 - present) (1 child)
Trade Mark*
Long curly blonde hair
Statuesque, model-like figure
Trivia*
Has different color eyes: right eye is half green and half brown and left eye is green. This condition is known as Heterochromia.The producers of Salvados por la campana (1989) created the role of Jessie Spano for her when they could not choose between her and Tiffani Thiessen for the role of Kelly Kapowski.
Once sat next to a man on an international flight who watched Showgirls (1995) on his in-seat video screen and never recognized her.
1997: Donned a $600 form-fitting gown made entirely of collard greens for the "Lettuce Be Lean" campaign sponsored by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. According to "People Weekly", a source claims "she had to be misted every 20 minutes, like a produce section".
Has an older brother, Jason.
Is a vegetarian.
Auditioned for the film Annie (1982), but was turned down because she was too tall.
Attended Warner Middle School in Farmington Hills, Michigan. This is also the junior high school where actors Sam Logan Khaleghi and Brandon T. Jackson attended, although years later.
Her husband, Greg Lauren, is a successful and professional nude painter. Elizabeth and Greg met each other in a dance class in 2000.
Married Greg Lauren at the Esperanza Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Ralph Lauren(Greg's uncle) designed Elizabeth's dress--a silk sheath with pearled spaghetti straps--and Greg wore a white tuxedo jacket and black bow tie.
In the early 1990s, a 12-inch doll was made of her as her character, Jessie Spano, from Salvados por la campana (1989). The same was done for the other cast members.
Good friends with Jennifer Beals. They each appeared in a Joe Eszterhas-written film (Berkley: Showgirls (1995); Beals: Flashdance (1983)), and they appeared together in Cosa de hombres (2002).
Was advised by her manager not to do Cosa de hombres (2002). She ignored him and decided to do the film because she loved the script.
After Showgirls (1995), she got a degree in English Literature from UCLA and entered into the United Talent Agency.
Attended the prestigious Cranbrook-Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, at the same time as actress Selma Blair. Another former student was Jaime Ray Newman.
Good friends with Lauren Bush.
Her first book, entitled "Ask Elizabeth: Real Answers to Everything You Secretly Wanted to Ask About Love, Friends, Your Body... and Life in General", was released on March 22, 2011. It ties in with the self help program she founded in 2006.
In 2006, she founded a self help group for young girls called Ask Elizabeth, in which she helps girls discuss problems and ask questions to each other which they would usually feel uncomfortable sharing with others.
Expecting her first child with husband Greg Lauren [March 5, 2012].
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 39, a son Sky Cole Lauren on July 20, 2012. Child's father is her husband, Greg Lauren.
Getting great reviews for her performance as "Bonnie" in the Off-Broadway production of "Hurlyburly", New York. [June 2005]
Has started her own website, www.ask-elizabeth.com, which helps young girls and young women with the problems they deal with and their experiences growing up.
Auditioned for the role of Rennie in Viernes 13 VIII: Jason toma Manhattan (1989), but lost out to Jensen Daggett.
Personal Quotes*
Ever since those reviews for Showgirls (1995), it's like I was that woman in "The Scarlet Letter". Except that instead of having to wear the letter "A" for adulteress, I was condemned to wear an "S" for "showgirl".
[on making Cosa de hombres (2002)] I really loved it. On the set, it was like being part of a real family. Everybody was there because they wanted to be and not because of some paycheck - there were no dressing rooms or big trailers; you'd get ready in a bathroom. Here's this $2-million movie that could have gone nowhere or everywhere. But it's one of the most special experiences that I've ever had. I want more similar experiences. I'm not "Showgirl" - that's the point!
El club de las primeras esposas (1996) gave me a certain level of confidence. Because I was working with these three women - Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton - who as women have been through every high and low. Goldie especially took me under her wing and was really supportive. She told me, "I don't like the way you were directed in that movie [Showgirls (1995)], but there's something there that you can't deny. So you just keep doing what you're doing and someone will get it, and someone will show the real you, and not just some idea of you".
[on working with high-profile directors] I'm very grateful, because a lot of actors would kill to work with any one of them. It's been a very conscious choice on my part to work with the best - even if it was taking a small supporting role. After Showgirls (1995), I really wanted to surround myself with the best people. I wanted to build it that way instead of doing flashy roles just like "Showgirls", which would have hurt me.
[11/23/05] The first thing I want to say is that I think that Operación Threshold (2005) is one of the best new shows out there, which is one of the reasons I wanted to join this amazing cast. Barbara Nance, the writer of this episode, created an incredible, strong female character who I knew I would have a lot of fun playing. There are fight scenes, there is glamor, and there's this fun cat-and-mouse game between me and Brian Van Holt, who plays Cavennaugh. All the dynamics were in place. But what was fun was when Carla called me not knowing that they had offered it, and even though we only have a couple of scenes together, we were both so excited. Across the board, the cast is amazing. The only other guest spots I've done in the last couple of years were on shows that were already established, like Sin rastro (2002) and C.S.I. (2000) and Policías de Nueva York (1993), so it was fun to be a part of something from the beginning.
[about Lauren Hutton, in "Style Makeover", Volume 13, Number 9, Fall 2006] Women shine when they are at their most natural, and Lauren Hutton has a certain timelessness I admire. She knows what works for her.
Not only am I grateful for my family, but there's a real love I have for growing up Jewish, and where I grew up, because there's a foundation that it's given me in these crazy kind of worlds that I might come across.
[on Showgirls (1995), shortly before its release] First of all, to portray this woman any other way would be a lie. This is what she does. I mean, my feeling is sexuality, people who have a problem with it are living in shame, so that's their problem. All I know is that this will help people feel more free about themselves, I think, and, um, I see nothing harmful in it. It's a wonderful message about going after what you want.
[on her role in Showgirls (1995), shortly before its release] I knew I had to play this role. No question. The minute I read it. I read it, and I couldn't put it down. And I didn't stop talking about it.
Salary*
Showgirls (1995) $100.000
