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Background:
"I have learned not to regret anything in my life. I believe everything in life
has a purpose." Erika Eleniak
Former Playboy Playmate of the Month (July 1989), model and actress Erika
Eleniak was widely recognized while portraying lifeguard Shauni McClain on the
syndicated TV series Baywatch (1989-1992). First appearing in Steven Spielberg's
huge hit E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Eleniak continued playing roles in
such films as Under Siege (1992, starring Steven Seagal), The Beverly
Hillbillies (1993), Chasers (1994), Girl in a Cadillac (1995), Tales from the
Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood (1996), The Opponent (2000) and Betrayal
(2003).
Blonde-haired, green-eyed Erika Eleniak measures 34-24-32 and is 5' 5" tall. She
was once engaged to her Chasers and Girl in a Cadillac costar William McNamara
(b. March 31, 1965), and in 1993 became engaged to her former Baywatch costar,
actor Billy Warlock (b. March 26, 1961).
Eleniak added to her acting resume such recent films as Caught in the
Headlights, Brilliant, Dracula 3000 and The Librarians. She also worked on
several made-for-TV movies including Fatal Lessons: The Good Teacher, Fatal
Reunion, and the upcoming Absolute Zero. Additionally, she was cast as Ginger in
the second season of the reality television series The Real Gilligan's Island.
Harley Rider
Childhood and Family:
Daughter of a Ukrainian descendant father, Erika Eleniak was born in Glendale, a
small town of Los Angeles, California, on September 29, 1969. The eldest child
of the family, Erika has two younger sisters and one kid brother. During her
high school years, Erika was thrust into drugs and alcohol but later found help
with Alcoholics Anonymous in 1988.
In 1997, Eleniak met Philip Goglia and married him on May 22,1998. The couple
lived together in Marina Del Rey, California until their divorce. A fan of teal
blue and jade green, blue jeans and t-shirts, Erika currently resides in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with her two pets, Asta and Chopper. Her decision to
settle there occurred while filming Snowbound (2001), when Erika fell in love
with the city. In her free time, she enjoys her hobbies, weight training, arts
and crafts, traveling, outdoor activities and riding her Harley.
The Opponent
Career:
Since childhood, Erika Eleniak performed in front of the public. She was seen in
local stage plays and modeled for TV commercials. As a teenager, she modeled for
Nexus hair ads and posed for the Harley calendar Flasher barricade poster.
Film work knocked on her door in 1982 when renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg
cast her in the huge sci-fi movie ET: The Extra-Terrestrial. In the film, she
appeared as the pretty young girl who kissed Henry Thomas. After disappearing
for six years, Eleniak returned to the screen in the late of 1980s as a stunning
young woman. She appeared as a guest in an episode of Silver Spoons and debuted
on the TV movie Broken Angel (1988, a.k.a. Best Intentions). After appearing in
The Blob (1988), Eleniak received her first regular role in the 1984 TV series
"Charles in Charge." In the show she played character Stephanie Curtis, Scott
Baio's on-screen and off-screen girlfriend, for one season (1988-1989).
Erika posed for Playboy magazine and was showcased on two of the magazine's
covers. Later, she was the Centerfold for the July 1989 edition. Her appearance
in the magazine helped catapult her name toward the spotlight. She subsequently
won the role of Shauni McClain, a sexy lifeguard in the cult syndicated series
Baywatch. She starred in the hit series until Pamela Anderson replaced her.
"Life after Baywatch has been full for me. It's been 12 years since those days,
as I only did the first 2 seasons of the show." Erika Eleniak
After leaving the show in 1992, Eleniak landed a significant role in the
well-received action-adventure movie Under Siege. In the film, starring Steven
Seagal, she played Jordan Tate, a Playboy Playmate hired to do a striptease for
the Captain of a Naval Ship. She followed it up with the film version of The
Beverly Hillbillies, starring as Elly May Clampett.
"I had a blast playing Elly May. The cast was great and I love working with
animals... though animals can be challenging at times in the film making
process. I always have had a lot of fun working with them. As for the finished
product, even though it's weird watching myself on screen, I really enjoyed the
movie. It was everything I hoped it would be. It would have been fun to do
another one." Erika Eleniak
The following years saw Eleniak in such films as Dennis Hopper's romantic comedy
Chasers (1994), Girl in the Cadillac (1995, costarring William McNamara), the
sci-fi romance A Pyromaniac's Love Story (1995, with John Leguizamo and Billy
Baldwin), Panic in the Park (1995, as identical twins Janie/Jamie) and the
horror flick Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood (1996). She also
tried to create an interactive game during 1995, but it never really took off.
On the small screen, Eleniak acted in NBC's Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: Heatwave
(1997), ABC's One Hot Summer Night (1998) and CBS's Aftershock: Earthquake in
New York (1999). She also had a reoccurring role on the CBS police drama
"Brooklyn South" in January 1998. As for the silver screen, she was cast in the
1998 films Captive, The Pandora Project (with Daniel Baldwin), Charades, and in
the 1999 films Final Voyage and Stealth Fighter (both alongside Ice-T).
Starring as Patty, an abused young woman who's a boxer, in the film The Opponent
was Eleniak's opening film work in the new millennium. She continued to play
roles in several movies including Vegas, City of Dreams (2001), Snowbound (2001,
a.k.a. White Lies), Second to Die (2002), Betrayal (2003) and the 2004 films
Brilliant, Caught in the Headlights, The Librarians, and Dracula 3000. She also
acted on the telefilms Christmas Rush, He Sees You When You're Sleeping (both in
2002) and Fatal Lessons: The Good Teacher (2004). Eleniak recently portrayed
Jessica Hartley Landers in the psycho-thriller Fatal Reunion (2005, TV) and will
soon star in Robert Lee's Absolute Zero (TV, costarring Bill MacDonald and Jeff
Fahey). She was also cast in TBS's reality series, hosted by Scott Lasky, The
Real Gilligan's Island for its upcoming second season.
Awards:
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