Vanessa Nakate to Open Giving Black Conference 2026 With Climate Justice Keynote
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United States Elizabeth Berkley is an American actress, former model, and author, recognized for her diverse roles across television, film, and theatre.
Elizabeth has been making life-changing connections with these girls over the past seven years through Ask Elizabeth, her not-for-profit organization.
Elizabeth Berkley co-founded the dance-based workout program, Body By Berkley, as part of her involvement in the dance fitness industry.
Actress and Showgirls star Elizabeth Berkley recently appeared on TalkShopLive to discuss her best-kept makeup tips and tricks.
In January 1993, Elizabeth Berkley was featured in a commercial for Crystal Pepsi that debuted during the Super Bowl XXVII.
In 1997, Elizabeth Berkley appeared in the 'Lettuce Be Lean' campaign sponsored by PETA to promote vegetarian options in restaurants, wearing a gown made of collard greens. She later participated in other charity events for the organization.
In May 1996, Elizabeth Berkley was a guest model at Todd Oldham's LA Fashion Show, which raised $600,000 for the AIDS Project Los Angeles.
In October 2010, Berkley supported the Shark-Free Marina Initiative, sponsored by these organizations, to combat shark disappearances by asking marinas to prohibit sharks from being landed at their docks.
Elizabeth Berkley was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan, into a Jewish family. From an early age, Berkley showed a strong inclination towards performing arts, taking jazz and tap lessons at four, and later ballet. Her childhood dedication led her to dance in the New York City Ballet’s holiday production of The Nutcracker in Detroit for five years. She made her theatrical debut as Snoopy in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Berkley’s early career also included modeling, where she did print work for Hudson’s and appeared in TV commercials, using her earnings to fund acting and vocal training in Los Angeles and New York. Her persistence led to her television debut in “Gimme a Break!” (1986) and roles in “Silver Spoons” and “Frog.”
Berkley gained widespread recognition for her role as Jessie Spano in the NBC sitcom “Saved by the Bell” (1989-1993). Initially auditioning for Kelly Kapowski, her performance led producers to create the character of Jessie specifically for her. During breaks from “Saved by the Bell,” she appeared in other television shows like “Life Goes On” and “The Hogan Family,” and had a minor role in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Point Break” (1991). In 1995, Berkley took on the lead role of Nomi Malone in Paul Verhoeven’s “Showgirls,” a controversial film that garnered significant criticism but later achieved cult status. Despite the initial backlash, Berkley continued to pursue challenging roles, including supporting performances in “The First Wives Club” (1996) and Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” (1999). Her work in “The First Wives Club” earned her, along with the cast, a National Board of Review Award for Best Ensemble Performance.
Over the 2000s, Berkley transitioned to theatre, appearing in London’s West End production of “Lenny” (1999) and Broadway’s “Sly Fox” (2004). Her performance in the Off-Broadway production of “Hurlyburly” (2005) earned critical acclaim, with The New York Times notably retracting past criticisms of her acting. She also maintained a presence in television, with recurring roles in “CSI: Miami” (2008-2009) and “The L Word” (2009), and hosted Bravo’s “Step It Up and Dance” (2008). In 2011, she published the New York Times best-seller “Ask-Elizabeth,” a self-help book for adolescent girls, stemming from self-esteem workshops she conducted. Berkley reprised her role as Jessie Spano in the “Saved by the Bell” reboot (2020–2021) for Peacock, also serving as a producer. In 2024, she appeared in Max Minghella’s film “Shell” and had a guest role in “Cobra Kai.”
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