Highlights
- Elizabeth Berkley’s role in Saved By The Bell catapulted her into the spotlight, but her reputation in Hollywood suffered due to her role in the controversial film Showgirls.
- Berkely wasn’t in the spotlight as much after Showgirls.
- Berkley also became an entrepreneur, creating Ask Elizabeth, a platform dedicated to empowering young girls.
Elizabeth Berkley was one of the most beloved teen stars on TV before her transition to the big screen. What is Elizabeth Berkley famous for? The TV actress popularized her role as Jessie Spano in the late 1980s sitcom Saved By The Bell. The character specifically made for her catapulted the former teen star into the spotlight. While stars like Leah Remini and Tori Spelling were cast in delightful roles, Berkley’s was one of the most memorable. The coming-of-age series gave Berkley a big break on TV, but her popularity significantly dwindled years after the show ended. Berkley’s reputation in Hollywood was marred mainly by what was supposed to be her next big role in 1995’s Showgirls.
When Saved By The Bell ended in 1993, Elizabeth Berkley tried to transition onto the big screen through the erotic thriller Showgirls. However, instead of giving her movie a big break, Showgirls made Berkley a “pariah.” The film faced negative criticism and was rated NC-17, leaving the actress’ acting career to bear the brunt. Fans have wondered about the state of her life since the series ended, and here’s a look into what happened to her through the years.
What Is Elizabeth Berkley Doing Years After Saved by the Bell?
Showgirls was a disappointment, but Elizabeth Berkley barely let it take over her life. She picked herself up again and approached acting with another style. The actress told People, “It felt right to make it more about the people I was working with and doing different kinds of roles to bring it back.” She starred in minor roles in critically acclaimed movies like First Wives Club, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, The Real Blonde, and Random Encounters.
The actress has yet to top her fame from Saved by the Bell, but her finances are not terrible. Like her cast mates, Berkley did not receive royalties from the series, but her finances did not suffer. Besides taking more roles in film and TV, she became an entrepreneur. She created Ask Elizabeth, a platform dedicated to empowering young girls. Contrary to fans’ speculation, Elizabeth Berkley is nowhere near the poverty line. The actress has an impressive net worth through her acting career and business endeavors.
The TV star was inspired to create her Ask Elizabeth online resource for adolescents. This was followed by a self-help book in 2011. According to Screenrant, Elizabeth Berkley’s last known film role was in 2009’s Donnie Darko. Her TV catalog expanded with series like NYPD Blue, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The L Word, New Girl, The Twilight Zone, and Law & Order, among others.
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Is Elizabeth Berkley married? Yes, the actress has been married to artist Greg Lauren since 2003. The pair have a son. In 2022, Berkley and Lauren stepped out in style for the Ralph Lauren Spring 2023 fashion show. The couple looked sensational as they posed on the red carpet.
The Melissa & Joey actress reprised her well-known role, Jessie Spano, in 2020 during the Peacock reboot of Saved by the Bell. So what is Jessie Spano from Saved By The Bell doing now? Between 1989 and the 2020 reboot, Elizabeth Berkley’s character acquired a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and became the guidance counselor of their old-time fictional high school, Bayside High.
Elizabeth Berkley’s career profile and net worth according to Celebrity Net Worth in 2023:
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Elizabeth Berkley |
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Birthdate |
July 1972 |
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Profession |
Actress, Entrepreneur |
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Career |
Active since 1986 |
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Net worth |
$6 million |
What Happened To Elizabeth Berkley?
Starting as a model, Elizabeth Berkley was signed to Elite Model Management. In 1986, she appeared in a minor role in her first movie, Gimme a Break. The star’s next role was in the 1987 comedy-drama movie Frog. Berkley had minor roles until she auditioned for the role of Kelly Kapowski in Saved by the Bell in 1989. However, the role went to fellow star Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, which was a tough decision for the producers. Despite opting for Thiessen, the showrunners loved Berkley’s acting, so they created the role of Jessie Spano for her.
From there, her career kicked off, as she played the recurring role from 1989 until the show ended in 1993. Elizabeth Berkley reprised her role in two made-for-TV films, Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style and Saved By the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas. After Berkley’s stint on the TV franchise, she crossed to the big screen by playing a stripper, Nomi Malone, in Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls. However, this role ended up hurting Berkley’s career.
Showgirls caused controversies due to its sensual theme, and the actress was at the center of it all. Elizabeth Berkley went from being one of America’s most beloved teen sweethearts to an actress scorned for her erotic role. The movie earned an NC-17 rating and flopped at the box office. However, the young actress continued to strive for more film roles. Speaking to People in 2020, she opened up about the downside of making Showgirls and its effects on her. Berkley revealed:
“It changed me. It was a life moment, and I cannot help but say I would be a different person had I not gone through the depths of what it taught me.”
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The star actress, who once faced drama with Leonardo DiCaprio, reflected on why she ever took the role, noting that she was “excited to dive a little deeper and explore.” She clarified that she was not looking for shock value and that when she first read the script, she thought it was perfect for her. However, her passion for the film turned on her after its release. Elizabeth Berkley stated that she was bullied, and it was all confusing. She noted:
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“Of course, it was disappointing that it didn’t go well, but there was so much cruelty around it. I was bullied. And I didn’t understand why I was being blamed…”
According to the First Wives Club star, another disheartening part of playing Nomi Malone was that “no one associated with the film spoke up on my behalf to protect me.” She added, “I was left out in the cold, and I was a pariah in the industry I had worked so hard for.” Elizabeth Berkley was paid $100,000 for Showgirls.
Source: NewsFinale
