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Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American film actress and former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance and as Bette Porter on the lesbian-themed drama series The L Word. She has appeared in more than 50 movies. Intelligent and beautiful with a disarming smile, Jennifer Beals managed to exude both strength and tenderness in her work, making her one of the most relatable and talented actresses of her time. A pop-culture icon after her star-making debut as Alex Owens in Flashdance (1983), Beals weathered the backlash storm for having a dance double in the hit film. After disappearing off the radar for some time – perhaps spooked by her overnight “Flashdance” fame – Beals would eventually come back to the Hollywood fold and build an impressive, though less prolific, film career over the next 20 years. Her touching portrayal of lesbian workaholic Bette Porter on Showtime’s provocative drama “The L Word” (2004- ), instantly revitalized Beal’s career. Back in the spotlight 20 odd years after her early 1980s mega-stardom, Beals proved that she had staying power and the talent to stick around and do good, solid work. Beals was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Jeanne, an elementary school teacher, and Alfred Beals, who owned a grocery store. Her father was African-American and her mother was Jewish Irish American. She has two brothers, Bobby and Gregory. Her father died when Beals was ten years old and her mother re-married to Edward Cohen. Beals stated that her biracial heritage had some impact on her, as she "always lived sort-of on the outside", with an idea "of being the other in society". She graduated from the Francis W. Parker School and Yale University, receiving a B.A. in American Literature, 1986. Beals had a minor role in the 1980 film My Bodyguard, then came to fame with her starring part in Flashdance. The third-highest grossing U.S. film of 1983, it was the story of 18-year-old Alex, a welder by day and exotic dancer by night, whose dream is to someday be accepted at an illustrious school of dance. Beals was cast for this key role while still a student at Yale. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and the film received an Academy Award for Best Song. After returning to the screen in the 1988 film “Split Decisions,” Beals began sticking her toe back in the Hollywood pond, with supporting roles in “Vampire’s Kiss” (1989) opposite Nicholas Cage, and a role in new husband Alexandre Rockwell’s “Sons” (1989). Beals next portrayed the Dominican-American love interest of an aspiring director (Steve Buscemi) in Rockwell’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner, “In the Soup” (1992) and went on to make her primetime television debut in 1992 on Aaron Spelling’s short-lived soap, “2000 Malibu Road” (CBS). Beals was next recommended by former Yale classmate David Duchovny for the female lead in the FOX sci-fi series, “The X-Files” (1993-2002), but producer Chris Carter decided to cast then unknown actress Gillian Anderson instead. Undeterred, Beals next appeared opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh in Alan Rudolph’s critically acclaimed take on the infamous wits of the Algonquin Round Table in “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” (1994) in which Beals gave a convincing portrayal of the neglected wife of humorist Robert Benchley (Campbell Scott). She next appeared as the woman caught up in a political scandal opposite Denzel Washington in the detective mystery “Devil in a Blue Dress” (1995). Beals reteamed once again with husband Rockwell in his segment of the independent collaboration “Four Rooms” (1995); off-screen however, the pair amicably ended their 10-year marriage. The blockbuster was the first collaboration for producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. After its release, it was revealed that many of Beals' elaborate dance moves were actually performed by double Marine Jahan. A number of interesting roles came Beals' way following that breakout performance. She and singer-actor Sting were cast as the leads in 1985's The Bride, a gothic horror film loosely based on the 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein. Beals was cast as Eva, quite literally a beautiful creature, brought to life by Dr. Frankenstein to be a mate for his monster. Starring opposite Nicolas Cage, the actress portrayed a lusty and thirsty vampire who may or may not be a figment of a man's imagination in 1989's Vampire's Kiss. In 1995, Beals and Denzel Washington co-starred in Devil in a Blue Dress, a period film based on a Walter Mosley novel featuring his L.A. private detective, Easy Rawlins. That same year she appeared with Tim Roth in a segment of the four-story anthology Four Rooms directed by her then-husband, Alexandre Rockwell. Beals next appeared briefly in Whit Stillman’s ensemble independent film, “The Last Days of Disco” (1998) and went on to portray a bi-racial woman who finds out that her mother was a slave in Showtime’s Civil War-era “A House Divided” (2000). In 2001, Beals made a cameo in Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming’s directorial debut, “The Anniversary Party.” Portraying a photographer in the film, Beals got the chance to showcase her own photographic eye – a number of her photos from the set of the film were later published in national magazines. She went on to land supporting roles in the critically acclaimed indie film “Roger Dodger” (2002) and opposite John Cusack in “Runaway Jury” (2003). Rockwell had previously directed her in the 1992 independent film In the Soup, which was a Grand Prize winner at the Sundance Film Festival. Recently, she had a leading role in 2006's The Grudge 2, sequel to the hit horror film of two years earlier. Beals currently stars in Showtime Network's The L Word, where she plays Bette Porter, an Ivy League educated lesbian. Although this series and several of her films have been of a provocative nature, Beals has avoided nude scenes during her career. Even though she has done countless lesbian love scenes during her tenure on The L Word, she is the only regular cast member to refuse to appear nude in them. A turning point came for Beals in 2004 when she landed the role of Bette Porter on Showtime’s racy lesbian drama, “The L Word.” Portraying Bette Porter, a Yale educated, bi-racial art curator, Beals found herself back in the spotlight – 20 years after her high profile turn in “Flashdance.” The role also allowed Beals to explore a range of important topics – from homosexuality to being bi-racial – a subject that hit close to home with Beals and earned her a NAACP Image Award nomination. While working on the series, Beals continued to work in film, most notably in Takashi Shimizu’s horror sequel, “The Grudge 2” (2006). Beals was married to Alexandre Rockwell from 1986 to 1996. In 1998, she married Ken Dixon, a Canadian entrepreneur. She and Dixon had a daughter in October 2005, and Dixon has two children from a previous marriage. Beals has described herself as a "spiritual person". Beals is a close friend of Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino often stayed at Beals' home while struggling as an aspiring director before Pulp Fiction. He was one of the producers, directors and cast members of her film Four Rooms. She has been best friends with actress Marlee Matlin, who currently stars as Jodi Lerner on The L Word, since they met in an airport in the 1980s. Beals was a Celebrity Grand Marshal at the 2006 San Francisco Pride Parade. |
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