Jennifer Beals
Jennifer Beals
Born 19/12/1963 in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress and a former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance, and as Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word. She earned an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination for the former. She has appeared in more than 50 films.

Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress and a former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance, and as Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word. She earned an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination for the former. She has appeared in more than 50 films.

Beals was born on the South Side of Chicago, the daughter of Jeanne (née Anderson), an elementary school teacher, and Alfred Beals, who owned grocery stores. She is multiracial; her father was African American, and her mother is Irish American. She has two brothers, Bobby and Gregory.Her father died when Beals was nine years old, and her mother married Edward Cohen in 1981. Beals has said her biracial heritage had some effect on her, as she "always lived sort of on the outside", with an idea "of being the other in society". She got her first job at age 13 at an ice cream store, using her height at the time (she is now nearly 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)), to convince her boss she was 16.

Beals was inspired to become an actress by two events: doing a high school production of Fiddler on the Roof and seeing Balm in Gilead with Joan Allen while volunteer-ushering at the Steppenwolf Theatre.

Beals graduated from the progressive Francis W. Parker School. She also was chosen to attend the elite Goodman Theatre Young People's Drama Workshop. Beals attended Yale University, receiving a B.A. in American literature in 1987; she deferred a term so she could film Flashdance. While at Yale, Beals was a resident of Morse College.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Jennifer Beals, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

External links

Filmography (Movies)

Hello Out There

Hello Out There

Character:Judith

Release Date:12/10/2025

Luckiest Girl Alive

Luckiest Girl Alive

Character:Lolo Vincent

Release Date:30/09/2022

After

After

Character:Karen Gibson

Release Date:11/04/2019

Hollywood: No Sex, Please!

Hollywood: No Sex, Please!

Character:

Release Date:01/03/2018

The White Orchid

The White Orchid

Character:Vivian

Release Date:01/02/2018

Before I Fall

Before I Fall

Character:Mrs. Kingston

Release Date:02/03/2017

Manhattan Night

Manhattan Night

Character:Lisa Wren

Release Date:20/05/2016

Full Out

Full Out

Character:Valorie Kondos-Field

Release Date:11/09/2015

A Wife's Nightmare

A Wife's Nightmare

Character:Liz

Release Date:27/12/2014

Cinemanovels

Cinemanovels

Character:Clementine

Release Date:06/09/2013

A Fuller Life

A Fuller Life

Character:Self - Reader (segment "Crime Reporter")

Release Date:28/08/2013

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Character:Angela Fox

Release Date:20/11/2010

A Night for Dying Tigers

A Night for Dying Tigers

Character:Melanie

Release Date:10/09/2010

The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli

Character:Claudia

Release Date:14/01/2010

Queen to Play

Queen to Play

Character:L’Américaine

Release Date:05/08/2009

Starz Inside: Fashion in Film

Starz Inside: Fashion in Film

Character:Self

Release Date:25/11/2008

My Name Is Sarah

My Name Is Sarah

Character:Sarah Winston

Release Date:28/05/2007

Troubled Waters

Troubled Waters

Character:FBI Agent Beck

Release Date:21/12/2006

The Grudge 2

The Grudge 2

Character:Trish Kimble

Release Date:12/10/2006

Desolation Sound

Desolation Sound

Character:Elizabeth Storey

Release Date:27/06/2005

Break a Leg

Break a Leg

Character:Juliet

Release Date:21/04/2005

Catch That Kid

Catch That Kid

Character:Molly Phillips

Release Date:06/02/2004

Runaway Jury

Runaway Jury

Character:Vanessa Lembeck

Release Date:16/01/2003

They Shoot Divas, Don't They?

They Shoot Divas, Don't They?

Character:Sloan McBride

Release Date:05/10/2002

13 Moons

13 Moons

Character:Suzi

Release Date:30/08/2002

Roger Dodger

Roger Dodger

Character:Sophie

Release Date:09/05/2002

Out of Line

Out of Line

Character:Officer Jenny Capitanas

Release Date:20/11/2001

Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints

Character:Dolly Rose

Release Date:11/11/2001

The Anniversary Party

The Anniversary Party

Character:Gina Taylor

Release Date:09/06/2001

Something More

Something More

Character:Lisa

Release Date:28/11/2000

Militia

Militia

Character:Julie Sanders

Release Date:17/10/2000

Body and Soul

Body and Soul

Character:Gina

Release Date:01/09/2000

A House Divided

A House Divided

Character:Amanda Dickson

Release Date:30/07/2000

Without Malice

Without Malice

Character:Samantha Wilkes

Release Date:01/01/2000

Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying

Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying

Character:Jessica

Release Date:27/12/1999

Wishful Thinking

Wishful Thinking

Character:Elizabeth

Release Date:09/07/1999

The Last Days of Disco

The Last Days of Disco

Character:Nina

Release Date:29/05/1998

The Spree

The Spree

Character:Xinia Kelly

Release Date:18/04/1998

The Prophecy II

The Prophecy II

Character:Valerie Rosales

Release Date:20/01/1998

The Twilight of the Golds

The Twilight of the Golds

Character:Suzanne Stein

Release Date:10/10/1996

Four Rooms

Four Rooms

Character:Angela

Release Date:09/12/1995

Let It Be Me

Let It Be Me

Character:Emily Taylor

Release Date:17/11/1995

Devil in a Blue Dress

Devil in a Blue Dress

Character:Daphne Monet

Release Date:29/09/1995

The Search for One-eye Jimmy

The Search for One-eye Jimmy

Character:Ellen

Release Date:09/11/1994

Dead on Sight

Dead on Sight

Character:Rebecca Darcy

Release Date:12/10/1994

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle

Character:Gertrude Benchley

Release Date:07/09/1994

Dear Diary

Dear Diary

Character:Self

Release Date:12/11/1993

The Thief and the Cobbler

The Thief and the Cobbler

Character:Princess YumYum (voice)

Release Date:23/09/1993

Night Owl

Night Owl

Character:Julia

Release Date:19/08/1993

The Big Pardon 2

The Big Pardon 2

Character:Joyce Ferranti

Release Date:09/12/1992

In the Soup

In the Soup

Character:Angelica Pena

Release Date:23/10/1992

Indecency

Indecency

Character:Ellie Shaw

Release Date:16/09/1992

Terror Stalks the Class Reunion

Terror Stalks the Class Reunion

Character:Virginia

Release Date:12/06/1992

Blood and Concrete

Blood and Concrete

Character:Mona

Release Date:13/09/1991

The Madonna and the Dragon

The Madonna and the Dragon

Character:Patty Meredith

Release Date:01/09/1990

Dr. M

Dr. M

Character:Sonja Vogler

Release Date:24/05/1990

Sons

Sons

Character:Transvestite

Release Date:01/01/1990

Vampire's Kiss

Vampire's Kiss

Character:Rachel

Release Date:02/06/1989

The Gamble

The Gamble

Character:Lady Olivia Candioni

Release Date:28/10/1988

Split Decisions

Split Decisions

Character:Barbara Uribe

Release Date:11/06/1988

The Bride

The Bride

Character:Eva

Release Date:16/08/1985

Cinderella

Cinderella

Character:Cinderella

Release Date:14/08/1985

Faerie Tale Theatre: Cinderella

Faerie Tale Theatre: Cinderella

Character:Cinderella

Release Date:08/08/1985

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!

Character:

Release Date:18/01/1985

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!

Character:Self (archive footage)

Release Date:18/01/1985

Flashdance

Flashdance

Character:Alex Owens

Release Date:14/04/1983

My Bodyguard

My Bodyguard

Character:Clifford's Friend (uncredited)

Release Date:11/07/1980

Television Appearances

Images

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