Thirty years ago, Erika Eleniak was a popular Hollywood star known for her classic blonde beauty. She often drew comparisons to iconic actresses like Jayne Mansfield and Kim Novak, and quickly gained a large and devoted fanbase.
Drew Barrymore started her acting career in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. She later surprised many by posing for Playboy magazine.
The 56-year-old actor is most famous for playing a lifeguard on the TV show Baywatch, where she wore a red swimsuit for three seasons between 1989 and 1992.
She played Shauni McLain, the original female lead in the show’s first two seasons.
The TV show Baywatch, featuring David Hasselhoff, became hugely popular, boosted by stars like Yasmine Bleeth, Pamela Anderson, and Carmen Electra.
The actress has recently gotten a lot of tattoos, giving her a new appearance. She just posted a photo from the set of her latest movie.
On the latest episode of the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko, Erika talked about how she’s expressed herself through tattoos.
She began getting tattoos on her back around the time she turned 28, after finishing her role on Baywatch in its third season.
She explained that each of her tattoos represents something meaningful, like the one bearing her mother’s name.
‘I love tattoos. I love that my body is a canvas to tell my stories,’ she added.
Erika was born in Glendale, California, to parents with Ukrainian, Estonian, and German roots. Her family had originally immigrated to Canada before settling in the United States.
She became well-known after appearing in a popular 1982 movie, where she played the girl who kissed the young star, Henry Thomas, in a classroom scene. This scene took place while his character was being affected by the movie’s alien.
Her next film role was in 1983’s Imps*, which only received a belated release in 2009.
In 1987, she started her television career with small roles on shows like Silver Spoons, Still the Beaver, and Boys Will Be Boys.
She hadn’t acted in several years when she took a role in the 1988 remake of ‘The Blob,’ playing one of the people terrorized by the creature. That film has since become a beloved cult classic in the science fiction horror genre.
I was so thrilled to see her career take off! After some early roles, she started appearing in bigger and bigger movies. I remember being excited to see her in the action-packed ‘Under Siege’ with Steven Seagal, and then she was hilarious in ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ movie. She really showed her range with the quirky rom-com ‘A Pyromaniac’s Love Story,’ and I even enjoyed the slightly spooky ‘Bordello of Blood’ which was based on ‘Tales From The Crypt’ – she was fantastic in everything!
After her initial success, her films became less common, and she primarily worked on smaller, independently funded projects throughout the late 1990s, 2000s, and 2020s.
As many of you know, I love staying creative! My most recent project was the 2024 film Lolipop Gang, where I had the fun opportunity to play myself. It had been five years since my last on-screen role, so it was a really special experience getting back in front of the camera.
Looking back at her early career, it’s fascinating to see how things took off! Before becoming a household name, she actually had a quick, three-episode guest spot on ‘Charles in Charge’ with Scott Baio back in 1989. That really helped build momentum before she landed the role that everyone remembers – ‘Baywatch’!
Before becoming a regular cast member for the first two seasons, she first appeared as Shauni McClain in the show’s original TV movie, Panic At Malibu Pier.
I was so thrilled when my favorite character started a romance with Eddie Kramer! They seemed perfect together, and I was ecstatic when they actually got married at the start of season three. It was a bit heartbreaking, though, because their honeymoon meant she moved to Australia and left the show. It was even more surprising to learn later that the actors playing them were engaged in real life for a while – it really added another layer to their on-screen chemistry!
She started her run on Baywatch in 1989, the same year she graced the cover of the July issue of Playboy magazine.
Before becoming known for her role on Baywatch, Erika Eleniak graced the cover of Playboy magazine in July 1989. She got the opportunity through a roommate who was already a model for the magazine, and who introduced her to the photo editor, who suggested she try modeling.
Erika explained that she earned the reputation of being ‘difficult’ while working with Playboy in the late 1980s. She felt uncomfortable during photoshoots and often disagreed with the photographers’ suggestions. On the Still Here Hollywood podcast, she clarified that she approached the work as a modeling job and always saw herself as an actress who also happened to appear in Playboy, not as a typical ‘Playmate’.
Erika married bodybuilder Philip Golgia in 1998, but their marriage ended after only six months. She then began a relationship with film industry worker Roch Daigle in the early 2000s. They moved to Calgary, Canada, and married in 2005, eventually having a daughter together.
According to IMDb, Erika recently narrated a podcast series called The Murder Years, which has eight episodes and was released last year.
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2025-11-14 18:34