Elizabeth Berkley
Edit
Enlarge Image
Early Life and Background
Elizabeth Berkley Lauren was born on July 28, 1972, in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA. Raised in this northern suburb of Detroit in Oakland County, she comes from a Jewish family and was brought up in a conservative Jewish tradition. At age 13, she celebrated her bat mitzvah. Her mother, Jere, owned a gift-basket business, while her father, Fred Berkley, worked as a lawyer.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 28 Jul, 1972
- Age
- 47 yrs
- Citizenship
- United States of America
Show all facts
- Birth Place
- Farmington Hills
- Education
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Gender
- Female
- Description
- American actress
- Spouse
- Greg Lauren [M. 2003]
- Net Worth 2021
- 6 million
Berkley was born with heterochromia, a condition in which a person has differently colored irises. Her right eye is half brown and half green, while the left eye is entirely green. She began her education at Cranbrook Kingswood School, a private institution in Bloomfield Hills, before graduating from North Farmington High School in 1990.
Early Interest in Dance and Performing Arts
From a young age, Berkley showed a strong passion for dance. Her parents supported her enthusiasm by setting up a practice space in their home’s basement. At age 10, she auditioned for the musical "Annie" but was not cast. Undeterred, she continued pursuing dance, traveling to New York City to train with accomplished dancers and choreographers. She participated in several ballet performances, including "Swan Lake," and began appearing in stage musicals by 1983, showcasing a growing commitment to the performing arts.
Entry Into Modeling and Television
Berkley began modeling as a teenager, signing with Elite Model Management. Her transition into acting began with her television film debut in 1987 in "Frog." She followed this with guest appearances on several television shows, gradually building her on-screen presence.
In her late teens, Berkley auditioned for a role in the hit teen series "Saved by the Bell." Initially considered for the part of Kelly Kapowski, producers opted to create a new character for her—Jessie Spano. Jessie, the intelligent, socially conscious student, became a notable role for Berkley and remained her character on the show until 1993.
