Details
Alternate Names: Дженніфер Білз, جنیفر بیلز, 珍妮佛·貝爾
Physical Characteristics: - Eye Color: brown
- Hair Color: brown hair
Career
First Appearances: - My Bodyguard (1980) as Clifford's Friend (uncredited)
Most Important Roles: - Four Rooms (1995) as Angela
- Flashdance (1983) as Alex Owens
- The Grudge 2 (2006) as Trish Kimble
- Catch That Kid (2004) as Molly Phillips
- The Book of Eli (2010) as Claudia
- Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) as Gertrude Benchley
- Militia (2000) as Julie Sanders
- Vampire's Kiss (1989) as Rachel
- Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) as Daphne Monet
- Caro diario (1993) as Self
Career Highlights: - Four Rooms (1995)
- Flashdance (1983)
- The Grudge 2 (2006)
- Catch That Kid (2004)
- The Book of Eli (2010)
- Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)
- Militia (2000)
- Vampire's Kiss (1989)
- Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
- Caro diario (1993)
Awards
Awards: - Won Maverick Tribute Award (1999)
- Won Golden Gate Award (2005)
- Nominated for 1 Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical (1984)
- Nominated for 1 Satellite Award - Outstanding Actress in a Series, Drama (2005)
- Nominated for 1 Golden Satellite Award - Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (2001)
- Won Golden Satellite Award - Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (1998)
- Nominated for 1 Image Award - Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2008)
- Nominated for 1 Image Award - Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2007)
- Nominated for 1 Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture (1996)
- Won Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture (1984)
- Nominated for 1 Vision Award - Best Actress - Drama (2007)
- Nominated for 1 Razzie Award - Worst Actress (1986)
- Nominated for 1 Video Premiere Award - Best Supporting Actress (2001)
- Nominated for 1 Canadian Screen Award - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series (2016)
- Won Jupiter Award - Best International Actress (1984)
- Nominated for 1 WIN Award - Outstanding Actress Drama Series (2021)
- Nominated for 1 BTVA Anime Dub Movie/Special Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in an Anime Feature Film/Special (2016)
- Won Bravo Otto Germany - Best Actress (Schauspielerin) (1985)
- Nominated for 1 Bravo Otto Germany - Best Actress (Schauspielerin) (1984)
- Won Bravo Otto Germany - Best Actress (Schauspielerin) (1983)
Full Biography
Jennifer Beals (height 5' 8½" (1.74 m)) 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.
Jennifer Beals
