Growing up I was a latchkey kid. So I watched a lot of television and developed crushes a bunch of time on movie stars and television actresses. Not only as they seemed better versions of reality, but they were so different than any women I had ever seen or definitely ever met.
Trust me there were many that probably shaped my attraction to women, but also helped me to appreciate them. Probably also inspiring me to put them on a pedestal and celebrate them at times it seems more as ideal rather than as just a normal human being.
There are plenty to write about, but one crossed my mind more recently.
Does anyone else remember The actress Olivia D'abo. She is probably remembered best for two roles the under neglected supporting character of Fred savage's character Kevin Arnold's older hippie sister on THE WONDER YEARS. Where she always seemed like an after thought of a character for the writers.
Eventually they married her off to a character played by a Young David Schwimmer. Though neglected occasionally she was in the background of an episode and I believe there were probably 3 episodes majorly centered around her character. A few where she only had a few liens for a family Gathering, meeting or just to add a wisecrack or insight into a scene. Even Jason Hersey had more significant screentime then Again he was the brother as nemesis
I remember first noticing her on that show and strangely enough the game show they would have every year BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS. Where I was shocked timeline that she was Australian and had an accent. Which to me made her instantly more interesting, impressive and best of all international.
It took me awhile to even realize she was the actress who played the young princess in CONAN THE DESTROYER with Arnold Schwartzenegger. Which only made her cooler in my book. As I love that movie. Even if it did make her a Razzie winner, but that is a film that will always stay nostalgic. When a movie aimed at teens (though more for adults appealed more to teenagers) were still dangerous. Even if not as classic or prestigious as CONAN THE BARBARIAN.
I should be ashamed considering how many times i watched that movie when i was young. Especially as to me at that age since it was more fantasy produced and seemed a more epic adventure filled with monsters. DESTROYER was the better or at least more watchable for me in my adolesence. and as i thought the female princess was cute in DESTROYER i should have realized it was her sooner
Then when that show ended she had a brief bombshell period after the show in the movies GREEDY with Michael J. Fox. Where they really had her work bikinis and short tops with tight cutoff shorts and the film CLEAN SLATE with Dana Carvey in both roles she was the femme fatale and eye candy. (The femme fatale thing seems to have stuck throughout the rest of her career. That seemed to last until she made the independent artistic film BANK ROBBER starring Patrick Dempsey. Where she was not only nude but plenty of sex scenes that left little to the imagination. She seemed to lose her luster after she showed it all to the audience. That is how it goes sometimes. (That movie was like porn for me not only for her and her scenes. But also fellow crush from before her Lisa Bonet is in the movie and in the all together.) After that I remember her in small bit roles like in WAYNE'S WORLD 2, POINT OF NO RETURN before graduating to films like GREEDY. After CLEAN SLATE she had leads or supporting in movies such as THE BIG GREEN and KICKING AND SCREAMING (Not the Will Ferrell movie) Which allowed her to play in not only a indie film, but in more intellectual cinema that wasn't as dependent on looks. Especially as she seemed half the time smarter than the roles she was playing.
The only other more recent roles I remember is her second most recognizable role as Nicole Wallace/Elizabeth Hitchens Vincent D'Onofrio's criminal mastermind menace in LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT and she was very good and memorable in the role. Finally a role where she could prove herself. That some wait a lifetime for, she was even Emmy nominated for it and they kept bringing her back. It didn't even seem like overkill like a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit that keeps coming back until they have dried it up until it's not funny anymore.
Plus she was still as beautiful as ever. Still playing the heartbreaker. Though there she finally played a character whose brains were as sharp as her looks. So that other than a homicidal streak she was the ultimate package
Unfortunately D'Onofrio left the show. So there was no real reason to bring her back. She still works regularly. Especially in voice over work. It just seems that she doesn't Land the roles that get major notice like she did anymore. Though she did make her broadway debut over a decade ago in THE ODD COUPLE with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
She will definitely go down as one of my all time favorite crushes. I only wish she had gotten more opportunities as she showed how deep her passion was and how far she was willing to go on screen. Over the years she has shown her share of versatility.
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