Even though this actress has had just as long a career as the others. She never had as many highlights and is one of the more unsung actresses of a certain era. Who is still working but never seems to have fully gotten her he as some ladies I talk about in these columns.
She is an actress who I will always remember and always wished she had gotten bigger roles and more of a chance to make a difference in the big screen.
I truly don’t want to disrespect this woman or her talent but like any relationship. I will admit what drew me to her at first was attraction Seeing her on the show CLASS OF ‘96. where she played the ex flame of a lead character coming to visit him at college she was a kind of Italian jersey girl stereotype but her look was so distinct that soon seeing her in RED SHOE DIARIES the movie which actually started it was the origin story for the anthology series. I was hooked as I saw her in all her physical glory. She played a woman who kept a diary and was bored with her humdrum life and has a fling at first with a shoe salesman. This fling allows her to portray every fantasy she has ever wanted. Though when she tries to break it off. She finds herself addicted to the guy. Who won’t let her just walk away. Not in a Violent way and eventually she commits suicide as she canmt choose between the two men. Eventually her fiancé finds the diaries reads them hints the guy down and tries to befriend and defeat him. His way of dealing with the aftermath is putting out a column in the paper seeking people usually women to send him their erotic true life stories him to try and understand his dead fiancés desire and mindset. This leads to the anthology series where each week we see him get the letter and begin to read it and then we see the story acted out by guest stars.
This was a TV-Movie written & Directed by soft core king Zalman King (TWO MOON JUNCTION, WILD ORCHID; Writer 9 1/2 WEEKS) for showtime. So it is a project that has prestige and wasn’t seen as sleazy. As he was someone who helped softcore erotic thrillers come into vogue in the late 80’s Early 90’s.
The more I saw her in different movies that were usually straight to home video or cable movies I will admit to a certain degree helped me through puberty as these films were usually ones that were aimed to be erotic or had sex scenes or just showed a bunch of skin. Which she was part of over the years through I watched them.
For the skin I actually grew to admire her as an actress as even at times she was cast as the sexpot or bombshell she did actually show range and was better the. The films or their plot but stayed believable. One of her better acting was In A MAN IN UNIFORM where as that film had a sex scene she wasn’t in it and then when she was on the HBO series THE MIND Of A MARRIED MAN a show that was highly sexual. Where she actually played the wife of a character who was cheating on her.
One of her biggest roles was in the film STRANGE DAYS as a witness who gets murdered but sets up the whole story. As a kind of groupie and supplier of experiences. As IRIS unfortunately she is involved in the more unsettling scenes and story of the film, As her character is Not only murdered by raped also In The film there are these headsets which allow you to experience things from a point of view if the person filming it. So her character is raped while also watching and feeling it from the rapists point of view
One memorable film performance out of many is DARK TIDE, which marked the return of familiar face Richard Tyson from THREE O’CLOCK high. But also Is the film she got top billing in. She played roles in many straight to home video thrillers. Which I will admit I have not seen as many as I should.
One of he more notable roles was in the critically acclaimed canadian film. A MAN IN UNIFORM. Where an actor gets a role in a television show and takes the role too seriously. Walking a patrol and he starts to date the actress who plays the character of the hooker with the heart of gold on the show. He scares her off and once his character is killed. he steals the uniform and takes everything too far and starts to blur real life with the show. So that by the end the film feels like a more bleak modern day take on TAXI DRIVER.
She was also in a comedy drama called DINNER AND DRIVING. Where she played the friend of a man about to be married. She was also his secret crush and object of his desire. Back in the day I tried to hunt this movie down. Only to find it one night playing as a late night movie on a regular channel. She was excellent as a woman aware of her looks but still caught off guard by her male friend’s desire and lust. Yes there was A sex scene but not as explicit.
She had roles is movies that i haven’t seen that were more the straight to video type that I am slowly discovering for better or worse PRIMARY SUSPECT, PARANOIA, DOUBLE TAKE, REPLIKATOR, SWEET REVENGE and WRONG NUMBER. Even at the worst it’s Worth it to watch her work and career progression. She also guest starred in quite a few.
Alas the last time I saw her in anything was in an episode of CALIFORNICATION where once again involved in a love scene. Though a kind of reunion with the show’s star David Duchovny. Who played her fiancé and lover in RED SHOE DIARIES. That it almost feels like she and her career had come full circle. As the last noted credit she has is from 2009.
Which matches a kind of poetry for her career. As one of her first big screen roles is in the Martin Scorsese Directed segment of the movie NEW YORK STORIES. Where she appears at the end. As an aspiring artist who seems like she will be the new muse for Nick Nolte’s Artist character. Another early role was in the Michael Keaton cop thriller ONE GOOD COP.
She also did notable voice acting on the Disney animated series GARGOYLES: THE GOLIATH CHRONICLES.
What I always admired about her. Was that she always came across as smart even though she looked so beautiful and was usually cast in sexpot roles. You could tell there was a resilience and intelligence to her. Her characters never seemed quite so innocent they knew better but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be surprised and quite often ended up as the victim.
I am sure she has gone into bigger and better things. Like so many actors who eventually retire. She never got that role that pushed he to the big time but she had a respectable career that made a difference and showed a respectable amount of work. Wherever she is we salute you and thankful for your work.
She will Always be remembered fondly. She is still out there and has moved onto bigger and i am sure better things.
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