Who is Erika Eleniak?
Erika Eleniak is an American-Canadian actress, a former model and Playboy Playmate, best known for her role in the television series “Baywatch,” in which she played Shauni McClain. Eleniak has also appeared in such films as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Blob,” “Under Siege,” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
Erika Eleniak Age, Early Life, and Bio
Erika Maya Eleniak was born on 29 September 1969, in Los Angeles, California USA, to Dale Alan Eleniak and Iris Maya (Neggo) Arnold.
Erika has four sisters and a brother, and is the eldest daughter in the family. Her uncle, Eddie Carroll, aka Edward Eleniak, is an actor and comedian. When she was a young girl, Erika was diagnosed with an eating disorder, which caused her to lose weight, a problem from which she fortunately recovered. She went to Robert Fulton Junior High in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, and completed her education from Van Nuys High School. We don’t have any information on her education after high school, so we can conclude that she didn’t attend college.
Erika Eleniak Career
Erika Eleniak’s career actually began in 1979 when she starred in numerous productions for television, film, commercials, and theater. Her first appearance in a feature film was in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning family/sci-fi “ET the Extra-Terrestrial” in 1982 – credited as “Pretty Girl”, Eleniak appeared in the scene when she was kissed by Elliott (Henry Thomas) in the classroom. The film won four Academy Awards and numerous other prestigious honors, and proved to be a commercial success with nearly $800 million box office receipts worldwide.
Later in the ‘80s, Erika played small parts in TV series such as “Silver Spoons”, “The New Leave It to Beaver”, and “Boys Will Be Boys”, before appearing alongside William Shatner and Susan Blakely in the TV film “Broken Angel” (1988), and that same year played Vicki De Soto in Chuck Russell’s horror “The Blob”, starring Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Donovan Leitch Jr.
Playboy and Baywatch
In July 1989, Erika Eleniak appeared in the issue of Playboy covering the nautical theme, which helped her to secure the role of Shauni McClain in the television series “Baywatch”, playing that role for three seasons and 47 episodes between 1989 and 1992, but leaving the series as it moved in another direction.
The series was quite popular in the early ‘90s, not only in the US but also around the globe, and gained Erika immense popularity, which helped her to get some important on-screen parts in the future. In 1992, Eleniak appeared in the Andrew Davis’ Oscar-nominated action film “Under Siege”, starring Steven Seagal, Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones, while a year later she starred in the comedy “The Beverly Hillbillies”. Eleniak was nominated multiple times for Bravo Otto Herman Award for Best Female TV Star between 1990 and 1992.
The ‘90s were fruitful for Eleniak too, as she continued in such films as Dennis Hopper’s “Chasers” (1994), in which she starred alongside Tom Berenger and William McNamara, and again teamed up with McNamara a year later in Lucas Platt’s “Girl in the Cadillac”, while she also starred in Gilbert Adler’s comedy/horror “Bordello of Blood” (1996). In 1998, Eleniak portrayed the role of Officer Christine Bannon in three episodes of the Primetime Emmy Award-winning series “Brooklyn South”, and had leading parts in “One Hot Summer Night” and “The Pandora Project,” with Daniel Baldwin and Richard Tyson. Eleniak ended the decade with two films alongside Ice-T: “Stealth Fighter” (1999) and “Final Voyage” (1999).
The 2000s and Latest Work, Where is She Today?
Erika starred in numerous films in the early 2000s, including Eugene Jarecki’s sports drama “The Opponent” (2000) in which she played Patty, a victim of domestic abuse who becomes a boxer. The former Playboy playmate also starred in “Snowbound” (2001), “Second to Die”, “Christmas Rush” and “He Sees You When You’re Sleeping” all in 2002. Erika continued on with main roles in “Betrayal” with Adam Baldwin and “The Librarians” – both in 2003 – alongside William Forsythe, and “Fatal Lessons: The Good Teacher” (2004). Eleniak finished the previous decade with “Dracula 3000” (2004), “Caught in the Headlights” (2005), and “Absolute Zero” (2006).
She wasn’t very busy in the late 2000s and the following decade, as she decided to take a break from acting. However, she did appear in popular TV series such as the Primetime Emmy Award-winning “CSI: Miami” (2010), and Golden Globe Award-winning “Desperate Housewives” (2010). As of 2020, Eleniak is working on “Marilyn Monroe Back?” and “To Avenge”, and will star in both films.
Erika Eleniak Net Worth, Height, Weight, and Body Measurements
According to sources, Erika Eleniak’s net worth is estimated at over $4 million, as of early 2020.
In addition to her successful career as an actress, Eleniak also works as an acting teacher, while she is also operating as Director to children in recovery for drug abuse and behavioral problems.
Erika Eleniak stands at a height of 5ft 6ins (1.68m) and weighs approximately 114lbs (52kgs). She did have problems with her weight earlier in her life, but right now she is in top condition, and her body type is curvaceous. The color of her hair is blonde, and she has a pair of beautiful green colored eyes.
Happiest Scintillating Saturday 🎉What wonderful things are you doing for YOU today? Not just those we love but also, self- love! Honor thyself today, my friends. It makes you a better YOU for those you love#realerikaeleniakblog #loveyourself #reinventyourself #createeveryday pic.twitter.com/x7JeAKh7lW
— Erika Eleniak (@erikaeleniak) May 23, 2020
Erika Eleniak Personal Life
Eleniak was became engaged to Billy Warlock, her “Baywatch” co-star, but the couple broke-up, and she married Philip Goglia on 22 May 1998, however, after just six months, that marriage ended in divorce. Erika then began dating Roch Daigle, and even bought a house in Calgary, Alberta, where Daigle lived. They married in 2001, and Eleniak became pregnant in 2005, but six and a half weeks into her term, her pregnancy became complicated and risky, and ended in miscarriage. Erika and Roch weren’t discouraged, and in January 2006 Eleniak gave birth to their daughter Indyanna.
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