Elizabeth Berkley started her career as a model for Elite. She started acting professionally when she was cast on the 1987 television movie “Frog”, which opened a Hollywood window of opportunities for Berkley. Since then, Elizabeth received numerous invites to appear on TV shows, but it was only in 1989 did Elizabeth get her biggest break and was cast in the hit TV series “Saved by the Bell” to play the role of Kelly. Although the show producers could not decide to give her the role, they were amazed by her acting chops and made a room for her in the show by creating the character Jessie, a feminist high school student.
After four years in the show, Elizabeth Berkley was recognized and commended in the industry. She was nominated two years in a row for the Young Artist Awards. The ‘Saved by the Bell’ was well received that the main characters, including Berkley, were immortalized through 12-inch dolls. When the show ended, Elizabeth Berkley tried her luck in the big screen and won the lead role for “Showgirls,” beating other young actresses like Charlize Theron, Denise Richards and Jenny McCarthy. Some of the films she appeared in include “First Wives Club”, with Dianne Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn, “Any Given Sunday” alongside Al Pacino, “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion” and “The Butler’s in Love”.
Elizabeth Berkley also guest-starred in various TV series such as “CSI”, “Law and Order” “CSI: Miami”, “NYPD Blue”, “Threshold” and “Without a Trace.” She also landed a hosting gig for “Step it Up and Dance”, a reality series in Bravo, where ten aspiring dancers compete against each other for the prize of $100,000 and a chance to work and perform with the top choreographers of the country.
Elizabeth Berkley is an animal rights activist and volunteers her free time to work with teen girls around the world. In 2008, Berkley was one of the celebrities nominated as PETA’s “Sexiest vegetarian of the Year”. She has been active in numerous outreach programs ranging from dance classes for teens to being a volunteer at Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.