Jennifer Beals

Who Is Jennifer Beals?

Jennifer Beals, a distinguished actress, gained widespread recognition with her iconic role as Alex Owens in the 1983 blockbuster Flashdance. Before this breakthrough, Beals had only a minor role in a film. Over the ensuing two decades, she demonstrated her versatility by performing in both independent films and major motion pictures, working alongside prominent actors such as Nicolas Cage and Denzel Washington. Beals further solidified her status with a leading role in The L Word, which aired from 2004 to 2009. Today, she remains active in both film and television.

Early Life

Born on December 19, 1963, in Chicago, Illinois, Jennifer Beals is of mixed heritage, with an Irish American mother and an African American father. Throughout her life, Beals has often expressed a sense of being “other” or living outside conventional norms due to her diverse background. Her interest in acting was sparked during her high school years, notably through her role in the production of Fiddler on the Roof. Following her high school experience, Beals honed her craft at the Goodman Theater in Chicago before advancing her education at Yale University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature in 1987.

Movies and Television Roles

Flashdance
Following a minor role in the 1980 film My Bodyguard, Jennifer Beals secured the lead role in the 1983 hit Flashdance while still studying at Yale University. Her performance in the film earned her a Golden Globe nomination and catapulted her to fame. Although many of the intricate dance sequences were performed by a double, including four different doubles in her audition scene—one of whom was a male dancer in a wig—Beals’ role remains iconic.

Upon the completion of Flashdance, Beals returned to her academic studies and took on only one film project during her summer break: The Bride, a reinterpretation of Bride of Frankenstein, where she starred alongside Sting of The Police. Despite other offers, including a part in St. Elmo’s Fire, Beals chose to focus on her education.

Her next significant film role came in 1989 with the dark comedy Vampire’s Kiss, in which she starred opposite Nicolas Cage. In 1992, she featured in the television series 2000 Malibu Road, which was canceled after just one season. Beals then concentrated on smaller, independent films for several years, including Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) with Denzel Washington. She maintained a steady presence in the industry throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, appearing in a variety of indie films and supporting roles in films such as The Last Days of Disco (with Chloë Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale), The Anniversary Party (with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming), and Runaway Jury (with John Cusack and Gene Hackman).

The L Word

A pivotal career moment for Jennifer Beals came in 2004 with her role as Bette Porter on The L Word. Advocating for her character to be biracial, Beals received acclaim for enhancing the visibility of biracial women. The series, which ran for six seasons, earned Beals multiple NAACP Image Award nominations. She revisited the role in 2019 for The L Word: Generation Q.

From 2009 to 2011, Beals featured in a recurring role on the television series Lie to Me. She then returned to her hometown to headline the TV police drama The Chicago Code, which was unfortunately canceled after one season.

In August 2012, Beals began starring in the web series Lauren on WIGS, a YouTube channel known for its original content centered on female leads.

In 2017, Beals took on the role of Christina Hart in the crime drama Taken, which is based on the film franchise of the same name. That same year, she appeared in the first season of Amazon’s period drama The Last Tycoon, a show inspired by the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name.

Personal Life

Jennifer Beals was married to filmmaker Alexandre Rockwell from 1986 to 1996. In 1998, she married Ken Dixon, with whom she shares one daughter. Additionally, Beals is a stepmother to two children from Dixon’s previous marriage.

Beyond her acting career, Beals is actively involved as a triathlete and advocates for gay rights.