Then & Now: Baywatch' Star Erika Eleniak Is 53 & Still Gorgeous As Ever
Some shows never get old, and neither do their stars.
Whenever one hears of television classics, several sitcoms and soap operas like Seinfeld and The Bold and the Beautiful come to mind. The action drama Baywatch is also often mentioned in this context.
The show premiered thirty-four years ago and then ran for eleven seasons over twelve years. Revolving around a group of beach lifeguards from California, it was one of the most watched projects on TV at the time. Likewise, Baywatch's actors were the ultimate celebrities back then – consider Pamela Anderson, for example. However, she wasn't the original star of the show.
Erika Eleniak was on Baywatch from the time its first episode aired on NBC in 1989. She portrayed Shauni McClain, a somewhat shy lifeguard that quickly became an integral part of the team. Born in September 1969, the actress wasn't even twenty when the show aired. It was her biggest role at that point, and she played it for three seasons, only leaving after BW went into syndication.
'For me, as soon as it became even sexier, when it became syndicated, it was definitely not comfortable. It ended up being a bit of a push and pull between myself and the producer sometimes,' Erika Eleniak told The Morning Show.
Remarkably, the actress didn't like being perceived as a sex symbol, but ironically, the moniker stuck with her for life. As for extra sexualisation, she was right to dismiss it: she was gorgeous enough without the need for any additional attention to be drawn to it. And she still is at fifty-three.
Just recently, Erika posted a picture of herself with her fresh full sleeve tattoos on her Instagram account, and the actress is still as naturally charming as she was in Baywatch. (By the way, have you ever noticed that she and Elle Fanning look alike?)
Before Baywatch, Erika Eleniak appeared on several TV shows, including Still the Beaver and Charles in Charge. As for her first role, the actress debuted in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, where she portrayed a 'pretty girl'.
Well, the pretty girl has now become a beautiful woman.
Source: The Morning Show.