Bridget Fonda Biography
Lithe, graceful Bridget Fonda represents the third generation of the Fonda acting dynasty. Granddaughter of Henry and daughter of Peter, she succumbed to the acting bug after appearing in a high school production of “Harvey”. After studying theater at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (where she played the lead in Andrew Fleming’s student short “P.P.T.”), Fonda made her professional screen debut in Franc Roddam’s “Tristan and Isolde” segment of “Aria” (1987), in a role requiring nudity and little else. A year later, she did a sexy dance with a Confederate flag in “Shag” which caught the eye of writer-director David Hare, who cast her as Blair Brown’s flighty younger sister in “Strapless” (1989). By then she had already gained widespread attention in “Scandal” (released two months earlier in 1989), playing Mandy Rice-Davies, one of the young women involved in the notorious English government-sex scandal of the 1960s.
The roommate-from-hell thriller “Single White Female” (1992) paired Fonda with another young star, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and she contributed some nice work to the ensemble acting of the twentysomething comedy “Singles” (1992), as the character planning to have her breasts enlarged. Given the chance to carry a film, she starred as a fairly credible (if whining) assassin in “Point of No Return” (1993), the American remake of Luc Besson’s “La Femme Nikita” (1990), but the movie did not make her a superstar as some had hoped. Fonda put down the gun to play an appealing mother in “Little Buddha” (1993), an aspiring musician in “Camilla” (1994) and a down-to-earth waitress who shares a winning lottery ticket with Nicolas Cage in the Capraesque fable, “It Could Happen To You” (1994). She also essayed the female lead in Harold Becker’s “City Hall” (1996), a drama about politics and corruption in Manhattan, co-starring Al Pacino (as the mayor) and John Cusack (as a deputy mayor).
Fonda has an elusive, quirky and offbeat quality that few directors have captured, which may explain why that single defining catapulting role to call her very own has remained out of reach. Unable to fully realize her potential, directors have often seriously underused her, and though she’s a sexy little thing, she’s more than that as her early work in “Strapless” and “Scandal” attest. Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” (1997) featured her as a conniving, overtanned blonde bimbo surfer “pot-head” who wears cutoff shorts and a bikini top as the kept girl of Samuel L Jackson, reinforcing her image as a so-called sex symbol but also giving her some first-rate, foul-mouthed dialogue to spout. That year also saw her contribute a neat, surprisingly touching cameo as Chris Eigeman’s stuttering girlfriend in David Winkler’s feature directing debut, “Mr. Jealousy”, and earn an Emmy nomination as a yuppie pool of angst in Christopher Reeve’s highly-acclaimed “In the Gloaming” (HBO).
Though she was the top-billed female in Sam Raimi’s “A Simple Plan” (1998), the director’s first departure from genre fare to concentrate on character development gave her nowhere near as much to sink her teeth as it did Bill Paxton and particularly Billy Bob Thornton. That said, she acquitted herself admirably as the sensible and loving new mom who nevertheless has the chilly heart of Lady Macbeth. She delivered a memorably sexy turn in “Finding Graceland” (1998), dressed in full regalia as a Marilyn Monroe impersonator. “Lake Placid” (1999), a drama penned by David E Kelley, offered her a juicy part as a paleontologist investigating a mysterious death while “The Break Up” (aired on Cinemax in 1999) cast her as a hearing-impaired woman accused of murdering her abusive husband. While still chasing that illusive star-making role, Fonda must remain content with being an actress who works constantly, which isn’t so bad, after all.
- Also Credited As:
Bridget Jane Fonda - Born:
on 01/27/1964 in Los Angeles, California - Job Titles:
Actor
Family
- Aunt: Jane Fonda.
- Aunt: Jane Fonda.
- Brother: Justin Fonda. younger; grew up with Peter while Bridget lived with mother
- Brother: Justin Fonda. younger; grew up with Peter while Bridget lived with mother
- Cousin: Troy Garity. born in 1974; son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden; appeared in “Conspiracy Theory”
- Cousin: Troy Garrity. born in 1974; son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden; appeared in “Conspiracy Theory”
- Father: Peter Fonda. Bridget was age eight when parents divorced
- Father: Peter Fonda. Bridget was age eight when parents divorced
- Godfather: Larry Hagman.
- Godfather: Larry Hagman.
- Grandfather: Henry Fonda.
- Grandfather: Henry Fonda.
- Grandmother: Frances Brokaw Fonda. committed suicide on October 14, 1950
- Mother: Susan Brewer. divorced from Bridget’s father c. 1972
- Mother: Susan Brewer. divorced from Bridget’s father c. 1972
- Son: Oliver Elfman.
- Step-brother: Thomas. mother, Portia Rebecca Crockett, second wife of father Peter
Significant Others
- Companion: Dwight Yoakam. dating as of late fall 1998; no longer together
- Companion: Eric Stoltz. met c. 1986; together from 1989; first movie together, “Singles” (1992); reportedly separated in May 1998
- Companion: Lee Drysdale. engaged in the late 1980s; directed Fonda in bomb, “Leather Jackets” (1991); no longer together
- Husband: Danny Elfman. born c. 1954; engaged as of March 2003, married November 29, 2003
- Companion: Danny Elfman. born c. 1954; engaged as of March 2003
- Companion: Dwight Yoakam. dating as of late fall 1998; no longer together
- Companion: Eric Stoltz. met c. 1986; together from 1989; first movie together, “Singles” (1992); reportedly separated in May 1998
- Companion: Lee Drysdale. engaged in the late 1980s; directed Fonda in bomb, “Leather Jackets” (1991); no longer together
Education
- Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, New York, New York, theater
Milestones
- 1987 Film acting debut in Franc Roddam’s segment (”Tristan und Isolde”) of “Aria”; released in USA in 1998
- 1988 Did a memorable, sexy dance with Confederate flag in “Shag”, which led to role in David Hare’s “Strapless” (1989)
- 1988 First film released in USA, “You Can’t Hurry Love”
- 1989 First film in a starring role, “Scandal”, portrayed Mandy Rice-Davies
- 1989 TV acting debut in PBS special, “Jacob Have I Loved”
- 1990 Played small role as photojournalist girlfriend of Andy Garcia in “The Godfather, Part III”
- 1992 Shared apartment with the ‘roommate from hell’ (Jennifer Jason Leigh) in Barbet Schroeder’s “Single White Female”
- 1993 Role as assassin in “Point of No Return” (Hollywood remake of “La Femme Nikita”) did not push her over-the-top to superstardom as hoped
- 1994 Portrayed a would-be singer-songwriter who strikes up a friendship with an elderly, eccentric former concert violinist (Jessica Tandy) in “Camilla”; Tandy’s last film
- 1994 Starred opposite Nicolas Cage in Andrew Bergman’s charming but saccharin romantic comedy “It Could Happan to You”
- 1995 Delivered an oddly likable performance as vivacious magician’s assistant in “Rough Magic”, directorial debut of Clare Peploe (wife of Bernardo Bertolucci, for whom Fonda acted in “Little Buddha” 1993)
- 1996 Cast as the female lead of “City Hall” opposite Al Pacino and John Cusack
- 1996 Hosted “Dolphins in Danger: On Location with Bridget Fonda” on TBS, (whose owner, Ted Turner, is Fonda’s uncle by marriage)
- 1997 Contributed neat, surprizingly touching cameo as Chris Eigeman’s stuttering girlfriend in “Mr. Jealousy”
- 1997 Nominated for a supporting actress Emmy Award for her performance as the sister of a man suffering from AIDS complications in “In The Gloaming” (HBO), directed by Christopher Reeve
- 1997 Played “pot-head” bimbo kept by Samuel L Jackson in Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown”, adapted from Elmore Leonard’s novel “Rum Punch”
- 1998 Offered memorable turn in small role as Marilyn Monroe impersonator in David Winkler’s feature directing debut, “Finding Graceland” (aired on Cinemax in 1999)
- 1998 Portrayed Bill Paxton’s scheming pregnant wife in Sam Raimi’s “A Simple Plan”
- 1999 Acted in David E. Kelley-produced and scripted comedy-horror pic “Lake Placid”
- 1999 Starred as a deaf woman accused of murdering her husband in “The Breakup” (premiered on Cinemax)
- 2001 Appeared on episodes of Showtime’s “The Chris Isaak Show” as the singer’s girlfriend Stephanie Furst
- 2001 Co-starred with Jet Li in “Kiss of the Dragon”
- 2002 Had title role in the Hallmark TV production “The Snow Queen”
- Raised in Coldwater Canyon, California
Bai Ling Biography
Bai Ling means “white spirit” in her Chinese dialect and she has become a rising actress on both sides of the Pacific. The delicate, almost ethereal actress was particularly memorable to USA audiences as Myca, the drug-pushing cannibal with a taste for eyeballs, in Alex Proyas’ thriller “The Crow” (1994) and as the President’s Chinese interpreter in Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” (1995). The latter role was almost ironic as Bai Ling had arrived in the USA just four years earlier not knowing one word of English.
Raised in a typical Chinese family, one accepting of the revolution, Bai Ling was a musical performer at age 14, inducted into the army and sent to Tibet to entertain the troops. In 1986, she also made her film debut in “Haitan” and subsequently appeared in films made in China. Worldwide audiences could catch a glimpse of her in Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Little Buddha” (1993), but it was her subsequent efforts in “Dead Funny” (1995) and her delightful turn as an Americanized immigrant in “Somewhere in the City” (1996) that brought her attention. Bai Ling made headlines when she landed the leading role opposite Richard Gere in the political thriller “Red Corner” (1997).
Her TV work has included “Nobody’s Girls” (PBS, 1994) a documentary with recreations in which Bai Ling was Mary Bong, a 15-year old Chinese woman who became famous as a midwife after she settled in Alaska. She made her American TV-movie debut in “Dead Weekend” (Showtime, 1995).
- Born:
on 10/10/70 in China - Job Titles:
Actor
Family
- Father: Bai Yu-xiang.
- Grandmother: Peng Zhi-jia.
- Mother: Chen Bin-bin.
- Sister: Bai Je.
Significant Others
- Companion: Chris Isaak. reportedly dating from late 1999
Education
- New York University, New York, New York
Milestones
- 1986 Entertained soldiers in Tibet (date approximate)
- 1986 Made film debut in “Haitan”
- 1990 Moved to USA (date approximate)
- 1993 Had cameo role in “Little Buddha”
- 1994 Made American TV debut in “Nobody’s Girls”
- 1994 Made American film debut with “The Crow”
- 1995 Made American TV movie debut in “Dead Weekend” (Showtime)
- 1995 Played interpreter in “Nixon”
- 1997 Snagged role of leading lady opposite Richard Gere in “Red Corner”
- 1999 Cast as Tuptim in the remake, “Anna and the King”
- 1999 Was virtually wasted in a stereotypical role of an Asian vamp in “Wild Wild West”
- 2001 Acted in “The Breed”, a vampire thriller, aired on Starz! in lieu of theatrical release
- 2001 Had featured role in the NBC miniseries “The Monkey King”
- 2003 Was one of the titular “Extreme Team” (lensed 2001), an ABC TV-movie that also served as a pilot for a potential series
- 2004 Appeared in Spike Lee’s comedy “She Hate Me”
- 2004 Featured in the comedy “My Baby’s Daddy”
- 2004 Played the Mysterious Woman in “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow
- Will co-star with Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Cheri Oteri in Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales” (lensed 2005)
Couples Watch: Matthew & Camila, Ashton & Demi …
• Matthew McConaughey and girlfriend Camila Alves, dining at sleek Japanese restaurant Hokusai in Beverly Hills. The couple enjoyed sushi with sake and one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, the Hamachi TKO – that’s yellowtail tuna with habanero peppers and soy vinaigrette. “They were laughing the entire time,” an onlooker tells us. “What a great couple.”
• Ashton Kutcher, checking out wife Demi Moore’s golden skin after a visit to Las Vegas tanning salon Bronzed. Later the duo munched on sushi rolls and yellowtail tuna at the Palms Hotel and Casino’s exotic Little Buddha restaurant.
• Will Ferrell, dressed in khaki shorts, an orange shirt, a black hat and aviators, cavorting on the carousel with wife Viveca Paulin at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. “They were putting son Magnus on a horse and laughing,” says an observer. “It was a family affair.” Apparently a Swedish family affair: Paulin’s Nordic relatives were in town and wanted to visit the All-American attraction.
• Rocker Marilyn Manson and girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood, dining in a private room at N9NE Steakhouse in Las Vegas with a large group of friends. They were “very sweet with one another,” an observer says of the couple, who ordered lump crab cocktail followed by pan-roasted filet mignon and a Maine lobster with white truffle aioli and a red wine sauce. After dinner, Manson and Wood – who is underage at 20 – headed up to their room at the Palms Casino Resort while their entourage went clubbing.
• Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence, partying at West Hollywood’s Hyde with several friends. The Dancing with the Stars pro and beau, who held tight to each other’s hands the whole night, were drinking vodka with orange and cranberry. They looked happy with one another, an observer says. Fellow dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy and recently eliminated Dancing contestant Sabrina Bryan were also hanging out at Hyde.
• By JENNIFER GARCIA, MARK GRAY, BRYAN ALEXANDER and LISA INGRASSIA
Friday’s Caught in the Act >