Alexandra Elizabeth Paul (born July 29, 1963) is an American actress, activist, health coach, and former model. Paul began her career modeling in New York before landing her first major role in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983). This was followed with prominent roles in American Flyers (1985), 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), and Dragnet (1987).
Alexandra Paul | |
|---|---|
 Alexandra Paul in 2012 | |
| Born | Alexandra Elizabeth Paul July 29, 1963 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, Athlete, Activist, Wellness Coach, Camera Operator, Model, Producer, Writer |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Spouse |
Ian Murray (m. 2000) |
She is best known for her role as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the television series Baywatch from 1992 to 1997. She has performed in a total of over 100 movies and television programs.[1]
Early life
Paul was born in New York City to Sarah, a social worker, and Mark Paul, an investment banker. Paul's mother was originally from England.[2] Paul was raised alongside her identical twin sister, Caroline, and younger brother, Jonathan, in the rural town of Cornwall, Connecticut.[3] According to Paul, her mother was "a very liberal Democrat and [her] father was a very conservative Republican."[4] Her brother, Jonathan, was an animal rights activist who was previously jailed for 6 months for refusing to testify about activist friends and later was in federal prison for over 3 years due to his own animal activism[5] She attended the Cornwall Consolidated School, and the Groton School in Massachusetts.[6][7] Paul was accepted into Stanford University, but chose not to attend so that she could focus on an acting career.[8]
Career
Paul worked prominently in television from the late 1980s onward, perhaps most recognizable in her starring role on Baywatch, from 1992 to 1997. Paul began her career working as a model in New York City, and later moved to Los Angeles when she decided to pursue a career in acting.[8] Her first role was in the television film Paper Dolls (1982), followed by a role in the independent Canadian horror film American Nightmare (1983). Paul then landed a leading role in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983), opposite Keith Gordon, followed by a supporting role in the comedy Just the Way You Are (1984).
She later appeared in the sport drama American Flyers (1985) with Kevin Costner, 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), and the comedy Dragnet (1987), opposite Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd.[9] She also starred in the films Death Train (1993) and Nightwatch (1995) opposite Christopher Lee and Pierce Brosnan,[citation needed] as well as the horror films The Paperboy (1994) and Spectre (1996).
Since 1999, she has starred in 15 films for Lifetime Network. She has also starred in the Fox TV series Fire Company 132 and appeared in the last eight episodes of Melrose Place. She guest-starred on Mad Men in 2008.[citation needed] She hosted non-fiction TV shows, including WE's Winning Women and a southern California local environmentalism show, Earth Talk Today.[10][11] She made a cameo appearance with Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan in a deleted scene parodying her Baywatch role.[12] She did a cameo in the comedy spoofs Spy Hard and Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.[13]
In 2015, Paul won Indie Series' Best Supporting Actress in a comedy webseries.[14]
Paul co-wrote and co-produced two documentaries: Jampacked, a documentary on the world population crisis, and The Cost of Cool: Finding Happiness in a Materialistic World. Jampacked received a Bronze Apple Award and first place recognition at the EarthVision Environmental Film and Video Festival. The Cost of Cool won a CINE Golden Eagle Award.[citation needed] She also produced eight PSAs on the benefits of driving electric vehicles for the non-profit Plug In America.[15]
In 2019, Alexandra acted in three movies, Escaping My Stalker,[citation needed]
Personal life
Paul has been married to Ian Murray since 2000. She became a vegetarian at age fourteen after reading the book Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé, and became a vegan in 2010.[8][16]
Paul is childfree by choice.[17]
As an athlete, Paul raced the Hawaii Ironman in 1997.[18] She ran the 2000 Boston Marathon.[19][20] She has also swam the 11 mile Fiji Swim,[21] the 12.5 mile Swim Around Key West [22] and the 2014 Reto Acapulco 14 mile swim,[23] among others.
In 2015, Paul became a certified health coach[24] and has her own wellness coaching business.[25]
Political activism
Paul is an outspoken animal rights, environmental, peace and gay rights activist.[6] She walked 5 1/2 weeks on the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament in 1986. Paul has been arrested for civil disobedience over a dozen times at the Nevada Test Site between 1987 and 2000.[26] In 1989, she was arrested for peacefully advocating on behalf of people with HIV.[27] She was arrested twice in 2003 for civil disobedience protesting the Iraq War and spent five days in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center after refusing to pay the $50 fine. In 2005, she was arrested for protesting the crushing of the EV1, and performed 80-100 hours of community service for electric car organizations.[28][29] Paul's younger brother, Jonathan, is also an animal rights activist, who served 51 months in prison for his role in the arson of a slaughterhouse.[30]
She has traveled to Nicaragua with Operation USA and to South Africa to register voters. Paul volunteered in Sierra Leone with the non profit Population Media Center. In 2006, Paul donated $250 to the Ned Lamont campaign against Joe Lieberman, because Lieberman supported the war in Iraq.[31][32]
She received the 2014 Vegan of the Year by Last Chance for Animals,[33] and in 2007 received a United Nations Environment Programme honor for her contribution to overpopulation issues.[34]
In 2016, Alexandra joined Direct Action Everywhere in an open rescue of several pigs from a factory farm.[35] In 2017, Alexandra joined a sit-in at an Oakland, CA slaughterhouse and was arrested.[36] In 2018, Alexandra was arrested for a civil disobedience action at Sunrise Chicken Farm.[37] In 2019, she was arrested for peacefully protesting at Reichardt Duck Farm and spent 2 days in Sonoma County jail.[38] In September, 2020, Alexandra and 6 other DxE activists were arrested for trying to rescue a pig from a Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon, CA.[39]
In discussing her political activism, Paul said:
I am sure there are some who do not like me for my outspokenness and my views, and I totally respect their right to boycott my projects. I actually respect folks who stand up for their beliefs – even if I disagree with them—than the folks who do not care, are afraid to 'get involved', or who cannot be bothered. I admire passion and commitment. A woman once told me she could not watch those slaughterhouse videos because she 'loves animals so much' and it would upset her. I would prefer to hang out with a hunter who believes he is doing the right thing, than a wuss like her.[8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | American Nightmare | Isabelle | |
| 1983 | Christine | Leigh Cabot | |
| 1984 | Just the Way You Are | Bobbie | |
| 1985 | American Flyers | Becky | |
| 1986 | 8 Million Ways to Die | Sunny | |
| 1987 | Dragnet | Connie Swail | |
| 1988 | After the Rain | Petra Guera | |
| 1991 | Millions | Giulia Ferretti | |
| 1991 | In Between | Amy Budd | |
| 1992 | Prey of the Chameleon | Carrie | |
| 1993 | Sunset Grill | Anita | |
| 1994 | Nothing to Lose | Natasha | |
| 1994 | The Paper Boy | Melissa Thorpe | |
| 1995 | Cyber Bandits | Rebecca Snow | |
| 1996 | Spectre | Maura South | |
| 1996 | Kid Cop | Sarah Hansen | Video |
| 1996 | Spy Hard | Woman in Murphy Bed | |
| 1997 | Kiss & Tell | Bambi | |
| 1998 | 12 Bucks | Epiphany Lovejoy | |
| 2000 | Revenge | Laura Underwood | |
| 2000 | The Brainiacs.com | Kara Banks | |
| 2001 | Above & Beyond | Jill Amorosa | |
| 2001 | 10 Attitudes | Leslie | Video |
| 2001 | Facing the Enemy | Olivia McCleary | |
| 2001 | Diary of a Sex Addict | Katherine | Video |
| 2001 | Exposure | Jackie Steerman | Video |
| 2002 | Redemption of the Ghost | Audrey Powell | |
| 2003 | Outrage | Lainie Wheeler | |
| 2008 | Tru Loved | Leslie | |
| 2008 | Murder Dot Com | Stacy | |
| 2009 | Christmas Crash | Christine Johnson | Video |
| 2009 | He's Such a Girl | Linda | |
| 2009 | Family of Four | Janice Baker | Video |
| 2010 | In My Sleep | Roxana | |
| 2010 | The Boy She Met Online | Tori Winters | |
| 2011 | Javelina | Lora | |
| 2012 | 16-Love | Margo Mash | |
| 2012 | The Frankenstein Brothers | Laurie Martinson | |
| 2015 | Flirting with Madness | Det. Kathy Schumaker | |
| 2016 | Dirty | Asst. D.A. Sara Dunlap | |
| 2018 | Say Yes | Mrs. Muñoz | |
| 2019 | The Estate | ||
| 2019 | Pink Skies Ahead | Mercedes | |
| 2020 | Finding Sara | Aunt Carrie | Completed |
| TBA | Wood Floors | Sylvia | Pre-production |
| TBA | The B Team | Alexandra | Announced |
| TBA | The Anchor | Susan Rogers | Announced |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Paper Dolls | Laurie Caswell | TV film |
| 1984 | Getting Physical | Kendall Gibley | TV film |
| 1987 | The Hitchhiker | Julie | Episode: "Minuteman" |
| 1988 | Out of the Shadows | Jan Lindsey | TV film |
| 1989 | Perry Mason | Amy Hastings | TV films: The Case of the Lethal Lesson, The Case of the Musical Murder, The Case of the All-Star Assassin |
| 1990 | Laker Girls | Heidi / Jenny | TV film |
| 1992–1997 | Baywatch | Stephanie Holden | Main role (seasons 3–6), guest (season 7) |
| 1993 | Death Train | Sabrina Carver | TV film |
| 1993 | Johnny Bago | Erica | Episode: "Spotting Elvis" |
| 1995 | Piranha | Maggie McNamara | TV film |
| 1995 | Night Watch | Sabrina Carver | TV film |
| 1995 | Mixed Blessings | Beth | TV film |
| 1996 | Daytona Beach | Annie Gibson | TV film |
| 1996–1997 | L.A. Firefighters | T.K. Martin | Recurring role |
| 1997 | Echo | Olivia Jordan | TV film |
| 1997 | Baywatch Nights | Stephanie Holden | Episode: "The Eighth Seal" |
| 1998 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Gillian Stanfield | Episode: "All That Glitters" |
| 1999 | Arthur's Quest | Caitlin Regal | TV film |
| 1999 | Melrose Place | Terry O'Brien | Recurring role (season 7) |
| 2000 | Chicken Soup for the Soul | Leann Richards | Episode: "Destiny in a Bottle" |
| 2000 | Green Sails | Laura Taylor | TV film |
| 2001 | Rough Air: Danger on Flight 534 | Katy Phillips | TV film |
| 2003 | Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding | Allison | TV film |
| 2003 | She Spies | Christine Black | Episode: "Date to Mate" |
| 2004 | Saving Emily | Cheryl | TV film |
| 2005 | Landslide | Emma Decker | TV film |
| 2005 | A Lover's Revenge | Liz Manners | TV film |
| 2006 | Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York | Dr. Susan Foxley | TV film |
| 2006 | Love Thy Neighbor | Laura Benson | TV film |
| 2006 | Gospel of Deceit | Emily | TV film |
| 2006 | A.I. Assault | Marlon Adams | TV film |
| 2006 | Trapped! | Samantha Reed | TV film |
| 2007 | Demons from Her Past | Allison Buchanan | TV film |
| 2008 | Mad Men | Pauline Phillips | Episode: "Maidenform" |
| 2009 | A Sister's Secret | Katherine | TV film |
| 2011 | Betrayed at 17 | Michelle Ross | TV film |
| 2011 | Christmas Spirit | Winnie | TV film |
| 2012 | Love at the Christmas Table | Eve Reed | TV film |
| 2014 | Firequake | Dr. Eve Carter | TV film |
| 2016 | Sharknado: The 4th Awakens | Holden | TV film |
| 2017 | Born and Missing | Det. Breuer | TV film |
| 2018 | 3rd Eye | Merrill Dawson | TV series |
| 2020 | Escaping My Stalker | Sandy | TV film |
| 2020 | Coffee House Chronicles | Episodes: "Good Grief", "Bad Math" |
References
- ^ "Baywatch Nights' model keeps a lookout for not-so-wholesome role". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ^ "Interview: Actress Alexandra Paul". Movie Geeks United. June 19, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ Morales, Tito. "Exclusive: Actress Alexandra Paul Conquers the Bonaire Ecoswim". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ Wagner, Joyce (April 19, 1993). "Brother Behind Bars". People. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAKMRa3qq0
- ^ a b Hal Erickson (2015). "Biography: Alexandra Paul". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ "Alexandra Paul profile". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ^ a b c d Meehan, Ryan (April 22, 2015). "10 Questions with Alexandra Paul". First Order Historians. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ "CHRISTINE Revisited, Part Two: A Q&A with Alexandra Paul Archived 2015-03-26 at the Wayback Machine, fangoria.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
- ^ "Alexandra Paul Hosts Female Extreme Sports Series Premiering April 19". AMC Networks. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "About EarthTalk Today TV". EarthTalk Today. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "'Baywatch' Cast Then & Now". xfinity.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "There Was Just a "Baywatch" Reunion -- Which Lifeguards Will Star In "Sharknado 4"?". Too Fab. March 15, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "6th Annual Indie Series Awards: Complete List of Winners". Indie Series Awards. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "Drive Electric". Plugin America. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ Staff (November 20, 2014). "We Catch Up With Former 'Baywatch' Star Alexandra Paul!". Life & Style. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ Paul, Alexandra (February 17, 2010). "Married, Without Children". HuffPost. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ "Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports". archives.starbulletin.com. Retrieved Sep 12, 2019.
- ^ "boston marathon | The Official Alexandra Paul Website". alexandrapaul.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ "Exclusive: Actress Alexandra Paul Conquers the Bonaire Ecoswim - Swimming World News". Swimming World News. 2005-02-23. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ "Ultra-Distance Swims With Alexandra Paul". Inside Sport. Retrieved Sep 12, 2019.
- ^ http://www.southernmostrunners.com/KW-Swim/SAKW-12/SAKW-AllSolo-F-M-12.txt
- ^ "What I did today for 7 hours straight | The Official Alexandra Paul Website". alexandrapaul.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ "The Baywatch Actress Alexandra Paul Turns Health & Wellness Coach! - Women Fitness". Women Fitness. 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ "Alexandra Paul: Health, Wellness & Fitness Coaching in Los Angeles". Alexandra Paul Wellness Coaching. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Caps 2.0. "A Talk with Alexandra Paul". Retrojunk. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Photo, alexandrapaul.com; accessed April 30, 2016.
- ^ Profile, alexandrapaul.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
- ^ PBS, NOW- (2006). "NOW - Who Killed the Electric Car?". www.pbs.org.
- ^ Paul, Caroline (May 24, 2007). "My brother, the 'terrorist'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ Lockhart, Brian. "70% of donors to Lamont's campaign are from out of state". The Advocate. Archived from the original on July 19, 2006. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
- ^ Lechaux & Roussel 2010, pp. 136–39.
- ^ 2014 Vegan of the Year, alexandrapaul.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
- ^ "Hollywood Actress, Alexandra Paul, to Train Actors in Sierra Leone". Population Media. February 21, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ "How a Baywatch Star Saved Miley from Becoming Meat". Direct Action Everywhere. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ https://janeunchained.com/2017/10/23/22-animal-activists-arrested-in-open-rescue-at-slaughterhouse/
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEDrwLnSJBs
- ^ https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2019/06/03/18823714.php
- ^ https://www.foxla.com/news/animal-rights-activists-cited-for-attempted-pig-rescue-at-farmer-john-plant
Bibliography
- Lechaux, Bleuwenn & Violane Roussel (2010). Voicing Dissent: American Artists and the War on Iraq. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-41580-058-7.
External links
