Yasmine Bleeth

Yasmine Amanda Bleeth (born June 14, 1968) is an American former actress. Her television roles include Caroline Holden on Baywatch, Ryan Fenelli on Ryan's Hope, and LeeAnn Demerest on One Life to Live.

Yasmine Bleeth
Bleeth in 2006
Born
Yasmine Amanda Bleeth

(1968-06-14) June 14, 1968
New York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Years active1980–2003
Known forBaywatch
Spouse(s)
Paul Cerrito
(
m. 2002)

Early life and career

Bleeth was born in New York City, the daughter of Carina, a model, and Philip Bleeth, a business proprietor.[1] Her father Philip is of Russian-Jewish and German-Jewish descent,[2][3] and her mother Carina was of Algerian descent.[4] Phil Bleeth was associated with a group of friends that included Arlo Guthrie and Alice Brock (of "Alice's Restaurant" fame) around the time of Yasmine's birth.[5] Yasmine's earliest known acting role was in a Johnson & Johnson's No More Tears baby shampoo television commercial at age 10 months in 1969. At the age of six, she appeared on Candid Camera. Later that year she appeared in a Max Factor cosmetic advertising campaign with model Cristina Ferrare. Her work in this campaign caught the eye of fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo, who subsequently included her and her mother in his book entitled Scavullo Women.

Total Film magazine quoted Bleeth stating, "When I was a little girl I used to have to force boys to kiss me. My toughest friend had to hold them down."[6]

In 1980 12-year-old Bleeth was cast her first film role, opposite Buddy Hackett in the feature film Hey Babe! In 1983, she was in a Scope commercial with Puerto Rican group Menudo. At age 16 she began appearing on the daytime soap opera Ryan's Hope.[7][8] A few months after that show's 1989 cancellation, Bleeth's mother, Carina Bleeth, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. She died within a year at the age of 47, after which Bleeth dealt with her grief, thus: "I stayed home, watching cooking shows, taking walks." She turned down acting offers for eight months, but then won the role of LeeAnn Demerest on the daytime soap opera One Life to Live.[8]

Career, 1993–2003

Bleeth's role on Baywatch brought her widespread attention. People named her one of magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1995. She was one of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World every year from 1996–2001, and FHM's U.S. 100 Sexiest Women every year from 2000–03. As a result of her role in Baywatch, Bleeth was offered other roles in television and film. She has been a featured actress in five series and has guest-starred in other shows. During her television career, she continued to work as a model, frequently appearing in swimwear or lingerie. She once had her own line of swimwear called Yaz Wear.

Bleeth accepted a starring role in the short-lived series Titans in 2000. Aaron Spelling was so eager to cast Bleeth in the role of a vixen on Titans that his company convinced CBS to grant her an early release from her Nash Bridges contract. In an interview with Dennis Hensley, she said she delighted in her over-the-top depiction of a crazed beauty queen in the 1997 TV movie Crowned and Dangerous. She said, "I keep my crown from that film on my desk in a little Lucite box. My little brother tried it on once, and I screamed at him, 'Take it off! Take it off!' I get a little nasty about my crown."[9]

Following her first effort in a drug rehabilitation clinic in late 2000 (see below), Bleeth only shot one more performance, the 2003 television movie Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding.

Personal life

Bleeth met her future husband, strip club owner Paul Cerrito, in December 2000 when she voluntarily entered the Malibu-based Promises Rehabilitation Clinic to overcome a cocaine dependence. Bleeth would later comment, "They say you shouldn't get into any relationship in the first year of sobriety — especially with someone in the program, but Paul and I fell in love immediately."[10] They were married in Santa Barbara, California, on August 25, 2002,[11][12][13][14] and now live in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona.[15]

Charity work

Bleeth was the 1998 spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day fundraising campaign, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education. In 1998 it occurred on October 9, and was called the 'Wear Jeans to Work' campaign. Through Bleeth's help, $5 million was raised on that one day to help the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.[16]

Bleeth donated the proceeds of her $10,000 win on Celebrity Jeopardy! to breast cancer research. Bleeth has been a spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation who, along with corporate sponsor Ford, put together the nationally run Race for the Cure.

Cocaine addiction and arrest

In December 2000, Bleeth voluntarily entered the Malibu-based Promises Rehabilitation Clinic to overcome a cocaine dependence. On September 12, 2001, Bleeth was arrested in Romulus, Michigan, after she drove her car off the highway onto a median strip on Interstate 94 as she and her future husband, Paul Cerrito, were heading to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.[17] No other cars were involved.[18][19] Police found four syringes with an injectable form of cocaine in them and a small plastic bag with cocaine residue on it. The next day police conducted a search of her hotel room, where they discovered more cocaine and drug paraphernalia.[20] In November 2001, through a plea bargain, Bleeth pleaded guilty to possessing less than 25 grams of cocaine and to driving while impaired.[21] She was sentenced in January 2002 to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Bleeth's lawyer, Jerry Sabbota, stated after sentencing that the actress was satisfied with the plea bargain, noting that her record will be cleared of any felonies after she fulfills the terms of her probation. "When all is said and done she'll have a traffic ticket on her record. She wasn't treated any better than anyone else, and she wasn't treated any worse," Sabbota said.[22] Her attorney stated that Bleeth was receiving therapy from the founder of the Promises Rehabilitation Clinic that she had previously attended in 2000.[21] Bleeth completely fulfilled the terms of her probation as of January 2004, and her record was cleared as determined by the plea bargain. In an issue of Glamour from April 2003, Bleeth wrote a three-page article titled "Back from My Drugs Hell" about her rocky path to recovery, her cocaine addiction, and her struggle to remain sober. Bleeth wrote that her cocaine habit was so severe that she collapsed at a photo shoot for Glamour, and she went without sleep for five days at a time. She wrote that "consciously trying to stay off drugs is now part of my life and always will be."[23]

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
1983 Hey Babe! Theresa O'Brian
1994 The Force Coral Wilson Direct-to-video
1998 BASEketball Jenna Reed
1999 Heaven or Vegas Rachel
Coming Soon Mimi
Undercover Angel Holly Anderson
2003 Game Over Jo Direct-to-video; Bleeth's parts were filmed in 1996
2014 Beautiful Evil Baroness

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1985–1989 Ryan's Hope Ryan Fenelli
1991–1993 One Life to Live LeeAnn Demerest Buchanan
1993 Herman's Head Linda Episode: "An Actor Prepares"
Baywatch Caroline Holden 71 episodes the role of the Stephanie's sister wasn't for her. The first option was Caroline Paul the twin of Alexandra Paul. For tribute for her sister Alexandra said "the name of my sister in the show can be "Caroline"?" And the second option for the role was Yasmine.
1995 Baywatch the Movie: Forbidden Paradise Caroline Holden TV movie
Boy Meets World herself Episode: The Thrilla in Phila
1996 Baywatch Nights Caroline Holden Episode: "The Curator"
A Face To Die For Emily Gilmore TV movie
Talk to Me Diane Shepherd TV movie
1997 The Naked Truth Natalie Episode: "The Dating Game"
Crowned and Dangerous Danielle Stevens TV movie
1998 The Lake Jackie Ivers TV movie
Veronica's Closet Katerena Episode: "Veronica's a Drag"
Nash Bridges Inspector Caitlin Cross 26 episodes
1999 Ultimate Deception Terry Cuff TV movie
It Came from the Sky Pepper Upper TV movie
Road Rage Ellen Carson TV movie
2000 Goodbye Casanova Lavinia TV movie
Hidden War Alexia Forman TV movie
V.I.P. Kristen Grayson Episode: "Miss Con-Jeanie-Ality"
Titans Heather Lane-Williams 14 episodes
2003 Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding Caroline Holden TV movie

Video games

Theatre
  • Welcome to My Life (October 1991). Starring role; a series of three one-act plays written by Charlie Loventhal (Second Stage Theater, New York, New York, USA)

Music videos
  • Bleeth appeared in The Rembrandts' video This House is Not a Home, a follow-up song to their theme song for Friends.

Awards and nominations

Golden Raspberry Award

  • 1999: Nominated, "Worst Actress" – BASEketball

Soap Opera Digest Awards

  • 1986: Nominated, "Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress on a Daytime or Prime Time Serial" – Ryan's Hope
  • 1993: Nominated, "Hottest Female Star" – One Life to Live
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References
  1. Yasmine Bleeth Biography (1972?-)
  2. Jewish Celebrities: Yasmine Bleeth Jewish United Fund. JUF.org. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  3. AMC Profiles: Yasmine Bleeth Archived 2017-08-21 at the Wayback Machine American Movie Company. AMC.com. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  4. "Yasmine Bleeth Biography" Retrieved 28 May 2015
  5. Giuliano, Charles (March 27, 2014). Alice’s Restaurant Returns to the Berkshires. Berkshire Fine Arts. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  6. Total Film, No. 21 (October 1998)
  7. Irving, Doug; Navratil, Wendy (August 23, 1998). "Breast-cancer Fight Can Be Seen In The Jeans". Chicago Tribune.
  8. Gliatto, Tom (August 24, 1992). "Bleeth spirit". People.
  9. Interview with Dennis Hensley Archived 2005-04-14 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Glamour, April 2003
  11. Susman, Gary (August 28, 2002). "Bleeth Spirit". Entertainment Weekly.
  12. Silverman, Stephen M. (August 27, 2002). "Yasmine Bleeth Ties the Knot". People.
  13. Callan, Jessica; Simpson, Eva; Kerins, Suzanne (August 2002). "3am: Yasmine Bleeth." The Free Library. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  14. "Former Baywatch babe Yasmine Bleeth reportedly marries boyfriend Paul Cerrito" Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Hello. August 27, 2002.
  15. Lane, Laura (March 26, 2012). "Baywatch: The Oral History" Archived 2014-03-01 at the Wayback Machine. Esquire.
  16. Breast cancer fundraising Archived August 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Bleeth Arrested After Car Accident". APNews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 15 September 2001.
  18. Errico, Marcus (September 14, 2001). "Yasmine Bleeth Facing Drug Charges". E!. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
  19. Buchanan, Jason. "Yasmine Bleeth Biography". Rotten Tomatoes.
  20. Armstrong, Mark (November 16, 2001). "Bleeth Charged in Coke Bust". E!
  21. Armstrong, Mark (November 30, 2001). "Bleeth Pleads Guilty in Coke Bust". E!
  22. Errico, Marcus (January 9, 2002). "Bleeth Gets Probation in Drug Bust". E!
  23. "Houston hopes to be A-OK as she joins rehab parade". Chicago Sun-Times. 2004-03-18.
  24. "Maximum Surge Packs Plenty of Star Power". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (75): 27. October 1995.
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