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Yasmine Bleeth

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Yasmine Bleeth
Bleeth in 2006
Born
New York City,New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1980–2003, 2020–present
Known forBaywatch
Spouse
Paul Cerrito
​
(m.2002)​

Yasmine Bleethis an American actress and model. Her television roles includeCaroline HoldenonBaywatch,Ryan FenellionRyan's Hope,andLeeAnn DemerestonOne Life to Live.

Early life and career

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Bleeth was born in New York City, the daughter of Carina, a model, and Philip Bleeth, a business proprietor.[citation needed]Her father Philip is of Russian-Jewish and German-Jewish descent.[1][2]Her mother was a Pied-Noir from Algeria, with French ancestry; she was Catholic.[3][4]Phil Bleeth was associated with a group of friends that includedArlo GuthrieandAlice Brock(of "Alice's Restaurant"fame) around the time of Yasmine's birth.[5]Yasmine's earliest known acting role was in aJohnson & Johnson's No More Tearsbaby shampootelevision commercialat age 10 months in 1969. At the age of six, she appeared onCandid Camera.Later that year she appeared in aMax Factorcosmetic advertising campaign with modelCristina Ferrare.Her work in this campaign caught the eye of fashion photographerFrancesco Scavullo,who subsequently included her and her mother in his book entitledScavullo Women.[citation needed]

Total Filmmagazine 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 in her first film role, oppositeBuddy Hackettin the feature filmHey Babe!.In 1983, she was in a commercial with Puerto Rican groupMenudo.At age 16, she began appearing as grown up Ryan Fenelli on the daytimesoap operaRyan's Hopein February 1985 until the soap's final episode on January 13, 1989.[7][8]A few months after that show's 1989 cancellation, Bleeth's mother, Carina Bleeth, was diagnosed withinflammatory 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 ofLeeAnn Demereston the daytime soap operaOne Life to Live.[8]

Later career

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Bleeth's role of Caroline Holden onBaywatchbrought her widespread attention.Peoplenamed her one of magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1995. She was one ofFHM' "s100 Sexiest Women in the Worldevery year from 1996 to 2001, andFHM' "s U.S. 100 Sexiest Women every year from 2000 to 2003. As a result of her role inBaywatch,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 calledYaz Wear.From 1998 to 2000, Bleeth played the role of inspector Caitlin Cross onNash Bridges.

Bleeth accepted a starring role in the short-lived seriesTitansin 2000.Aaron Spellingwas so eager to cast Bleeth in the role of a vixen onTitansthat his company convincedCBSto grant her an early release from herNash Bridgescontract. 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 filmCrowned 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]

She is mentioned in popular TV seriesFriendsmultiple times, especially byChandler BingandJoey Tribbiani.She appears in the popular TV seriesThe Simpsonsin the episode "Treehouse of Horror X".

Following her first effort in adrug rehabilitationclinic in late 2000 (see below), Bleeth only shot one more performance, the 2003 television filmBaywatch: Hawaiian Wedding.

Bleeth eventually made her comeback after a lengthy hiatus with a 2021 indie comedyWhack the Don.[10]

Personal life

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Bleeth met her future husband, strip club owner Paul Cerrito, in December 2000 when she voluntarily entered the Malibu-based PromisesRehabilitation Clinicto overcome acocaine 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."[11]They were married inSanta Barbara, California,on August 25, 2002,[12][13][14][15]and now live in Los Angeles andScottsdale, Arizona.[16]Bleeth and Cerrito do not have children.[17]

Charity work

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Bleeth was the 1998 spokesperson for theLee National Denim Dayfundraising campaign, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education. On October 9, 1998, it was called the "Wear Jeans to Work" campaign. With Bleeth's help, $5 million was raised on that one day to help theSusan G. Komen for the Cure.[18]

Cocaine addiction and arrest

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In December 2000, Bleeth voluntarily entered the Malibu-based Promises Rehabilitation Clinic to overcome a cocaine dependence. On September 12, 2001, Bleeth was arrested inRomulus, Michigan,after she drove her car off the highway onto a median strip onInterstate 94as she and her future husband, Paul Cerrito, were heading toDetroit Metropolitan Airport.[19]No other cars were involved.[20][21]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.[22]In November 2001, through aplea bargain,Bleeth pleaded guilty to possessing less than 25 grams of cocaine and to driving while impaired.[23]She was sentenced in January 2002 to two years ofprobationand 100 hours ofcommunity service.[citation needed]

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 anyfeloniesafter she fulfills the terms of her probation. "When all is said and done she'll have atraffic ticketon her record. She wasn't treated any better than anyone else, and she wasn't treated any worse, "Sabbota said.[24]Her attorney stated that Bleeth was receiving therapy from the founder of the Promises Rehabilitation Clinic that she had previously attended in 2000.[23]Bleeth completely fulfilled the terms of her probation as of January 2004, and her record was cleared as determined by the plea bargain.[citation needed]In an issue ofGlamourfrom 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 remainsober.Bleeth wrote that her cocaine habit was so severe that she collapsed at a photo shoot forGlamour,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".[25]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 Hey Babe! Theresa O'Brian
1994 The Force Coral Wilson Video
1995 Baywatch the Movie: Forbidden Paradise Caroline Holden TV movie
1996 A Face to Die For Emily Gilmore TV movie
Talk to Me Diane Shepherd TV movie
Heaven or Vegas Rachel
1997 Crowned and Dangerous Danielle Stevens TV movie
1998 The Lake Jackie Ivers TV movie
BASEketball Jenna Reed
1999 Ultimate Deception Terry Cuff TV movie
Coming Soon Mimi
It Came from the Sky Pepper Upper TV movie
Undercover Angel Holly Anderson
Road Rage Ellen Carson TV movie
2000 Goodbye Casanova Lavinia TV movie
Hidden War Alexia Forman TV movie
2003 Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding Caroline Holden TV movie
Game Over Jo Video

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1985–89 Ryan's Hope Ryan Fenelli Regular Cast
1991–93 One Life to Live LeeAnn Demerest Buchanan Regular Cast
1993 Herman's Head Linda Episode: "An Actor Prepares"
1993–97 Baywatch Caroline Holden Guest: Season 4, Main Cast: Season 5-7, Recurring Cast: Season 8
1995 Boy Meets World Herself Episode: "The Thrilla in Phila"
1996 Saturday Night Special Herself Episode: "Episode #1.5"
Baywatch Nights Caroline Holden Episode: "The Curator"
Zig and Zag's Dirty Deeds Herself Episode: "Still Desperately Seeking Swimming Trunks"
1997 The Naked Truth Natalie Episode: "The Dating Game"
1998 Comedy Central Canned Ham Herself Episode: "BASEketball"
Veronica's Closet Katerena Episode: "Veronica's a Drag"
1998–2000 Nash Bridges Inspector Caitlin Cross Main Cast: Season 4-5
2000 Titans Heather Lane-Williams Main Cast
2001 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "Baywatch"
2002 V.I.P. Kristen Grayson Episode: "Miss Con-Jeanie-Ality"

Video games

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Theatre

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  • 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

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Awards and nominations

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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

References

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  1. ^Jewish Celebrities: Yasmine BleethJewish United Fund. JUF.org. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  2. ^AMC Profiles: Yasmine BleethArchivedAugust 21, 2017, at theWayback MachineAmerican Movie Company. AMC.com. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  3. ^"Yasmine Bleeth, algérienne par sa mère".Djazairess(in French).RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  4. ^"Yasmine Bleeth Self Magazine Article 01".
  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. ^abGliatto, Tom (August 24, 1992)."Bleeth spirit".People.
  9. ^Interview with Dennis HensleyArchivedApril 14, 2005, at theWayback Machine
  10. ^Bhagchandani, Unesh (July 23, 2022)."12 richest Baywatch stars – the OG's net worths, ranked: from iconic cast members Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff and Carmen Electra, to Aquaman Jason Momoa, RHOBH's Lisa Rinna, and Sofía Vergara".South China Morning Post.RetrievedDecember 20,2022.
  11. ^Glamour,April 2003
  12. ^Susman, Gary (August 28, 2002)."Bleeth Spirit".Entertainment Weekly.
  13. ^Silverman, Stephen M. (August 27, 2002)."Yasmine Bleeth Ties the Knot"ArchivedMarch 4, 2016, at theWayback Machine.People.
  14. ^Callan, Jessica; Simpson, Eva; Kerins, Suzanne (August 2002)."3am: Yasmine Bleeth."The Free Library.Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  15. ^"FormerBaywatchbabe Yasmine Bleeth reportedly marries boyfriend Paul Cerrito "ArchivedSeptember 24, 2015, at theWayback Machine,Hello.August 27, 2002.
  16. ^Lane, Laura (March 26, 2012)."Baywatch:The Oral History "ArchivedMarch 1, 2014, at theWayback Machine.Esquire.
  17. ^Lee, Nick (April 25, 2022)."Whatever Happened To Yasmine Bleeth? (2022 Update)".Ned Hardy.RetrievedAugust 4,2022.
  18. ^Breast cancer fundraisingArchivedAugust 25, 2005, at theWayback Machine
  19. ^"Bleeth Arrested After Car Accident".APNews.com.Associated Press.Retrieved15 September2001.
  20. ^Errico, Marcus (September 14, 2001)."Yasmine Bleeth Facing Drug Charges".E!.Retrieved November 12, 2009.
  21. ^Buchanan, Jason."Yasmine Bleeth Biography".Rotten Tomatoes.
  22. ^Armstrong, Mark (November 16, 2001)."Bleeth Charged in Coke Bust".E!
  23. ^abArmstrong, Mark (November 30, 2001)."Bleeth Pleads Guilty in Coke Bust".E!
  24. ^Errico, Marcus (January 9, 2002)."Bleeth Gets Probation in Drug Bust".E!
  25. ^"Houston hopes to be A-OK as she joins rehab parade".Chicago Sun-Times.March 18, 2004.
  26. ^"Maximum Surge Packs Plenty of Star Power".Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 75.Ziff Davis.October 1995. p. 27.
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