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Elizabeth Berkley became a star as Jessie Spano on Saved by the Bell, but she’s looking better than ever in 2025. The actress, 53, who made a name for herself as the legendary teenager on the Saturday morning TV series, which ran from 1989 to 1993 on NBC, has found a tremendous career in film and television in recent years. While she made waves with her film Showgirls, she went on to become an indie darling and appeared in a variety of TV series, including NYPD Blue and Titus. In 2011, she wrote a guidebook, Ask Elizabeth, for teenage girls. These days, her acting career is still going strong, with appearances on Cobra Kai and All’s Fair. But she even managed to make a car selfie look good! “Working on something special for you,” Berkley captioned her car selfie, in which the blonde beauty smiled at the camera. In the comments, followers were floored by her natural beauty. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 The Showgirls Era In the post-Saved by the Bell era, Berkley took on the role in Showgirls, the 1995 erotic drama directed by Paul Verhoeven. Berkley played Nomi Malone, a young drifter who comes to Las Vegas aspiring to be a showgirl. While the film was panned by critics, it has since become a cult classic. It’s so adored by many that viewings are held throughout the country, with a recent one in Austin in honor of the film’s 30th anniversary. Berkley was in attendance and spoke about the “beating” she took as a result of being in the film. “I took a beating, guys,” she said during a fan Q&A, PEOPLE reported. “It was not fun for a little while. I’m not going to lie. It was painful. I was isolated. I felt abandoned by the very people I collaborated with.” Despite the backlash, Berkley triumphed. “I’m not a victim. I never have been a victim. I never will be a victim. And because of your love and your embrace of this film, in the face of that vitriolic cruelty from journalists and industry people, but because of you, we’re standing here sharing a meaningful evening together.” Working with Diane Keaton In the wake of the failure of Showgirls, Berkley scored a great role in The First Wives Club as Phoebe LaVelle. Following the news of Diane Keaton‘s death last month, Berkley reflected on how grateful she was to be able to work with such a legend. “It was a profound time,” Berkley told PEOPLE of working alongside Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler on the beloved film. “To be embraced by these three most extraordinary women at the top of their game, women I had looked up to.” Berkley continued, adding, “They say never get too close to your heroes.” “Well, each of those women in their own right not only lived up to what I hoped they would be, they went beyond with their warmth, their generosity, their embrace of me, and encouragement at a time where I really needed it in the industry,” the actress shared.
