Elizabeth Berkley's Stunning Transformation From Saved By The Bell Until Now

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Elizabeth Berkley shot to fame in the early '90s as one of the main cast members on teen sitcom phenomenon "Saved by the Bell." She was just 15 when she moved to California to pursue her acting career. "I was entering a really pivotal time in my life as a young teen, I was suddenly starting to feel a certain amount of independence, I was following my dreams and they were starting to become a reality, really carving out my own path, cultivating my individuality," she told People. 

Berkley gained legions of fans playing feminist icon Jessie Spano, many of whom related not only to the character but also to Berkley, as she lived out her teen years in the spotlight. "Can you imagine having your own adolescence captured on television for the world to see? Yes, thanks, I know — you've seen me in all my frizzy-haired glory!" she joked to Oprah.com. But "Saved by the Bell" was just the beginning for this star.

In the years that followed, Berkley curated an enviable career in movies, TV, and theatre. But her hard work and dedication goes far beyond acting. The star has dedicated much of her life to instilling self-confidence in young girls following her harrowing experience as a media pariah. It's all culminated in a stunning transformation that's seen this talented star's life come full circle. 

After finding success with "Saved by The Bell," Elizabeth Berkley was ready to take her career in a new direction. "As an artist, I was excited to dive a little deeper and explore," she told People. The original show (which spawned multiple spin-offs) ended in 1992, and it wasn't too long before Berkley found the project she believed would take her career to the next level; "Showgirls." The sultry movie follows a woman named Nomi who makes her way to Sin City to become a showgirl. Berkley was so desperate to get the main role she even called producer Charles Evans personally. "I took the phone and said, 'Who is this?'" Evans told Premiere (via Instagram). "And she said, 'I'm Nomi from 'Showgirls.' Can I meet you?'"

Unfortunately, the reaction to "Showgirls" was far from what Berkley hoped. The movie, which featured multiple nude scenes and adult situations, was largely panned by critics and pulled in just over $20.3 million at the box office (a fraction of its $45 million budget). "Of course it was disappointing that it didn't do well, but there was so much cruelty around it. I was bullied," Berkley told People. The movie's lack of acclaim also resulted in a turbulent time for the actor behind the scenes. Variety reported she parted ways with her talent agency and Berkley told The Hollywood Reporter she was essentially blacklisted in Hollywood. "For a good two years, I wasn't allowed to audition for things. The hardest part was being literally locked out of something I loved so much," she said.

Following the disappointment of "Showgirls," Elizabeth Berkley dusted herself off and landed her first post-"Showgirls" gig alongside Goldie Hawn (who's had a stunning Hollywood transformation of her own), Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton in "The First Wives Club." "It felt right to make [my career] more about the people I was working with and doing different kinds of roles to bring it back," Berkley told People. "It was a vulnerable time. But it made me stronger," she added. Amid all the controversy surrounding Berkley's box office flop, she wasn't able to audition for the role of Phoebe LaVelle in the traditional way. Instead, she got her foot in the door by sending a video audition and making a call to a Paramount employee.

The "Showgirls" dust began to settle after "The First Wives Club" proved to be a hit, helping Berkley land roles more freely again. She followed up her gig with appearances in "The Real Blonde" and the HBO series "Random Encounter." She also landed a single episode role in "My Sister's Keeper."

After getting a slew of TV and movie roles under her belt, Elizabeth Berkley shifted her focus to theatre in the late '90s. She headed across the pond for a West End production of "Lenny" in London. Soon after, she landed the iconic role of Roxie Hart in "Chicago" on Broadway. She shared during an interview with Craig Kilborn that she'd been asked to audition and was flown from Los Angeles to New York to show off her skills. "I had to prepare, like, five songs and all the dances they were lined up. It was the most nerve-wracking audition of my life," she said. However, the show never made it to the theatre.

Instead, Berkley's first official Broadway appearance came via "Sly Fox" in 2004, which she appeared in alongside Richard Dreyfuss. Speaking to Out.com, Berkley revealed why she wanted to be a part of the production. "It's definitely a departure in terms of what some people's perceptions might be. But as far as I'm concerned, it's one more in the line of roles I've been playing. I've been clear in my mission of not repeating myself," she said.

Theatre became a big part of Berkley's career after that. The actor followed up her "Sly Fox" appearance with a role in the off-Broadway play "Hurlyburly" in 2005. She then took part in "24 Hour Plays in Broadway," where writers, directors, and actors were tasked with writing and performing 10-minute plays with just 24 hours to prepare.

In fall 2003, Elizabeth Berkley found her happily ever after when she married Greg Lauren, Ralph Lauren's nephew and a fashion designer in his own right. The two met during a group dance class in 2000 and went on their first official date a week later. "I agreed to go to the class with a friend for moral support," Berkley told InStyle (via Lara Porzak Photography). And the rest is history.

The happy couple tied the knot on a beach in Mexico in front of 100 guests. Of course, Berkley's dress was designed by her new family member Ralph Lauren and she carried a bouquet of orchids down the aisle. "Our joy came from making it personal. By the end it felt like we were all family," Berkley said.

Motivated by the criticism she faced after "Showgirls," Elizabeth Berkley founded Ask Elizabeth in 2006. The online resource offered advice and self-esteem tips for young girls. "I decided to be of service to others because of what I'd been through. I walked through fire, but I came out the other side," she told People. 

Berkley soon began traveling specifically to speak with young girls, hosting workshops and meetings across the country. The concept was inspired by Berkley's experiences of young girls approaching her in public and sharing their own struggles. "Everyone just talks about the problems our teenage girls are facing and what they're dealing with. But there was, to me, a void in how they were being served or helped. I thought, 'Wow, I'd love to create something,'" she told EW.

Berkley's dedication to helping young people led her to release the book "Ask Elizabeth." "I wanted it to feel like I wrote a book and passed it across the country and had girls tape in, glue in, staple in pieces," Berkley explained to EW. "It was this community of, I call it different heartbeats on every page," she added. The book garnered solid reviews on GoodReads, with an impressive 4-star average at the time of writing.

Elizabeth Berkley took a big life step in 2012 when she confirmed she and Greg Lauren were expecting their first child together. "In life there are moments you cherish forever and this is one of them ... We couldn't be more grateful and overjoyed," Berkley told People. The star opened up about how she planned to stay active during her pregnancy, telling People she'd continued hitting the gym. "I'm going to keep it up while I can. I'm a dancer so it's part of my life anyway," she said. Berkley and Lauren's son, Sky Cole, was born in July of 2012.

Two months after welcoming her bundle of joy, Berkley spoke to Us Weekly about how much her life had changed for the better. "[Motherhood has] been amazing and magical. I have a lot of friends who have little ones and I love their kids, but until you have your own, it's like you can't quite grasp the intensity of the love, the depth of it ... it's so special," she said. 

In 2023, the star took to Instagram to post a poignant message about how much she adored being a mom as she prepared for Sky's first day of fifth grade. "Time is moving fast. Grateful to get to be so present to the gifts and making magical memories. No greater role I'd rather be than mama to this boy and parents with my love [Greg Lauren]," she wrote, alongside an adorable black-and-white snap of herself with a young Sky.

Having harbored a passion for dancing her whole life, Elizabeth Berkley put her skills on display in 2013 when she signed up for Season 17 of "Dancing with the Stars." "I used to dance as a kid, and of course, I did a little movie where I danced," she shared on "Chelsea Lately," seemingly referring to "Showgirls." "But it's been a long time and I'm a new mom and I have not danced in forever. So this is all like reconnecting with something from childhood," she added.

The former "Saved by the Bell" actor was paired with pro dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and the two finished in sixth place. Berkley's elimination was a major shock on the ABC show, as she and Chmerkovskiy had been two of the frontrunners with regular high scores. "I felt a little ... sucker punched," Berkley told "Today" of being sent home unexpectedly. "I was excited about next week. It feels like we got cut short."

Not making it to the end of "Dancing with the Stars" clearly didn't hinder Berkley's career, though. She followed her stint on the competition series with a handful of smaller sitcom roles. Among them, she popped up in "Melissa & Joey" and alongside Zooey Deschanel on "New Girl."

In 2019, it was announced that Elizabeth Berkley had teamed up with her former "Saved by the Bell" co-star Mario Lopez for reboot, bring her career full circle. Berkley and Lopez reprised their roles of Jessica Spano and A.C. Slater for the new series, while also co-producing the show. "We were 15 or 16 when we first played these characters, and it was such a joyful experience when we first did it, but there was also this innocence," Berkley told Vogue. "We were at the beginning of seeing our dreams come true and experiencing this together. So being back at Bayside now is surreal." The star also revealed how important it was for her to build on the feminist beliefs Jessie Spano displayed in the original series. "She was ahead of her time," Berkley told Capsule 98. 

Work on the series began just before the COVID-19 pandemic, which made Berkley a very busy woman as the world slowed down. She told Ridgefield Mom production paused amid the outbreak, but that didn't mean she stopped working. "I was also producing, editing from home, and balancing [homeschooling my son] for months before we got the okay to go back. It's been a journey like every other parent." The reboot, also titled "Saved by the Bell," began streaming in late 2020 but was canceled in 2021 after two seasons.

After decades in the spotlight, it's no surprise that Elizabeth Berkley's style underwent a dramatic shift. She spoke to Vogue in 2020 about how much her fashion had changed since her days as a teen on TV. "I think I've learned so much about style just by being a part of this amazing creative family," she said. "When I think about my style when I was first starting dating Greg [Lauren], it's changed a lot!"

The star also revealed what made her feel sexy as she neared her 50s. She took a leaf out of Kate Middleton's pantsuit fashion statement book and became a celebrity who embraced menswear-inspired looks. "I'm [still] very feminine, and I love things that make me feel that way, but now I feel sexier in a tux than I do when I'm in a gown," she said. 

That was demonstrated in many of her looks around the time, as she attended the 2020 People's Choice Awards in an almost all black look made up of a suit with silk lapels and a matching top. She paired the number with silver shoes, which added a little sparkle to her nearly monochrome ensemble. Berkley also wore a black suit and white shirt to attend the Ralph Lauren SS23 Runway Show alongside her husband.

You might think Elizabeth Berkley has tried everything in the decades since she entered the spotlight, but she was still taking on new challenges in 2024. The former teen star appeared in the horror movie "Shell" alongside Kate Hudson (who's also had a striking transformation) and Elisabeth Moss, from "The Handmaid's Tale." "I've never done that genre, so it was really great to get to do that," Berkley told Vogue.

Another big first? Attending Paris Fashion Week. In 2025, the star was snapped at fashion shows in the French capital, including Mugler's event, as she saw the hottest fashion trends heading into 2026 first hand. "I've obviously been to my husband's shows, and those are extraordinary, but this was actually my first Paris Fashion Week as a guest of a designer," she told Vogue. Berkley's clearly embracing trying new things, a great habit to get into in your 60s for a healthy and happy life.

Despite the overwhelmingly negative response to "Showgirls" upon its release, in 2024, Elizabeth Berkley celebrated the movie in a major way. She attended a screening in Hollywood and shared her appreciation for all those who supported the project despite the intense backlash. "You stood by the film. You always believed, as did I, and for that I'm eternally grateful," she told attendees. The following year, 30 years after "Showgirls"' released, Berkley attended another screening and Q&A. "To come together here, three decades later, with laughter, nostalgia, and a deep sense of community, is an honor I will cherish," she said in a statement. 

The Michigan native also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about how much it meant for the movie to finally get positive recognition. "[It's been] 30 years of building blocks ... In all this time, I've been working toward this moment," she said. Reception for the project had changed so much over three decades that Berkley also channeled Nomi for a Betsey Johnson fashion campaign. "To now celebrate this full circle moment — the anniversary of 'Showgirls' and this beautiful campaign with Betsey, truly feels like magic," the actor said in a press release (via Page Six).

But Berkley perhaps said it best in 2025, when she said, "It's the perfect moment to reclaim my narrative, share my story and celebrate and thank the fans in person." She added, "I've had some obstacles, but I've never given up. And a lot of dreams have come true — with a lot more to come."