Biography

Gina Gershon was born June 10, 1962, and raised in Woodl\and Hills in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.

A mix of Dutch, Russian and French, Gina is the daughter of Stan, a salesman, and Mickey, an interior decorator. She led a different childhood while growing up in California, and wasn't your typical Valley Girl.

welcome to gina land

Since her brother and sister are both older than her, Gina had to entertain herself while growing up, which is why she would create her own world in order to keep busy. When she did hang out with her sister Tracy, her sister would charge people to see a skit they planned, which consisted of Gina come out of a closet all dressed up.

Gina was always passionate about acting, and was always involved in her high school plays while a student at Beverly Hills High School. But she was never your typical Beverly Hills chick. Gina was a little bit of a juvenile delinquent, but she acted in order to help her stay out of trouble. She was into surfing, playing sports and dancing. She developed a love for cigars thanks to her dad's cigar smoking habit.

Once she graduated high school, Gina headed out to Boston, but then went to San Francisco to study at the American Conservatory Theater. She headed back east to New York City, where she studied drama and child psychology at NYU. She perfected her trade at the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School in New York, and studied with famed teachers David Mamet and Harold Guskin.

Like many actors, Gina got her start on the stage. One of the founding members of the New York based theater group, Naked Angels, Gina took her act to the stage in plays like Camille and The Substance of Fire.

gina's gorgeous in pink

She finally got her break when she was cast in a bit part in 1986's Pretty in Pink. Gina next appeared in Sweet Revenge, Red Heat (where she recalls smoking cigars with Arnold Schwarzenegger), and had a bigger part in Cocktail as one of Tom Cruise's love interests.

Gina was also working in TV, with a recurring role on Melrose Place and a part in Ellen's famous "coming out" episode. She appeared in the films Out for Justice, City of Hope, The Player, and wound up on the cutting room floor of Jungle Fever. In 1992, Gina received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Nancy Sinatra in the made-for-TV bio-pic, Sinatra.

show your stuff, girl

In 1995, Gina made heads turn and other body parts stand, in her Showgirls role as Vegas strip dancer, Cristal Conners. She allegedly refused to reprise Sharon Stone's famous "leg crossing" scene in the film -- perhaps it would have saved the film. Although Showgirls was one of the decade's biggest bombs, Gina went on without a hitch. Her next role was even more risqué, as Corky, an ex-con who gets mixed up in a lesbian affair with Jennifer Tilly, in the mobster flick, Bound.

In 1997, she co-starred with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in Face/Off, and gave an excellent performance in the cable film Prague Diet. 1998 was busy for Gina, with roles in Palmetto, I'm Losing You, One Tough Cop, and Black and White. While staring in the TV series Snoops, Gina starred as an artist in the alternative film, Guinevere and played with big-timer Al Pacino in 1999's The Insider.

Gina was last seen in the racecar Sylvester Stallone film Driven, and will next be seen in the thriller, Claire's Hat.

cigar-toting babe

Although she hasn't been a leading lady in many movies, she leaves her mark in the films she appears in. In addition to film, Gina has also starred in a music video for the Cars song, "Hello Again," as well as Lenny Kravitz's video for "Again." Apparently, Lenny and Gina attended the same high school.

Displaying a "tough girl" femininity, Gina was formerly dating restaurateur Sean McPherson and is now romantically linked to actor Owen Wilson.

Among Gina's habits are shopping for antiques, smoking cigars (especially Cohibas, Punches and Montecristo No.2s) and sleeping in the nude with a bunch of pillows.

Filmography

Borderline (2002) .... Dr. Lila Colleti
Prey for Rock & Roll (2002) .... Jacki
Demonlover (2002) .... Elaine Si Gibril
Slackers (2002) (uncredited) .... Girl at Trendy Club
Picture Claire (2001) .... Lily
Driven (2001) .... Cathy Heguy

Insider, The (1999) .... Helen Caperelli, General Council CBS
"Snoops" (1999) TV Series .... Glenn Hall
Guinevere (1999) .... Billie
Black & White (1998) .... Nora 'Hugs' Hugosian
One Tough Cop (1998) .... Joey O'Hara
Legalese (1998) (TV) .... Angela Beale
I'm Losing You (1998) .... Lidia
Lulu on the Bridge (1998) .... Hannah
Palmetto (1998) .... Nina
... aka Dumme sterben nicht aus (1998)
Prague Duet (1997) .... Dr. Lauren Graham
... aka Lies and Whispers (1998) (USA: TV title)
This World, Then the Fireworks (1997) .... Carol Lakewood
Face/Off (1997) .... Sasha Hassler
... aka Face Off (1997)
Touch (1997/I) .... Debra Lusanne, Kqrd Talk Show
Bound (1996) .... Corky
Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995) .... Margo Preston
Making of 'Showgirls', The (1995) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Showgirls: Behind the Scenes (1995) (TV) (USA: DVD title)
Showgirls (1995) .... Cristal Connors
Flinch (1994) .... Daphne James
Joey Breaker (1993) .... Jennie Chaser
Love Matters (1993) (TV) .... Heat
Sinatra (1992) (TV) .... Nancy Barbato Sinatra
Miss Rose White (1992) (TV) .... Angie
Player, The (1992) .... Whitney Gersh
City of Hope (1991) .... Laurie
Jungle Fever (1991) (scenes deleted) .... Angie's neighbor
Out for Justice (1991) .... Patti Madano
Voodoo Dawn (1990) .... Tina
... aka Strange Turf (1990) (USA)

Monsters: Jar (1989) (TV) .... Ann
Suffering Bastards (1989) .... Sharnetta
... aka Liars Club (1989)
Cocktail (1988) .... Coral
Red Heat (1988) .... Cat Manzetti, Viktor's Wife
Sweet Revenge (1987) .... K.C.
3:15 (1986) .... Cobrettes
... aka 3:15 a Time to Die (1986) (UK: video title)
... aka 3:15 the Moment of Truth (1986)
Stark: Mirror Image (1986) (TV) .... Alison Cromwell
... aka Stark II (1986) (TV)
Pretty in Pink (1986) .... Girl Friend/Gym Class
Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) (uncredited) .... Dancer At Auditions For Dance TV
Beatlemania (1981) (uncredited) .... Dancer
... aka Beatlemania: The Movie (1981)