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Gina Gershon Profile |
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Birth Date: June 10, 1962
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Birth Place: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Birth Name: Gina L. Gershon
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Height: 5'6"
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Biography |
Gina Gershon was born on June 10, 1962, and raised in
Woodland 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.
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
coming 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 even
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.
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
(1987), Red Heat (1988), where she recalls smoking cigars
with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and had a bigger part in
Cocktail (1988) as one of Tom Cruise's love interests.
Gina was also working in TV, with a recurring role on
Melrose Place in 1993. She appeared in the films Out for
Justice (1991), City of Hope (1991), The Player (1992), and
wound up on the cutting room floor of Jungle Fever (1991).
In 1992, Gina received critical acclaim for her portrayal of
Nancy Sinatra in the made-for-TV biopic, Sinatra.
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 risque; she starred as Corky, an ex-con who gets mixed
up in a lesbian affair with Jennifer Tilly in the mobster
flick Bound (1996).
In 1997, she co-starred with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage
in Face/Off. 1998 was busy for Gina, with roles in Palmetto,
I'm Losing You, One Tough Cop, Lulu on the Bridge, and Black
& White. While starring in the short-lived TV series Snoops,
Gina played an artist in the artsy film Guinevere (1999) and
played with big-timer Al Pacino in 1999's The Insider.
Gina was next seen in the racecar Sylvester Stallone film
Driven (2001), followed by Picture Claire (2001), Borderline
(2002), Out of Season (2004), and 3-Way (2004).
Her projects in 2005 include I Want Someone to Eat Cheese
With, Syriana, Man About Town, Dreamland, and West Memphis
Three.
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 has been
romantically linked to restaurateur Sean McPherson and actor
Owen Wilson in the past.
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. |
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Other
Information |
Declined to recreate the Sharon Stone leg crossing scene for
director Paul Verhoeven in the movie Showgirls (1995).
Was a California Valley Girl, moved to New York and tried to
change her image.
BFA in Drama - New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
(1983)
She is a founding member of the New York based theatre
group, Naked Angels.
When she was a little girl, she almost drowned looking for
starfish on the beach.
Her ethnic background is French, Russian, and Dutch.
She is the youngest of 5 children.
Attended high school with Lenny Kravitz.
Played Lenny Kravitz's girlfriend in his video for "Again".
[2001]
Before transferring to NYU, she attended Emerson College in
Boston, alma mater of Henry Winkler and Jay Leno.
Appeared in the 1984 video for Hello Again by The Cars.
Recently sang with ex-Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff
McKagan and Matt Sorum at the Sundance Festival (Jan 21st
2003).
Was born on the same day as actor Vincent Perez.
Actress Helen Slater is one of her friends; she helped her
found The Naked Angels.
Is the sister of Tracy Gershon, who is a judge on Nashville
Star on the USA Network.
Recently said that she would love to run Playboy Magazine.
She had offered to do a pictoral for them, but was
disappointed with how Playboy wanted her to pose and
withdrew her offer. When asked what she'd like to see done
differently, she said that the magazine should return to a
"hip 70s style".
Co-wrote songs with Linda Perry for Prey for Rock & Roll
(2003).
Attended Beverly Hills High School; the same school as
Angelina Jolie, Michael Klesic, Nicolas Cage, Lenny Kravitz,
David Schwimmer, Jonathan Silverman, Rhonda Fleming, Jackie
Cooper, Rob Reiner, Antonio Sabato Jr., Pauly Shore, Michael
Tolkin, Betty White, Corbin Bernsen, Elizabeth Daily, Albert
Brooks, and Crispin Glover.
She graduated Beverly Hills High School in 1980. While
there, she starred in a production of "The Music Man".
Her last name was misspelled as "Gersohn" on her birth
certificate. |
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