Alexandra Paul

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For the Canadian ice dancer, see Alexandra Paul (figure skater).
Alexandra Paul
File:Alexandra Paul Photo.jpg
Alexandra Paul in 2012
Born Alexandra Elizabeth Paul
(1963-07-29) July 29, 1963 (age 60)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • athlete
  • activist
  • wellness coach
  • camera operator
  • model
  • producer
  • writer
Years active 1979–present
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Spouse(s) Ian Murray (m. 2000)

Alexandra Elizabeth Paul (born July 29, 1963)[1][2] is an American actress, activist, health coach, and former model. Paul began her career modeling in New York before landing her first major role in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983). This was followed with prominent roles in Just the Way You Are (1984), American Flyers (1985), 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), and Dragnet (1987).

She is best known for her role as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the television series Baywatch from 1992 to 1997. She has performed in a total of over 100 movies and television programs.[3]

Early life

Paul was born in New York City to Sarah, a social worker from England, and Mark Paul, an American investment banker.[4] Paul was raised alongside her identical twin sister, Caroline, and younger brother, Jonathan, in the rural town of Cornwall, Connecticut.[5] According to Paul, her mother was "a very liberal Democrat and [her] father was a very conservative Republican."[6] Her twin sister Caroline has been a San Francisco firefighter (where she is often mistaken as Alexandra) and best-selling author.[7] Her brother, Jonathan, is an animal rights activist.[8]

Paul attended the Cornwall Consolidated School, and the Groton School in Massachusetts.[9] At ages 17 and 18, Paul underwent two major abdominal operations to remove choledochal cysts, which left her with a scar spanning from her sternum to her navel.[10] Paul was accepted into Stanford University, but chose not to attend so that she could focus on an acting career.[11]

Career

Paul worked prominently in television from the late 1980s onward, perhaps most recognizable in her starring role on Baywatch, from 1992 to 1997. Paul began her career working as a model in New York City, and later moved to Los Angeles when she decided to pursue a career in acting.[11] Her first role was in the television film Paper Dolls (1982), followed by a role in the independent Canadian horror film American Nightmare (1983). Paul then landed a leading role in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983), opposite Keith Gordon, followed by a supporting role in the comedy Just the Way You Are (1984).

She later appeared in the sport drama American Flyers (1985) with Kevin Costner, 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), and the comedy Dragnet (1987), opposite Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd.[12] She also starred in the films Death Train (1993) and Nightwatch (1995) opposite Christopher Lee and Pierce Brosnan,[citation needed] as well as the horror films The Paperboy (1994) and Spectre (1996).

Since 1999, she has starred in 15 films for Lifetime Network. She has also starred in the Fox TV series Fire Company 132 and appeared in the last eight episodes of Melrose Place. She guest-starred on Mad Men in 2008.[citation needed] She hosted non-fiction TV shows, including WE's Winning Women and a southern California local environmentalism show, Earth Talk Today.[13][14] She made a cameo appearance with Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan in a deleted scene parodying her Baywatch role.[15] She did a cameo in the comedy spoofs Spy Hard and Sharknado: The 4th Awakens.[16]

In 2015, Paul won Indie Series' Best Supporting Actress in a comedy webseries.[17]

Paul co-wrote and co-produced two documentaries: Jampacked, a documentary on the world population crisis, and The Cost of Cool: Finding Happiness in a Materialistic World. Jampacked received a Bronze Apple Award and first place recognition at the EarthVision Environmental Film and Video Festival. The Cost of Cool won a CINE Golden Eagle Award.[citation needed] She also produced eight PSAs on the benefits of driving electric vehicles for the non-profit Plug In America.[18]

In 2019, Alexandra acted in three movies, among them, ''Escaping My Stalker'. In 2020 Alexandra appeared in 4 projects, and in 2022 she starred in the independent films Tethered and Baby Steps.

Personal life

Paul has been married to Ian Murray since 2000. She became a vegetarian at age fourteen after reading the book Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé, and became a vegan in 2010.[11][19]

Paul is childfree by choice.[20]

As an athlete, Paul raced the Hawaii Ironman in 1997.[21] She ran the 2000 Boston Marathon.[22][23] She has also swum the 11 mile Fiji Swim,[24] the 12.5 mile Swim Around Key West[25] and the 2014 Reto Acapulco 14 mile swim,[26] among others.

In 2015, Paul became a certified health coach[27] and has her own wellness coaching business.[28]

Political activism

Paul is an outspoken animal rights, environmental, peace and gay rights activist.[9] She walked 5 1/2 weeks on the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament in 1986. Paul has been arrested for civil disobedience over a dozen times at the Nevada Test Site between 1987 and 2000.[29] In 1989, she was arrested for peacefully advocating on behalf of people with HIV.[30] She was arrested twice in 2003 for civil disobedience protesting the Iraq War and spent five days in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center after refusing to pay the $50 fine. In 2005, she was arrested for protesting the crushing of the EV1, and performed 80–100 hours of community service for electric car organizations.[31][32] Paul's younger brother, Jonathan, is also an animal rights activist, who served 51 months in prison for his role in the arson of a slaughterhouse.[33]

She has traveled to Nicaragua with Operation USA and to South Africa to register voters. Paul volunteered in Sierra Leone with the non profit Population Media Center. In 2006, Paul donated $250 to the Ned Lamont campaign against Joe Lieberman, because Lieberman supported the war in Iraq.[34][35]

Paul was an active member for 9 years of the Santa Monica, CA chapter of Food Not Bombs,[36] where she picked up donations, cooked, and served hot vegan meals to the homeless community every Thursday evening. She also registered voters sitting at a card table on LA street corners for 2 hours a week from 1989 to 2010 with The First Vote.

She received the 2014 Vegan of the Year by Last Chance for Animals,[37] and in 2007 received a United Nations Environment Programme honor for her contribution to overpopulation issues.[38]

In 2016, Paul joined Direct Action Everywhere in an open rescue of several pigs from a factory farm.[39] In 2017, she joined a sit-in at an Oakland, California slaughterhouse and was arrested.[40] In 2018, she was arrested for a civil disobedience action at Sunrise Chicken Farm.[41] In 2019, she was arrested for peacefully protesting at Reichardt Duck Farm and spent two days in Sonoma County jail.[42] In September, 2020, Paul and 6 other DxE activists were arrested for trying to rescue a pig from a Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon, CA.[43] In September, 2021, Paul rescued a chicken outside a Foster Farms slaughterhouse and went on trial on March 7,2023 in Merced, CA. She and fellow activist Alicia Santurio were acquitted after a 9-day trial.

In discussing her political activism, Paul said:

I am sure there are some who do not like me for my outspokenness and my views, and I totally respect their right to boycott my projects. I actually respect folks who stand up for their beliefs — even if I disagree with them — more than the folks who do not care, are afraid to 'get involved', or who cannot be bothered. I admire passion and commitment. A woman once told me she could not watch those slaughterhouse videos because she 'loves animals so much' and it would upset her. I would prefer to hang out with a hunter who believes he is doing the right thing, than a wuss like her.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 American Nightmare Isabelle
1983 Christine Leigh Cabot
1984 Just the Way You Are Bobbie
1985 American Flyers Becky
1986 8 Million Ways to Die Sunny
1987 Dragnet Connie Swail
1988 After the Rain Petra Guera
1988 Sötétségből a fénybe Jean Lindsay
1991 Millions Giulia Ferretti
1991 In Between Amy Budd
1992 Prey of the Chameleon Carrie
1993 Sunset Grill Anita
1994 Nothing to Lose Natasha
1994 The Paperboy Melissa Thorpe
1995 Cyber Bandits Rebecca Snow
1996 Spectre Maura South
1996 Kid Cop Sarah Hansen Video
1996 Spy Hard Woman In Murphy Bed
1997 Kiss & Tell Bambi
1998 12 Bucks Epiphany Lovejoy
2000 Revenge Laura Underwood
2000 The Brainiacs.com Kara Banks
2001 Above & Beyond Jill Amorosa
2001 10 Attitudes Leslie Video
2001 Facing the Enemy Olivia McCleary
2001 Diary of a Sex Addict Katherine Video
2001 Exposure Jackie Steerman Video
2002 Redemption of the Ghost Audrey Powell
2003 Outrage Lainie Wheeler
2008 Tru Loved Leslie
2008 Murder Dot Com Stacy
2009 Christmas Crash Christine Johnson Video
2009 He's Such a Girl Linda
2009 Family of Four Janice Baker Video
2010 In My Sleep Roxana
2010 The Boy She Met Online Tori Winters
2011 Javelina Lora
2012 16-Love Margo Mash
2012 The Frankenstein Brothers Laurie Martinson
2015 Flirting with Madness Detective Kathy Schumaker
2016 Dirty Assistant District Attorney Sara Dunlap
2018 Say Yes Mrs. Muñoz
2019 The Estate Bethenny
2019 Pink Skies Ahead Mercedes
2020 Finding Sara Aunt Carrie Completed
2022 Tethered Nidia
2022 Another Coffee House Chronicles Movie Amy
2023 Baby Steps Abigail Munoz
TBA The B Team Alexandra Announced

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Paper Dolls Laurie Caswell TV film
1984 Getting Physical Kendall Gibley TV film
1987 The Hitchhiker Julie Episode: "Minuteman"
1988 Out of the Shadows Jan Lindsey TV film
1989 Perry Mason Amy Hastings TV films: The Case of the Lethal Lesson / The Case of the Musical Murder / The Case of the All-Star Assassin
1990 Laker Girls Heidi / Jenny TV film
1992–1997 Baywatch Lieutenant Stephanie Holden Main role (seasons 3–6), guest (season 7)
1993 Death Train Sabrina Carver TV film
1993 Johnny Bago Erica Episode: "Spotting Elvis"
1995 Piranha Maggie McNamara TV film
1995 Night Watch Sabrina Carver TV film
1995 Mixed Blessings Beth TV film
1996 Daytona Beach Annie Gibson TV film
1996–1997 L.A. Firefighters Firefighter T.K. Martin Recurring role
1997 Echo Olivia Jordan TV film
1997 Baywatch Nights Lieutenant Stephanie Holden Episode: "The Eighth Seal"
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Gillian Stanfield Episode: "All That Glitters"
1999 Arthur's Quest Caitlin Regal TV film
1999 Melrose Place Terry O'Brien Recurring role (season 7)
2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul Leann Richards Episode: "Destiny in a Bottle"
2000 Green Sails Laura Taylor TV film
2001 Rough Air: Danger on Flight 534 Katy Phillips TV film
2003 Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding Allison Ford / Judy Radin TV film
2003 She Spies Christine Black Episode: "Date to Mate"
2004 Saving Emily Cheryl TV film
2005 Landslide Emma Decker TV film
2005 A Lover's Revenge Liz Manners TV film
2006 Trapped! Samantha Reed TV film
2006 Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York Dr. Susan Foxley TV film
2006 Love Thy Neighbor Laura Benson TV film
2006 Gospel of Deceit Emily TV film
2006 A.I. Assault Marlon Adams TV film
2007 Demons from Her Past Allison Buchanan TV film
2008 Mad Men Pauline Phillips Episode: "Maidenform"
2009 A Sister's Secret Katherine TV film
2011 Betrayed at 17 Michelle Ross TV film
2011 Christmas Spirit Winnie TV film
2012 Love at the Christmas Table Eve Reed TV film
2014 Firequake Dr. Eve Carter TV film
2016 Sharknado: The 4th Awakens Stephanie Holden TV film
2017 Born and Missing Detective Breuer TV film
2018 3rd Eye Merrill Dawson TV series
2020 Escaping My Stalker Sandy TV film
2020 Coffee House Chronicles Episodes: "Good Grief", "Bad Math"
2021 TV Therapy Stephanie TV series

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ "CHRISTINE Revisited, Part Two: A Q&A with Alexandra Paul Archived 2015-03-26 at the Wayback Machine, fangoria.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Photo, alexandrapaul.com; accessed April 30, 2016.
  31. ↑ Profile, alexandrapaul.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lechaux & Roussel 2010, pp. 136–39.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ 2014 Vegan of the Year, alexandrapaul.com; accessed July 29, 2015.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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