The actress of Jewish descent used that fame to star in her first film, the erotic drama Showgirls, which celebrates its 30th anniversary. The reviews were as devastating as the box office failure. Her salary was meager, only $100,000. It was rumored that at that time she was in a relationship with Paul Verhoeven (87), the film's director.
For a long time, Berkley thought she would never recover. The media had treated her very poorly, even attacking her appearance. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress commented, "It wasn't a pleasant experience, but I'm proud of having done it" and added, "I didn't understand how people could be so cruel, but I'm strong. I had to separate what they said from what I believed was true." The toughest part was when "for two years, they didn't allow me to audition."
Only a small group of directors like Luc Besson, Milos Forman, or Oliver Stone publicly supported her. In late 1995, she saw some light when she was hired for a supporting role in the iconic The First Wives Club (1996), which has recently been in the news due to the passing of one of its stars, Diane Keaton.
While waiting for another big opportunity in both film and television, Elizabeth began a relationship with Roger Wilson (69), one of the actors in the acclaimed comedy Porky's (1981). However, they broke up in 1999 after two years of dating. In 2000, the man of her life arrived, whom she met during a dance class because they were introduced by a mutual friend.
He is Greg Lauren (55), an actor, painter, and designer who is the nephew of the billionaire fashion designer Ralph Lauren, who, according to Fortune, had a fortune of $11.9 million in 2024. The couple got married in 2002 in Cabo San Lucas, one of the most elite tourist areas in North America located south of the Baja California peninsula. As expected, Ralph Lauren designed the wedding dress. In 2012, Elizabeth gave birth to their only child, Skye Cole.
Elizabeth's career has evolved in both film and television, although not continuously as she prioritized motherhood. She also gained popularity on television in CSI: Miami playing Julia Winston, the ex-girlfriend of Horatio Caine and mother of his troubled son Kyle.
Her latest television work premiered earlier this month. It is All's Fair, created by Ryan Murphy, where she shares the spotlight with Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close, and Sarah Paulson.
In her free time, Elizabeth collaborates with various causes related to the environment, gives lectures on the benefits of being a vegetarian, and participates in fundraising events for the less fortunate.