Vanessa Angel Biography

Vanessa Madeline Angel (born 10 November 1966) is an English actress and former model. She played the role of Lisa on the television series Weird Science. She is also known for her role as Claudia in the film Kingpin.

Early life

Vanessa Angel, who has said this is her birth name and not a stage name, was discovered by a model-management agent in a London cafe as a teenager. At 16, she was signed by Ford Models and moved to New York City. During her modelling stint, Angel appeared on the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She was also contracted as the Diet Pepsi Girl.

Career

Angel's first film role was in the 1985 American comedy, Spies Like Us, in which she played a soldier in the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces who sleeps with Dan Aykroyd; she also appears in the accompanying Paul McCartney video. In 1990, she appeared in a small role in the film King of New York. Angel continued to appear in films throughout the early 1990s. After a leading guest-spot on TV's The Equalizer, she played the recurring roles of Megan on Baywatch and Detective Peggy Elliott on Reasonable Doubts. She guest-starred in two episodes of Melrose Place, playing what she described as "this crazy, drugged out, bisexual supermodel who kissed [the character played by] Daphne Zuniga!"

In 1994, she starred in the television series Weird Science. The show ran for five seasons, ending in 1998. In 1995, Angel was cast in the role of Xena, a guest spot on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but due to an illness was unable to take the role, which eventually went to Lucy Lawless.

During the series run of Weird Science, Angel landed the female lead in the Farrelly brothers film, Kingpin. She played roles in Kissing a Fool with David Schwimmer, followed by a role in the 1999 film, Made Men. In 2004, she appeared in SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2, as Scott Baio's wife. Angel has also had roles in the Sci-Fi Pictures Original telefilm Sabretooth (2002) and The Perfect Score (2004).

In 2000, she guest starred in three episodes of the Sci-Fi Channel's Stargate SG-1, playing Anise, a Tok'ra archaeologist/scientist whose host is named Freya. Her first appearance is in the season-four episode Upgrades, and she appeared in the two following episodes, Crossroads and Divide and Conquer. In 2005, Angel played herself in the season-two episode of Entourage entitled I Love You Too. In 2007, she completed the independent film Blind Ambition. and later appeared in the Farrellys' Hall Pass. She played a guest role as Alison in the fifth season of Californication.

Angel started a clothing line in 2009, VANE LA.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	Spies Like Us	Russian Rocket Crewperson
1989	Another Chance	Jackie Johanson
1990	King of New York	British Female
1991	Killer Instinct	Deborah Walker	Alternative title: Homicidal Impulse
1992	Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot	Stewardess
1994	Cityscrapes: Los Angeles	Trouble
1994	Sleep with Me	Marianne
1996	Kingpin	Claudia
1998	Kissing a Fool	Natasha
1999	Made Men	Debra
2000	Enemies of Laughter	Jennifer
2000	G-Men from Hell	Gloria Lake
2001	Camouflage	Cindy Davies
2001	Firetrap	Beth Hooper
2002	Sabretooth	Catherine Viciy
2004	The Perfect Score	Anita Donlee
2004	Out for Blood	Susan Hastings	Alternative title: Vampires: Out for Blood
2004	SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2	Jean Bobbins
2005	Raging Sharks	Linda Olsen	Direct-to-video release
2005	'	Ms. Barlass	Uncredited
2005	Popstar	Diane
2006	Monster Night	Claire Ackerman	Direct-to-DVD release
2008	Blind Ambition	Autumn Milestone
2008	Endless Bummer	Brenda Schooler
2009	Level Seven	Angela
2011	Hall Pass	Missy Frankenopolis
2011	A Christmas Puppy	Hope, A spirit of Christmas

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	'	Christine Hayes	1 episode
1991" 1992	Baywatch	Megan	3 episodes
1992	On the Air	Chorus Girl	1 episode
1992	Raven	Flight Attendant	1 episode
1992	Lady Boss	Christie	Television film
1992" 1993	Reasonable Doubts	Detective Peggy Elliott	7 episodes
1993	Melrose Place	Karen	3 episodes
1993	Murder, She Wrote	Kathryn Scofield	1 episode
1993	'	Rachel	Television film
1994	Time Trax	Jane Hawkins	1 episode
1994" 1998	Weird Science	Lisa	88 episodes
1997	Veronica's Closet	Suzanne	2 episodes
2000	Partners	Angel	Television film
2000	Stargate SG-1	Anise/Freya	3 episodes
2002	Sabretooth	Catherine Viciy	Television film
2003	'	Mary Turner	1 episode
2004	Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys	Erica Sharpe	Television film
2005	Criminal Intent	Susan Grace	Television film
2005	Entourage	Herself	1 episode
2007	Planet Raptor: Raptor Island 2	Dr. Anna Rogers	Television film
2009	Saving Grace	Pauline Hoover	1 episode
2009	'	Helena Kirkowski	Television film
2009	Shark Biscuit	Detective Patricia Henley	Television film
2012	Californication	Alison	Season 5 Episode 2