This British-born beauty came to America and became known to cable viewers as Lisa, the virtual-reality goddess created by two geeky teen males in “Weird Science”, the USA Network series based on the 1986 feature. (The role was originated by another model-turned-actress, Kelly LeBrock).
Pouty-lipped and honey blonde, Vanessa Angel was born and raised in the London area. By her teens, she had been signed to a modeling contract and was on magazine covers (VOGUE, COSMOPOLITAN). In 1985, she made her feature film debut in the small role of a Russian rocket crew member in “Spies Like Us”. Other roles were small at first, as in Abel Ferrara’s “King of New York” (1990) and in “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot” (1992, as a flight attendant) Angel graduated to leads in the B-movie “Homicidal Impulses” (1992), playing a deadly beauty who seduces Scott Valentine. It took another four years before she landed on the A-list, cast as the street-smart lass teaching Woody Harrelson the true art of the hustle in the Farrelly brothers’ “Kingpin” (1996).
The small screen has also provided opportunities for Angel. In the late 80s, she began making guest appearances on series like “The Equalizer” and eventually landed the recurring role of a cop on “Reasonable Doubts” (NBC, 1992-93) and a bisexual supermodel on the soapy “Melrose Place” (Fox, 1992-93). She has made sporadic appearances in longforms like the NBC miniseries “Jackie Collins’ ‘Lady Boss’” (1992) and “The Cover Girl Murders” (USA Network, 1993).
- Born:
on 11/10/63 in London, England
- Job Titles:
Actor, Model
Family
- Father: Peter Angel.
- Mother: Elizabeth Angel.
Significant Others
- Husband: Rick Otto. married in 1995
Education
- Actors Studio, New York, New York
Milestones
- 1985 Made feature film acting debut in “Spies Like Us”
- 1988 Early TV credit, an episode of “The Equalizer” (CBS)
- 1992 Played recurring role on the NBC drama series “Reasonable Doubts”
- 1992 Had female lead in low budget “Homicidal Impulse”
- 1992 Made miniseries debut, “Jackie Collins’ ‘Lady Boss’” (NBC)
- 1993 Co-starred in “The Cover-Girl Murders” (USA Network)
- 1996 Starred with Woody Harelson in “Kingpin”
- 1998 Cast in the romantic comedy “Kissing a Fool”
- 2004 Starred in the comedy “Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2″
- At age 16, signed by Eileen Ford to a modeling contract; began appearing on magazine covers like VOGUE and COSMOPOLITAN
- Played Karen Beair on “Melrose Place” (Fox)
- Played Lisa on “Weird Science” (USA Network)
