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Catherine Bell's Biography
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>>Fullname: Catherine Lisa Bell
>>Height: 5' 9"
>>Eye Color: Brown
>>Hair Color: Brown/Auburn
>>Birthday: August 14, 1968 in London, England; moved to California at the age of three with her Iranian mother.
>>Family: Father- Peter Bell(deceased); Mother- Mina, who now works as her personal assistant.
>>Marital Status: Married to Adam Beason. They have a daughter named Gemma.
>>Education: University of California at Los Angeles
>>Hobbies: Kickboxing; racing; motorcycles; painting; skiing.
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(*SOUCRE: MACKENZIE RABB'S SHIPPER PARADISE)
Catherine was born in London, England, on August 14, 1968. Her father, Peter, born in Britain, worked as an architect in London and her mother, Mina, born Iran, worked as a nurse. An only child, she and her mother (after her parents divorced in Britain) emigrated from England to the United States when she was three years old. She considered herself a British subject until 1998, when she discovered by accident that at the age of 12 she had become a naturalized American citizen. Catherine and her mother lived in LA, where they stayed, at first, with her mother's parents. During Catherine's early school years, she was a bit of a tomboy; however, by 11th grade, she began to adopt a more feminine attitude.
Catherine attended UCLA for two years. While at the university, she began modeling part-time in Los Angeles, where she did modeling work in catalogues and TV commercials. She left school to do some modeling work in Japan for four months.
Upon returning from Japan, Catherine wanted to become an actress. She hired an acting coach to help her to develop her skills. A few movies and TV shows later, Catherine auditioned (five times) for the lead female role of Marine Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie on the CBS TV action-drama series JAG. Knowing the show's creator, Donald Bellisario, from having made a guest appearance in the first season JAG episode, Skeleton Crew, Catherine wrote him a long letter about how she loved the "Mac" character and how she felt she was the best person for the part. She was cast in the role and is currently into her 5th season on JAG.
(*SOURCE: THE BEST OF CATHERINE BELL & THE OFFICIAL CATHERINE BELL FAN CLUB)
Catherine Bell was born in London, England on the fourteenth of August; when she was three her parents moved the family to Los Angeles. Catherine originally wanted to be an artist, but her mother wanted her to go to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to study medicine. While at UCLA Bell had done some modeling; she got into an acting class by "accident", once she was in she found that she "really, really loved it. It was a way to overcome my shyness, to express my feelings and emotions. And within six months to a year, I was hooked." Catherine says that when she did make the decision to become an actress that her mother and the rest of her family were very supportive of her and her decision; she also claims that she was not "discovered" and that it took nine years to "get that big break." Bell advises those with desire to act to "take acting classes. Watch as many movies as you can, and if you have the chance at all, do theater. It's a great training ground. I didn't do it, but I know David had theater as his background and highly recommends it." When asked who the greatest role model in her life was, Bell chose her uncle. "We grew up in the same house, and he was a really great, hardworking, ethical person. A great role model!" In an online chat event, Catherine told her fans that part of her hiatus would be spent in Jamaica, and that she would "do everything from staying home and watching movies, making dinner with her husband - to motor bike riding, water skiing, all different types of sports." She also mentioned that the next spot on her vacation list is Italy because of its "museums, and the old buildings, and the history." She said she loves cold, rainy weather, and would like to have homes all over the world, because she cannot choose where she would like to live. "It was a very unusual experience. I loved it though!" Catherine said of her playing two roles on JAG, Lieutenant Diane Shonke, in an episode of the first season, and then coming in to take a regular role as Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie. "I couldn't have been more thrilled that I was killed off in one episode and brought back as a series regular in the next." In her visit with her fans she also gave a peek into the antics that happen on the set. "David's a great jokester, and there are just fun, silly things happening all the time! The main prank we play with props is for the people's birthday. The special effects people will put a little explosive in the cake so it blows up in their face. That's always great fun to play on a guest star, or one of the trainees or someone who's new." The actors are on the set from fifteen to eighteen hours a day, ten months out of the year, filming and rehearsing; and filming for the fourth season begins the first week of July. Catherine and her husband, Adam Beason, recently bought a new house and have a puppy. Her husband used to be a stunt man, but currently he is working in computers. A former "squid" asked Catherine if she preferred Marine Green or Navy White, to which she answered, "Don't tell any Marines I said this, but I do think the Navy uniforms are pretty sharp! Our technical advisor is a 22 year veteran of the Corps and he's a real stickler!" She also told those in attendance that her favorite episode was "The Stalker" because she was able to do more in depth acting than most episodes permit, because her character was dealing with the death of a loved one, was being stalked, and got drunk and fell off the wagon. Bell got to explore many different emotions that she doesn't get to explore on JAG on a regular basis. Catherine devotes some of her precious time, when free of filming, to charities and other causes. She spends most of her time with Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California, and the Buoniconti Fund, which is trying to find a cure for paralysis. The Buoniconti Funded was formed by Marc Buoniconti, who was paralyzed in a college football accident, whom Catherine describes as "an amazing man with an amazing spirit and zest for life!" The fund, like the American Paralysis Association, conducts massive research to find a cure "and they are getting very close." They have been successful in regenerating the nerve cells in lab mice, and actually making them walk again. Amazing isn't it? Catherine has also participated in fundraisers and auctions with the Children's Hospital in LA Although it has been tough with her schedule, she tries to stay involved. Bell has met several actual JAG lawyers, and most often hears that their job is nothing like what Mac and Harm do on the show; mostly, they say, they are just behind desks and do paperwork. "But they love that we make them look so glamorous!" Bell claims that the most memorable thing that she will forever remember was getting the phone call that she had gotten JAG. "This huge life-changing moment of going from zero to ninety in two seconds! I don't have much of a personal life anymore. I miss having free time to just relax. Getting recognized is fun, and so far it hasn't gotten overwhelming. Learning to live with less sleep, and less of fun things I like to do has been part of the change."
(*SOURCE: JAG (A Belisarius Production in Association with Paramount))
Catherine Bell portrays Lt. Colonel Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, a confident, headstrong Marine Corps attorney. Mac investigates, prosecutes and defends military cases with partner and friend Commander Harmon "Harm" Rabb, Jr. (David James Elliott) in the one-hour, dramatic adventure series JAG, a Belisarius Production in association with Paramount Network Television for CBS-TV.
Bell began her career as an actress by accident. Attending the University of California, Los Angeles, studying to become either a doctor or biomedical engineer, she also modeled part-time. Following her success with print work and several Los Angeles-based television commercials, Bell interrupted her studies when she was sent to Japan to model for several months. But even as her modeling career was flourishing both in the U.S. and abroad, she felt limited by her shyness. So she hired an acting coach to help her in the pursuit of a new career.
During JAG's first season, Bell made a brief appearance as a Navy lieutenant, who was then murdered. JAG creator and executive producer Donald Bellisario was so impressed with her performance that he cast her as the show's female lead for its second season.
Bell's other television credits include guest starring roles on Friends, Dream On, Misery Loves Company and the popular syndicated series Hercules. Bell also appeared in the highly rated CBS telefilm Cab to Canada opposite Maureen O'Hara and Jason Beghe, and the feature film Men of War opposite Dolph Lundgren.
Bell also starred in the TBS Superstation original thriller The Time Shifters, opposite Casper Van Diem and Martin Sheen, which aired in October 1999.
Bell was born in London and moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was three years old. She speaks fluent Farsi, which she has demonstrated on JAG, and enjoys skydiving, hiking, kick boxing and painting. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Adam, and their two Italian greyhounds, Leo and Zoe.
JAG is a Belisarius Production in association with Paramount Network Television. The Paramount Television Group is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc.
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