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Background:
“The challenge is to keep it interesting. I really like acting and auditioning.
I like being put under pressure and having to perform. I also like the fact that
I’m in different situations and I have to figure my way out of them. I am also
in love with the expression part of it. That’s what really drives me.” Shiri
Appleby
American actress Shiri Appleby gained recognition for playing character Liz
Parker, a high school student in love with an alien (Jason Behr’s character), in
the hit television series “Roswell” (1999-2002). Previously, she received praise
after portraying Steff in the television movie Perfect Family (1992), in which
she earned a nomination at the Young Artist Awards.
On the silver screen, the brown-eyed beauty initially gained notice when she
joined River Phoenix and Kevin Kline in the comedy film I Love You to Death
(1990) and for playing characters in such film as Family Prayers (1992), Time
for Dancing (2000, alongside Larisa Oleynik), Swimfan (2002, also starring Erika
Christensen and Jesse Bradford), The Skin Horse (2003), The Battle of Shaker
Heights (2003) and Undertow (2004).
Recently appearing in the comedy film I’m Reed Fish (2006), Appleby will have
starring roles in such films as the comedy What Love Is (2006), the thriller The
Killing Floor (2006) and the drama-thriller Thrill of the Kill (2006, TV).
Off camera, the brown-haired actress, whose favorite books are Charlotte's Web,
Matilda, Harry Potter, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, and The Bell Jar, by
Sylvia Plath, is active in many charities and community activities such as
reading to children at a local library. As for her romantic life, Appleby, who
starred in Bon Jovi’s music video “It’s My Life,” is dating Florida Panthers’
backup goaltender Steve Shield.
Song of Mine
Childhood and Family:
In Los Angeles, California, Shiri Freda Appleby was born on December 7, 1978.
Her father is Jerry Appleby, a telecommunications executive and her mother is
Dena Appleby, a schoolteacher. Alongside her younger brother Evan Appleby, Shiri
grew up in San Fernando Valley (northwest of downtown Los Angeles) in
California.
“It was this time when I was growing up and there were new people and cute boy
and going to auditions seemed so mundane. Spending my high school on a set with
a studio teacher just did not compare. So when high school came around, my
motivation kind of slipped.” Shiri Appleby
Shiri, which means “song of mine” in Hebrew, graduated from Calabasas High
School in 1996. During high school, she was the yearbook editor for two
consecutive years, was on the student council and became a cheerleader for the
Calabasas Coyotes in her sophomore year. She was also elected “Most Spirited” by
her classmates at Calabasas High. After graduation, she went on to major in
English Literature at the University of Southern California, while also studying
theater art.
Shiri is Jewish and in her off time enjoys going to the farmers market (on
Sundays), playing the guitar, crocheting, knitting, hanging-out with friends and
photography. She also claims to be a compulsive backgammon player.
Perfect Family
Career:
Shiri Appleby entered the entertainment industry when she was just a little
girl. Starting at age four, Appleby had her first taste in front of camera in a
never-aired advertisement for the cereal Raisin Bran and went on to appear in
television commercials for such products as M&Ms, Cheerios and Taco Bell.
Commenting about her first commercial, she said, “It was fun, especially when I
was younger, because you would go to sets and there would be donuts and people
would just want to play with you and do your hair, so you think it’s a magical
place when you’re younger.”
Appleby landed her first reoccurring television role in 1984 on the NBC soap
“Santa Barbara” before having her television film debut in Mystery Magical
Special (1986). She also guest starred in a number of television shows like “thirtysomething,”
“The Bronx Zoo” and “Dear John.” She also played a bit part in the NBC
television movie Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife (1987). Her first film
debut was in The Killing Time (1987, played Annie Winslow) and she was next
involved in the low-budget sequel Curse II: The Bite (1988). Shiri next played
Jessica in a CBS drama about a young boy who contracts AIDS through a blood
transfusion titled Go Toward the Light (1988) and portrayed Amy Escobar in the
short-lived comedy series "Knight & Daye" (1989).
In 1990, Appleby was cast as Millie in the fact-based Lawrence Kasdan comedy I
Love You to Death, starring River Phoenix and Kevin Kline. Through this film,
she began to secure work as a screen performer.
She was seen as a series regular on the unsuccessful Norman Lear sitcom “Sunday
Dinner” (1991) before receiving a 1993 Young Artist Award nomination for Best
Young Actress in a Cable Movie for her good performance as Steff in the
made-for-TV movie Perfect Family (1992). Appleby then portrayed Nina, a young
Jewish boy’s potential sweetheart, in the 1969-set, coming-of-age drama Family
Prayers (1992). She also landed guest spots in “Doogie Howser, M.D,” “Against
the Grain,” NBC’s popular medical drama “ER” and “Baywatch.”
Disappearing from the scene to finish high school, Appleby went back to acting
in 1997 when she guest starred as a young gang member named Karen in an episode
of The WB's family drama series “7th Heaven” and as Cindy in “City Guys.” In
1998, she was a reoccurring character in two episodes of the well-liked
syndicated “Xena: Warrior Princess.” The young star added to her resume three
more silver screen projects, including the forgettable film Deal of a Lifetime
(1999), which cast her as the lead Laurie Petler, and Garry Marshall’s The Other
Sister (1999) and the time-travel thriller The Thirteenth Floor (1999).
Landing the character of Liz Parker on the sci-fi drama “Roswell” (1999-2002),
Appleby received her first, real breakthrough. In the show, she portrayed a girl
who is shot while working at her parent’s café and saved from death by her
mysterious classmate Max Evans (Jason Behr’s character). She soon discovers that
Max, her lab partner-turned-boyfriend, is an alien. Roswell was a hit and had a
well-built fan base. With the success of the show, Appleby also gained
popularity.
“I had such a great time but it was really hard work learning all of those dance
steps. I am not as coordinated as I thought.” Shiri Appleby on A Time for
Dancing
Being cast as Samantha 'Sam' on the adaptation of Davida Wills Hurwin’s novel A
Time for Dancing (2000, alongside Larisa Oleynik) was Appleby’s first movie in
the year 2000. In the teenage thriller Swimfan (2002, also starring Erika
Christensen), she played Amy Miller, the girlfriend of a championship swimmer
(played by Jesse Bradford) who becomes the object of unwanted attention from a
new girl in town.
The following years saw her in The Skin Horse (2003, portrayed Carla), The
Battle of Shaker Heights (2003, as Sarah), Undertow (2004, played Violet) and in
the lead role of Lilith in the Sci-fi made for TV film Darklight (2004). In
2005, she played roles in such big screen movies as When Do We Eat (as Nikki)
and Havoc (portrayed Amanda), and worked on two television movies titled Pizza
My Heart (as Gina Prestolani) and Everything You Want (played Abby Morrison).
Recently, the young performer found herself acting with Jay Baruchel, Alexis
Bledel and Schuyler Fisk in the comedy film I’m Reed Fish (2006). She is set to
appear in the Cuba Gooding Jr. and Matthew Lillard comedy vehicle What Love Is
(2006) and star as Rebecca Fay in writer/director Gideon Raff’s thriller The
Killing Floor (2006). On the small screen, the Roswell star will be cast in the
lead role of Kelly Helms in the drama/thriller made-for-TV film Thrill of the
Kill (2006), for director Richard Roy.
Awards:
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