Tiffani Amber Thiessen Biography
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was born on January 23, 1974 in Long Beach, California, USA to Frank Thiessen, a park designer, and Robyn Thiessen, a homemaker. She grew up in Long Beach with her parents and her brothers, professional cyclist Todd (b. 1968) and Schuyler (b. 1977). When Tiffani was 8, her uncle Roger Ernest suggested that she try modelling. Soon after, she appeared in her first TV commercials, and ad for The Peaches and Cream Barbie Doll. But Tiffani always got to hold Ken and never Barbie, about which she later stated: "I guess I wasn't blond enough." Afterwards, she started competing in several beauty pageants, and in 1987, she won the Miss Junior America pageant. She got her big screen break, when she was cast as the popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on the NBC series "Saved by the Bell" (1989) in 1989, which lasted for five years. But this was not at all the end of her career. Coinciding with the cancellation of "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" (1993), she was cast as the bitchy, conniving vixen, Valerie Malone, on Aaron Spelling's long-running hit series, "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990). Here, she played the constant enemy of Kelly Taylor, played by Jennie Garth, although in real life, the two are actually best friends. Tiff also lived with co-star, Brian Austin Green for several years. She stayed with the show until 1998, and then left to pursue her movie career. The result were two independent movies, followed by two comedies and then a movie in which she starred alongside Woody Allen. She met actor Richard Ruccolo while starring as Marti in the hit sitcom, "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" (1998). In 2001, the couple became engaged. During the fall of 2002, she hooked up with best friend Jennie's husband, Peter Facinelli and Bill Bellamy on Fox's drama/action series, "Fastlane" (2002), where she starred as Billie Chambers, but the show was cancelled after one season. Tiff broke off her engagement to Richard Ruccolo in 2003, and is currently married to actor Brady Smith.
Spouse - Brady Smith (July 9, 2005 - present)
More Interesting Information for Tiffani Amber Thiessen
Became engaged to actor Richard Ruccolo in October 2001.
Broke off engagement with actor Richard Ruccolo in April 2003.
Has two dogs, Buck and Pearl, and two cats, Sadie and Savannah.
Is best friends with actress Jennie Garth.
Attended Valley Professional High School in Studio City, California; named class valedictorian in 1992.
Won the Miss Junior America beauty pageant [1987]
Won Teen Magazine's Great Model Search [1988]
Made Cover Girl Magazine's Model of the Year [1989]
Admitted "ongoing struggle" to fit Hollywood's waifish beauty ideal; dropped her middle name, Amber, to be taken more seriously.
Formerly a vegetarian.
Has three tattoos; a lotus flower on her stomach, a daisy on her back, and an angel above her right ankle.
Tied with another girl, Tiffany Weber, for the crown of Teen Magazine's Great Model Search 1988.
Currently has listed her Studio City home at $2.8 million. The house, built in 1963, has five bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms in slightly less than 5,000 square feet. [2004]
Started her own production company "Tit 4 Tat Productions"
Taking the advice of her uncle, screenwriter/actor Roger Ernest, she began modelling at the age of eight.
She is of Welsh, German, Greek and Turkish descent.
Named one of Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" [2002]
Romantically linked to David Strickland at the time of his death [1999]
Was offered a role on "Charmed" (1998) to replace Shannen Doherty, but turned it down. [2001]
Wedding dress was designed by Vera Wang [2005]
Personal quotes from Tiffani Amber Thiessen
"There are too many rotten things in this world, and if I can put a smile on one little girl's face, one little boy's face, then I've done my job." - on acting professionally in show business
"My mom always taught me to be sweet and polite and cross my legs because it's what the guys like. Actually, they like a raunchy girl once in a while." - being a feminine woman
"People expect me to be thin and perfect... I'm not."
"My dog and two cats are such a vital part of my life. To say that I am their owner doesn't reflect at all the profound bond and responsibility that I have towards them. Therefore, I thoroughly support In Defense of Animals' initiative to utilize 'guardian' instead of owner."
"I've seen the effects of drugs too often. My brother had a big problem with them for five years. He's better now, but I've never needed or wanted to be involved with them."
"It's much more interesting to play the bitch."
"When you interact with someone you always take something from them"
"I'm a pretty big clothes horse. I shop for clothes constantly. I do so much shopping. I should go to Shoppers Anonymous"
"The weight issues is a huge one that arises almost in every woman. But I don't think it's increased it's always been there. Since the 1920's women have been encouraged to be thin. But even that is dictated by fashion. It alternates between being really skinny and being healthy"
"I wake up every morning and I'm thankful for what I have. I've been blessed with a lot of wonderful things and I try to reflect on that every chance I can"
"I was never clean, prissy and perfect like Kelly, and I was never a pot-smoking slut like Valerie. Kelly was the cheerleader and the perfect girl next door, and being that I grew up in the business, I never went to school. I was never a cheerleader. I never went to the prom. I didn't have any of those experiences".
"I love to shop for lingerie! My drawer for my lingerie is probably as big as my drawer for sweats and jeans. It's really huge."
"I would love to be totally thin and be able to eat whatever I like, but I don't have a problem with my body. I like my body. I don't want to make myself crazy watching my weight."
"It's never really been a hard thing for me for some reason. After the first time, it was, like, no big deal. All the guys on 90210 treat me with total respect. They don't try anything."
"I was definitely surprised when I won, 'cause that year those girls were absolutely gorgeous." On winning in Teen Magazine
"I've collected pigs since I was really little, miniature pigs and stuff like that"
"In this business, you've got to take a lot of rejection-and you can't take it personally. If you're not chosen, you're either not ready or not right for it. My mom used to tell me that a quitter never wins, and a winner never quits. And that's something I've always gone by."
"I'm a very spiritual person and to know that now women are able to do just as much as men is really great...Working for myself and being young and being a woman, I can finally get respect from people...I mean I've got my own house, I've got my career set--nobody can tell me I can't do it."
"My brother Todd's been a really big inspiration to me. He's had a lot of problems, and how he's come out of it is just amazing. Knowing someone who's been at the bottom and completely restructured themselves...makes me think I could do anything. I have total respect for him."
"Since I'm into modeling, I know young girls always try to watch their weight and what they look like. And it is important to some extent but...I've known girls who have gone through a lot of problems with dieting, and it's not worth it. It's terrible to think that our society has to be tall, skinny and beautiful. It's really horrible that we have to look like that and it's not worth it. It really isn't. I've met a lot of beautiful people who don't have anything inside."
"I would never do another one but at the time it was fun."- On entering a beauty pageant contest
"I just want to keep playing something different each time out.It is the same thing most actors want in their careers; the chance to do a variety of characters. Otherwise, you end up playing the same character over and over again until it gets downright boring. That's not how I want to spend my life."
"To us, it was this cute little show that was on against a bunch of cartoons on Saturday morning. None of us expected it to last very long. We didn't realize anything big was happening until our first personal appearance, and then we were shocked out of our minds. We went to a mall and there were 4,000 screaming kids waiting for us. They were tearing off our clothes and begging for the cups of water that we were drinking from. We kept looking at each other in amazement. We had no idea this was happening, and I still don't understand it." On the success of Saved By The Bell
"The winner never loses, and the loser never wins."
"Honestly, I enjoy food. And I'm never going to be stick thin like Kate Moss. But I don't eat like a pig".
"They never let me hold the Barbie I only got to hold Ken. I guess I wasn't blonde enough".
"I really don't have a career plan. I like being challenged and thrown around. But it's only acting."
"I'm very grateful for what I have been given and wouldn't change anything. I feel that we are given everything we have for a reason, both good and bad, and that we learn from them. This is what gives us character."
"I think people in the entertainment field have no privacy. All the tabloids want to see is a person fail at something."
"It was so much fun going from playing a good girl to a bad girl."
"I like playing Valerie. She's a chameleon. One moment she's charming and the next she's a 'you know what'. I like her because she's so two-sided -- she's two different characters in one."
"I always feel that everything you do in life is a learning experience and that you become a wiser person for it."
"It's definitely difficult but it's kind of the price you pay when you're in this kind of business. And I wouldn't trade it for anything."
"I really don't look at my life as being an accomplishment. I'm just very thankful for what I've been given."
"I'd say I've enjoyed every role that I've done in my life."
"Jennie Garth is my closest friend"
"I like a man to be romantic, have a sense of humor, independent, definitely and have definite goals for himself."
"If you work with Aaron Spelling and he likes you, you'll always work for Aaron. And believe me, that's not a bad thing."
"If I didn't work out, it'd be a disaster. The weight issue has been a really big thing for me all my life. I come from an overweight family, and in this business, it's something you simply can't be. I love eating, but I work out six days a week, usually for an hour and a half."
"What do I wanna do 10 years from now? I love doing TV and I hope I can do it as long as I can. Some day I want to get married and have a family. And I would love to travel. I want to go back to Australia - absolutely."
"If it were right for the role, I'd do it. If it was `lose weight just to lose weight,' they'd get a nice 'no thanks!'"
"I think guys are intimidated by any woman who appears to be strong. Now women are so independent, which I am. But I try to solve that by asking men out. I'm not going to wait."
"I've had to struggle with my weight since I was 17. There's a lot of added pressure because I work with so many beautiful, thin people, and I've been asked to lose weight before by producers. It really hurts but that's part of what this business is about. People expect me to be thin and perfect and I'm not."
"We have one of those friendships that started long ago, so I'm really thankful for it, and I know I'll have it for the rest of my life." On her friendship with Jennie Garth
"It's kind of the same thing with TV and film. I enjoy both! I think they're both difficult and rewarding in different ways and I would like to keep up with both sides to keep it going."
"I love her like a sister, "I tell her everything." On best friend Jennie Garth
"I mean there's things I'm embarrassed about, but I don't think I'm ever ashamed of anything just because my family tried to teach me, when I was young, that I should never be upset or feel bad about the decisions I make, in my life, and that you learn from them and you move on. So I don't think I can honestly say that I'm ashamed on something. I've been embarrassed about certain things, in my life, but never ashamed. We're all human, you know! We make mistakes, but we learn from them.
"When someone can make me laugh from like the inside out, that's usually when I feel the most happy. And it's usually coming from my boyfriend, my family and my closest friend".
"My first date ever was actually with my very first boyfriend. We ended up being together for quite awhile, four and a half years. But it was actually with his sister who was quite older - a lot older than him, kind of like a guardian and...my mother, that was my first date and we went to the movies. It was really funny because, you know, they were actually saying 'we'll let you sit away from us and we'll sit back' and I'm like 'okay that's gonna be REALLY strange. So why don't you just sit with us and we'll watch the movie and we'll go home."
"I'll never forget that reading; it was an amazing experience. You come into the room and look over and see this amazing genius sitting there, this legend.It was all very exciting, but to this day, I still don't know what the movie is about. That's just how Woody works." On Woody Allen and the film Hollywood Ending
It was so funny cause like the first time they gave me a gun to shoot they were like 'Do you know how to shoot this?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, my dad taught me when I was 17'. And they're like 'What!?' Ya know? So this character is so much like me that it's actually kinda fun you know."
"It's a very sweet, simple story, It is something that has been very close to my heart for a long time. The hardest part was finally saying yes and committing; it was the producing side that was harder for me, trying to find a company we could trust and produce it with us.Everybody remembers you from your last five minutes, and I don't think people took me seriously. Being a woman doesn't help, and having people remember me from the types of shows that I've done doesn't either. But I never like things to come easy, and this wasn't."- On her first producing project Just Pray
"I don't know if I prefer one or the other. I can't really say,they're both really challenging, and they're both really fun."
"Luckily I have a very type-A personality and I'm very observant of my surroundings,I think that's probably because I'm a woman and because I am an actress. I tend to watch what I do, and like any good actor, you constantly watch your surroundings and you listen to your fellow actors. I think that really helped me. Anytime I was on the set as an actress, I was always that girl who sat next to the camera and was like, `What does that do? What does this do?' And for years and years I was like that, but that was just me being curious. Luckily it paid off in the long run."
"It's not uncommon for actors to get involved in the development and production side of the camera. Look at Drew Barrymore and her Flower Films or Sandra Bullock and Fortis Films. The list goes on. Having spent so many years on sets, working with different levels of material and building so many relationships with people, I felt capable and prepared to create a business entity that would allow me to direct and produce while complimenting my acting career. To remain stagnate and only focus on acting would be short sighted. And since I love the business and it's all I've ever known, it was a natural progression to start such a company".
"Since I started out very young, I definitely knew where he was coming from, and I knew his attention span was probably a lot shorter than us adults. I had to play with that and work with that, but he really did give a beautiful performance."
"It was such a perfect day and a perfect weekend. We had such an amazing time with our friends and our family and seriously, not one thing went wrong. We were very blessed to have everything go so beautifully. Every time I think about it, I get giddy." On her wedding to Brady Smith
"We did the killing scene in one day - I was so drained I got back to the hotel and went, 'Masseuse!" - On filming A Killer Among Friends (1992) (TV)
|
Tiffani Amber Thiessen Filmography
|
|
Actress - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) (1980s)
Stroller Wars (2006) (TV) (post-production) .... Lainey
"Fastlane" (2002) TV Series .... Wilhelmina 'Billie' Chambers
Hollywood Ending (2002) .... Sharon Bates
A Christmas Adventure From a Book Called Wisely's Tales (2001) (V) (voice) .... Vixen
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth (2000) (V) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Hagitha 'Hag' Utslay, Empty-V Reporter
The Ladies Man (2000/I) .... Honey DeLune
... aka The Ladies' Man (UK)
Ivans xtc. (2000) .... Marie Stein
... aka Ivans xtc. (To Live and Die in Hollywood) (USA: complete title)
Love Stinks (1999) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Rebecca Melini/Juliette
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999) (V) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Pam
Speedway Junky (1999) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Wilma Price
Buried Secrets (1996) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Annalisse Vellum
Sweet Dreams (1996) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Alison Sullivan
She Fought Alone (1995) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Caitlin Rose
... aka Scared by Love
The Stranger Beside Me (1995) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Jennifer Gallagher
"Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990) TV Series (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Valerie Malone (1994-1998)
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas (1994) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Kelly Kapowski Morris
"Saved by the Bell: The College Years" (1993) TV Series (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Kelly Kapowski
Son in Law (1993) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Tracy
A Killer Among Friends (1992) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Jenny Monroe
... aka Friends to the End (USA)
Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style (1992) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Kelly Kapowski
"Saved by the Bell" (1989) TV Series (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Kelly Kapowski
Filmography as: Actress, Producer, Director, Herself, Archive Footage, Notable TV Guest Appearances
Producer - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)
Just Pray (2005) (co-producer)
Buried Secrets (1996) (TV) (co-producer) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen)
Director - filmography
Just Pray (2005)
Herself - filmography
(2000s) (1990s)
Intimate Portrait: Jennie Garth (2002) (TV) .... Herself
The 28th Annual American Music Awards (2001) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter
Beverly Hills 90210: The E! True Hollywood Story (2001) (TV) .... Herself
Beverly Hills 90210: Our Favorite Moments (1998) (TV) .... Herself
The Greatest Christmas Moments of All Time! (1997) (TV) (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) .... Herself - Hostess
Archive Footage
50 Most Wicked Women of Primetime (2004) (TV) .... Valerie Malone (Beverly Hills, 90210)
Filmography as: Actress, Producer, Director, Herself, Archive Footage, Notable TV Guest Appearances
Notable TV Guest Appearances
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "You Bet Your Relationship" (episode # 2.10) 15 January 2004
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "Looking for Love in All the Wrong Cages" (episode # 2.9) 18 December 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "Her Place or Mine?" (episode # 2.8) 11 December 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "A Kiss Before Lying" (episode # 2.7) 18 November 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "Will You Still Leave Me Tomorrow?" (episode # 2.6) 11 November 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "With Friends Like These, Who Needs Emmys?" (episode # 2.4) 21 October 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "I Second That Promotion" (episode # 2.3) 14 October 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "Good Morning, Manhattan" (episode # 2.2) 7 October 2003
"Good Morning, Miami" playing "Victoria Hill" in episode: "The New Good Morning, Miami" (episode # 2.1) 30 September 2003
"Last Call with Carson Daly" playing "Herself" 19 February 2003
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" playing "Herself" 11 February 2003
"Total Request Live" playing "Herself" 11 February 2003
"Late Show with David Letterman" playing "Herself" 23 April 2002
"Just Shoot Me!" playing "Amy Watson" in episode: "The Impossible Dream" (episode # 6.7) 15 November 2001
"Just Shoot Me!" playing "Amy Watson" in episode: "Finch Chasing Amy" (episode # 6.6) 8 November 2001
"Just Shoot Me!" playing "Amy Watson" in episode: "Maya Judging Amy" (episode # 6.5) 1 November 2001
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "Disco Nights" (episode # 4.7) 17 November 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "A Germ Runs Through It" (episode # 4.5) 3 November 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "15 Minutes of Shame" (episode # 4.3) 20 October 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "The Bear" (episode # 4.1) 6 October 2000
"Beverly Hills, 90210" playing "Valerie Malone" (as Tiffani Theissen) in episode: "Ode to Joy" (episode # 10.27) 17 May 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "El Matrimonio Loco" (episode # 3.24) 26 April 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "The Undercard" (episode # 3.23) 19 April 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "Another Moving Script" (episode # 3.22) 12 April 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "Two Guys, a Girl and a Bachelorette" (episode # 3.20) 29 March 2000
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" playing "Marti" in episode: "War Stories" (episode # 3.19) 22 March 2000
"NewsRadio" playing "Foxy Jackson" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "Assistant" (episode # 5.15) 16 February 1999
"Cupid" playing "Stephanie MacGregor" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "The Children's Hour" (episode # 1.14) 11 February 1999
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" playing "Herself" 25 July 1998
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show" playing "Herself" 30 September 1996
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show" playing "Herself" 13 September 1996
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" playing "Herself" 27 September 1994
"Burke's Law" playing "Andrea Pierce" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "Who Killed Romeo?" (episode # 1.8) 1 April 1994
"The Powers That Be" playing "Barbara" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "The Intern" (episode # 2.5) 28 November 1992
"Blossom" playing "Ricki" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "Driver's Education" (episode # 2.23) 27 April 1992
"Step by Step" playing "Tina Gordon" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "Daddy's Girl" (episode # 1.20) 6 March 1992
"Valerie" playing "Brooke" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "California Dreamin': Part 2" (episode # 6.2) 22 September 1990
"Valerie" playing "Brooke" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "California Dreamin': Part 1" (episode # 6.1) 15 September 1990
"Married... with Children" playing "Heather McCoy" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "What Goes Around Came Around" (episode # 4.18) 25 February 1990
"Charles in Charge" playing "Jennifer" (as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) in episode: "There's a Girl in My Ficus" (episode # 5.5) 1990
