Babylon 5

Background:

Actress, writer, musician and singer Claudia Christian is most well-known for her four-year stint as Commander Susan Ivanova on the Warner Bros. syndicated internationally recognized top cult sci-fi series “Babylon 5” (1994-1998), in which she was handed two Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films nominations. Previously, the multi-talented performer was best recalled for her movie roles as a stripper possessed by an alien serial killer in the enormously popular cult classic The Hidden (1987) and as model Hexina in Columbia’s comedy Hexed (1993). Christian’s admirers recently could see her in the box office film Half Past Dead (2002), opposite Steven Seagal. Currently, the good-looking player completed the new British Sci-Fi series “Starhyke” (2006), where she portrayed the lead role and also helmed some episodes.

In addition to acting, Christian has developed passions for writing and music. She has written a series of children’s books named “The Misadventures of Miss Emma Bradford” and released her first novel, “Baptism of Fire,” based on the Emmy and Hugo award winning series she starred in for five years, “Babylon 5,” in October 2006. As a singer-musician, Christian has made five albums with acts like the John Lennon Song Writing Award-winning band Bubble to her “Babylon 5” costar Bill Mumy. Among her albums are Taboo, Claudia Squared, Once Upon a Time and Area 51.

As for her private life, the 5’ 10” tall beauty is now a single. She was formerly married to Gary DeVore. A California native, Christian is currently happily living in the United Kingdom.


Multi-Languages

Childhood and Family:

Claudia Ann Christian was born on August 10, 1965 in Glendale, California. Soon afterwards, her family relocated to Connecticut, where Claudia was raised, and moved back to California when Claudia was 15 years old. As a child, Claudia became interested in acting after a performance as a Native America in a school play. She later won a drama scholarship and then headed to Los Angeles to become an actress.

Claudia was once married to Gary DeVore, but the marriage ended in divorce. She is the granddaughter of a surgeon and has three older brothers who are veterinarians and engineers. When not acting, she likes reading historical fiction, listening to opera, writing both children’s stories and dance music, painting, playing the piano, collecting antiques, cooking, hosting dinner parties as well as extreme sports. She speaks five languages, including French, Italian and German.


Hexed

Career:

Raven-haired Claudia Christian got her start working in a coffee house and then at a clothing store for two years before making her acting debut with a guest role on the CBS soap “Dallas” in 1984. A year later, she secured a regular role in the NBC short-lived series “Berrenger’s,” playing Melody Hughes, and starred opposite Sam Elliott in the Western made-for-television movie Houston: The Legend of Texas (1986), as Eliza Allen. Still in 1986, she landed her next regular role, this time playing Laurie Blacke in the series “Blacke’s Magic,” which earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography. Unfortunately, the drama only lasted for 13 episodes.

Following a string of other TV assignments, including a guest appearance in an episode of the brief sci-fi series “Outlaws” (1987), Christian landed her first film role as Brenda Lee Van Buren, an exotic dancer possessed by an alien serial killer in director Jack Sholder’s The Hidden (1987). Costarring Kyle MacLachlan and Michael Nouri, the action/horror movie was a hit. The success of the film won Christian some attention. She recalled, “I still get recognized from that film! It was very popular with frat boys and video fanatics who all feel that the film was way before it’s time.”

Christian followed later that same year with a notable gig as part of the fine ensemble of Clean and Sober (1988), including Morgan Freeman and Michael Keaton. But, the busy actress did not gather eulogize until director Alan Spencer cast her as Hexina, a formerly overweight fashion model whose long-ago act of arson killed 32 people, in the black comedy Hexed (1993), opposite Arye Gross.

A year later, Christian got her television big break when she landed the starring role of Commander Susan Ivanov in the Warner Bros. syndicated sci-fi series “Babylon 5.” It has grown a huge European following and twice netted the Hugo award for best science fiction television series. As for Christian, she received Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films nominations for Best Actress in 1997 and in 1999. After four years, Christian departed the show because she was fired by the producers. But, according to series creator J. Michael Straczynski, she left the show due to a contract dispute.

While working on the show, she kept on busy pursuing other projects, most notably playing Renate Muller in writer-director Phillipe Mora’s Snide and Prejudice (1997), the story of Hitler’s rise as acted out by the prisoners of a Tony refuge, and starring along side Jeff Yagher in the USA Network movie A Wing and a Prayer (1998). 1999 saw Christian play roles in films the Canadian-made Running Home, The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All (TV), Final Voyage, and The Haunting of Hell House, opposite Michael York.

Entering the new millennium, Christian appeared as Elaine Kilgore in True Rights (2000), a scorn documentary about ‘shock’ television, and provided the voice of Helga Sinclair in the Disney animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). Then in 2002, she portrayed Special Agent Ellen Williams in the blockbuster action-crime feature Half Past Dead, starring Steven Seagal. Additionally, she used her voice to bring the character Princess Leia to life in the animated feature Darth Vader’s Psychic Hotline (2002), guest starred in two episodes of “NYPD Blue” (2002), acted in the short Hot Rush (2002) and was featured along side Ashley Johnson and Chad Lindberg in the comedy/romance film The Failures (2003).

In 2004, Christian made her return to live stage by starring in the U.S premiered of Michael Weller’s play “What the Night Is For,” opposite Kip Gilman and helmed by Richard Stein, at the Laguna Playhouse. The same year, she played Amy Martin, a beautiful married woman who is neglected by her workaholic doctor husband, Jerry (Corbin Bernsen) in the crime/thriller film Quiet Kill, directed by Mark Jones. The next year, she did voice-over work for the animated film Geppetto’s Secret, as Blue Fairy, and played a role in the horror feature The Garden.

Soon after a move to London that same year, Christian starred as Julia Regan in the BBC comedy “Broken News” (2005-2006). In August 2006, she was planned to appear in a production of “Killing Time” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. She is also set to play Captain Belinda Blowhard in the British science-fiction series “Starhyke” (2006), in which she also directed several episodes.


Awards:
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