Vanessa Madeline Angel born 10 November 1966 is an English actress and former model. She played the role of Lisa on the television series Weird Science. She is also known for her role as Claudia in the film Kingpin.
Early life
Angel, who has said this is her birth name and not a stage name, was born 10 November 1966 in London, the daughter of Elizabeth and Peter Angel, a stockbroker. She was discovered by a model-management agent in a London cafe as a teenager. At 16, she was signed by Ford Models and moved to New York City. During her modelling stint, Angel appeared on the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She was also contracted as the Diet Pepsi Girl.
Career
Angel’s first film role was in the 1985 American comedy, Spies Like Us, in which she played a soldier in the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces who sleeps with Dan Aykroyd’s character; she also appears in the accompanying Paul McCartney video. In 1990, she appeared in a small role in the film King of New York. Angel continued to appear in films throughout the early 1990s. After a leading guest-spot on TV’s The Equalizer, she played the recurring roles of Megan on Baywatch and Detective Peggy Elliott on Reasonable Doubts. She guest-starred in two episodes of Melrose Place, playing what she described as “this crazy, drugged out, bisexual supermodel who kissed Daphne Zuniga!”
From 1994 to 1998, she starred in the television series Weird Science as Lisa, the computer-generated genie role originated by Kelly LeBrock in the 1985 film upon which the series is based. In 1995, Angel was cast in the role of Xena, a guest spot on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but due to an illness was unable to take the role, which eventually went to Lucy Lawless.
During the series run of Weird Science, Angel landed the female lead in the Farrelly brothers film, Kingpin. She played roles in Kissing a Fool with David Schwimmer, followed by a role in the 1999 film, Made Men. In 2004, she appeared in SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2, as Scott Baio’s wife. Angel has also had roles in the Sci-Fi Pictures Original telefilm Sabretooth (2002) and The Perfect Score (2004).
In 2000, she guest starred in three episodes of the Sci-Fi Channel’s Stargate SG-1, playing Anise, a Tok’ra archaeologist/scientist whose host is named Freya. Her first appearance is in the season-four episode Upgrades, and she appeared in the two following episodes, Crossroads and Divide and Conquer. In 2005, Angel played herself in the season-two episode of Entourage entitled I Love You Too. In 2007, she completed the independent film Blind Ambition, and later appeared in the Farrellys’ Hall Pass. She played a guest role as Alison in the fifth season of Californication.
Angel started a clothing line in 2009, VANE LA.
On 15 October 2014 Angel appeared on Ken Reid’s podcast TV Guidance Counselor.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Spies Like Us | Russian Rocket Crewperson | |
| 1989 | Another Chance | Jackie Johanson | |
| 1990 | King of New York | ‘British Female’ bodyguard of Frank White. | |
| 1991 | Killer Instinct | Deborah Walker | |
| 1993 | The Cover Girl Murders | Rachel | |
| 1994 | Sleep with Me | Marianne | |
| 1994 | Cityscrapes: Los Angeles | Trouble | |
| 1996 | Kingpin | Claudia | |
| 1998 | Kissing a Fool | Natasha | |
| 1999 | Made Men | Debra | |
| 2000 | Enemies of Laughter | Jennifer | |
| 2000 | G-Men from Hell | Gloria Lake | |
| 2001 | Camouflage | Cindy Davies | |
| 2001 | Firetrap | Beth Hooper | |
| 2004 | The Perfect Score | Anita Donlee | |
| 2004 | Out for Blood | Susan Hastings | Video |
| 2004 | Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 | Jean Bobbins | |
| 2005 | Raging Sharks | Linda Olsen | Video |
| 2005 | The Good Humor Man | Ms. Barlass | |
| 2005 | Popstar | Diane | |
| 2006 | Monster Night | Claire Ackerman | Video |
| 2008 | Blind Ambition | Autumn milestone | |
| 2009 | Endless Bummer | Brenda | |
| 2011 | Hall Pass | Missy Frankinopoulos | |
| 2011 | Cougar Hunting | Ursula | |
| 2013 | Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft | Ms. Keegan | |
| 2013 | National Lampoon Presents: Surf Party | Brenda | |
| 2015 | Lockhart | Lilith | |
| 2015 | Lycan | Prof. Anderson | |
| 2015 | Trouble Sleeping | Vanessa | video |
| 2018 | Behind the Walls | Kathy Harper |
Television and web
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Equalizer | Christine Hayes | “Video Games” |
| 1991 | Baywatch | Megan | “The One That Got Away”, “The Trophy: Parts 1 & 2” |
| 1992 | On the Air | Chorus Girl | “The Lester Guy Show” |
| 1992 | Raven | Flight Attendant | “The Unseen Enemy” |
| 1992 | Lady Boss | Christie | TV miniseries |
| 1992–1993 | Reasonable Doubts | Det. Peggy Elliott | Recurring role |
| 1993 | Melrose Place | Karen | “Carpe Diem”, “State of Need” |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Kathryn Scofield | “The Phantom Killer” |
| 1993 | The Cover Girl Murders | Rachel | TV film |
| 1994 | Time Trax | Jane Hawkins | “The Gravity of It All” |
| 1994–1998 | Weird Science | Lisa / Various | Main role |
| 1997 | Veronica’s Closet | Suzanne | “Veronica’s Best Buddy”, “Veronica’s a Doll” |
| 2000 | Partners | Angel | TV film |
| 2000 | Stargate SG-1 | Anise / Freya | “Upgrades”, “Crossroads”, “Divide and Conquer” |
| 2002 | Sabretooth | Catherine Viciy | TV film |
| 2003 | The Division | Mary Turner | “Body Double” |
| 2004 | Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys | Erica Sharpe | TV film |
| 2005 | Criminal Intent | Susan Grace | TV film |
| 2005 | Entourage | Vanessa Angel | “I Love You Too” |
| 2007 | Planet Raptor | Dr. Anna Rogers | TV film |
| 2009 | Saving Grace | Pauline Hoover | “The Heart of a Cop” |
| 2011 | Christmas Spirit | Hope | TV film |
| 2012 | Californication | Alison | “The Way of the Fist” |
| 2014 | Hello Ladies: The Movie | McCadams | TV film |
| 2016 | My Summer Prince | Queen Rosalind | TV film |
| 2019 | Crown Lake | Dr. Lewis | Web series |