The Complicated Life of Teen Sitcom Star Turned Film Actress Elizabeth Berkley

After Saved by the Bell, Berkley wanted to be seen as more than Jessie Spano. The character had made her recognizable, but Jessie’s “good girl” image also came with limits. Berkley was no longer a teen sitcom regular, and she wanted roles that felt older, riskier, and more serious.

That meant making a deliberate break from the world of Bayside High. Like many young actors from hit teen shows, she faced the challenge of proving she could play someone completely different. Her next major opportunity seemed to offer exactly that kind of change.