Phoebe Cates

Birthday: 16 July 1963, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name: Phoebe Belle Cates

Height: 170 cm

Phoebe Belle Cates was born on July 16, 1963 in New York City, New York, and raised there. She is the daughter of Lily and Joseph Cates, who was a Broadway producer and television pioneer. Her uncle was director/producer Gilbert Cates. Phoebe is of Russian Jewish, and one quarter Chinese, descent. She studied at Miss Hewitt's school and at the Professional Children's School in New York City. She took classes at Juilliard when she was ten-years-old for three and a half years until a knee injury forced her to stop. Phoebe had been a busy New York model starting at the age of fourteen. She's since been featured on the covers of four Seventeens, two Elle covers, a British Vogue, and Andy Warhol's Interview, as well as in numerous layouts in other magazines. She actively pursued her modeling career, until she met her film agent at a party at New York's Studio 54. She trains with Robert Ravan, founder of The Actors' Circle in New York. Previously she studied with Alice Spivack of the H.B. Studios. Cates made her motion picture debut as Sarah in Paradise (1982) in the same year she starred as Jennifer Jason Leigh's "experienced" confidante in Amy Heckerling's acclaimed Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Cates then landed the role of "Christine Ramsey" in Private School (1983), then co-starred in the innovative Gremlins (1984) for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, directed by Joe Dante. Cates has remained active in theatre, as well. After making her New York debut in Joseph Papp's Off-Broadway production of "The Nest of the Wood Grouse" in 1984, she followed with David Henry Hwang's "Rich Relations" at The Second Stage and a one-act festival at the Manhattan Punchline. On the West Coast, Cates played "Nina" in the La Jolla Playhouse production of Anton Chekhov's "The Sea Gull" and has since appeared in "Much Ado About Nothing" at New York's Public Theatre, and as "Juliet" in Chicago's Goodman Theatre production of "Romeo and Juliet".Since 1989, Cates has been married to actor Kevin Kline, with whom she has two children. Hide

In this business, if a girl wants a career, she has to be willing to strip. If you've got a good bod Show more In this business, if a girl wants a career, she has to be willing to strip. If you've got a good bod, then why not show it? Hide

If the film, play or any project I'm involved in requires some sort of violence or nudity to advance Show more If the film, play or any project I'm involved in requires some sort of violence or nudity to advance the plot, scene or character in any way, then I would be considered unprofessional not to oblige. Of course, I want to make sure -- and I think I always have -- that the scenes are shot in good taste. I try to have some control; now that I know what I'm capable of including in a contract, I can continue that control. Nudity is not something I necessarily want to avoid and yet it's not the most fun thing in the world to do. It's part of the job as far as I'm concerned because you bare yourself emotionally and that's just as terrifying as baring yourself physically. It's all part of acting. Hide

Kids today are much more independent than their parents were. We're really into getting jobs and we Show more Kids today are much more independent than their parents were. We're really into getting jobs and we mature sexually much earlier than a generation ago. Or, at least, we are involved in sex earlier. Hide

"I was only 17 when I did my nude scenes in Paradise (1982). They were serious and more difficult be Show more "I was only 17 when I did my nude scenes in Paradise (1982). They were serious and more difficult because they were not easily justified. But the topless scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) was funny, which made it easy". Hide

Young people are more sophisticated today, thanks to magazines and movies and even porno cable telev Show more Young people are more sophisticated today, thanks to magazines and movies and even porno cable television. As a New Yorker I think I've matured faster than other young people. I'm street smart. Hide

Phoebe Cates's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (29)

Shag (1988)

Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies

Youre Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush

Sesame Street - Season 2

Sesame Street - Season 1

Paradise

Sesame Street - Season 49

Sesame Street - Season 47

Sesame Street - Season 3

I Love You To Death