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Jennifer Beals

Jennifer Beals

Actor, also producer · Born December 19, 1963 (62) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress and a former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance, and as Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word. She earned an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination for the former. She has appeared in more than 50 films. Beals was born on the South Side of Chicago, the daughter of Jeanne (née Anderson), an elementary school teacher, and Alfred Beals, who owned grocery stores. She is multiracial; her father was African American, and her mother is Irish American. She has two brothers, Bobby and Gregory.Her father died when Beals was nine years old, and her mother married Edward Cohen in 1981. Beals has said her biracial heritage had some effect on her, as she "always lived sort of on the outside", with an idea "of being the other in society". She got her first job at age 13 at an ice cream store, using her height at the time (she is now nearly 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)), to convince her boss she was 16. Beals was inspired to become an actress by two events: doing a high school production of Fiddler on the Roof and seeing Balm in Gilead with Joan Allen while volunteer-ushering at the Steppenwolf Theatre. Beals graduated from the progressive Francis W. Parker School. She also was chosen to attend the elite Goodman Theatre Young People's Drama Workshop. Beals attended Yale University, receiving a B.A. in American literature in 1987; she deferred a term so she could film Flashdance. While at Yale, Beals was a resident of Morse College. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jennifer Beals, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 19, 1963 (62)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
65 on MovieCove · 88 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What are Jennifer Beals' films like?

Across their 52 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Fantasy movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Thriller movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
29%
Bonds
23%
Morality
16%
Survival
12%
Society
8%
Power
7%
Ideas
4%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 42 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 11 · Dark 14

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 22 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 8

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 19 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 16 · Shifting 21 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 25 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 14 · Engaged 26 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 16 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 13

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

31 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 13 of 31 analyzed roles.

Hero
13 of 31
Shapeshifter
5 of 31
Ally
3 of 31
Herald
3 of 31
Mentor
3 of 31
Threshold guardian
2 of 31
Trickster
2 of 31
Show the 31 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Melancholic
18
Contemplative
14
Warm
11
Romantic
8
Other
51

How their films linger

Hopeful20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet32
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous10

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jennifer Beals' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 39 of their 65 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jennifer Beals' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

88 credits, 65 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • NCIS: New York(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Robyn Wells

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Hello Out There (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Judith

  • Luckiest Girl Alive(2022)

    as Lolo Vincent

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Book of Boba Fett(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · as Garsa Fwip

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Organized Crime(2021)

    Show 5 episodes · as Cassandra Webb

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Sweet Thing(2020)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The L Word: Generation Q(2019)

    Show 28 episodes · Executive Producer · as Bette Porter

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Swamp Thing(2019)

    Show 9 episodes · as Lucilia Cable

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • After(2019)

    as Karen Gibson

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Hollywood, No Sex Please!(2018)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The White Orchid(2018)

    as Vivian

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Before I Fall(2017)

    as Mrs. Kingston

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Taken(2017)

    Show 26 episodes · as Christina Hart

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Manhattan Night(2016)

    Co-Producer · as Lisa Wren

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Full Out(2015)

    as Coach Valorie Kondos-Field

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Proof(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · as Dr. Carolyn Tyler

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • A Wife's Nightmare(2014)

    as Liz

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Night Shift(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Syd Jennings

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Cinemanovels(2013)

    Producer · as Clementine

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Motive(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Sophia Balfour

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Chicago Code(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Teresa Colvin

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • The Night Before the Night Before Christmas(2010)

    as Angela Fox

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • A Night for Dying Tigers(2010)

    as Melanie

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Book of Eli(2010)

    as Claudia

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Queen to Play(2009)

    as L’Américaine

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Castle(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sophia Turner

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Lie to Me(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · as Zoe Landau

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • My Name Is Sarah(2007)

    as Sarah Winston

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Troubled Waters(2006)

    as FBI Agent Beck

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Grudge 2(2006)

    as Trish Kimble

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Desolation Sound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Elizabeth Storey

  • Break a Leg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Juliet

  • Catch That Kid(2004)

    as Molly Phillips

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Best Week Ever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The L Word(2004)

    Show 71 episodes · as Bette Porter

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Runaway Jury(2003)

    as Vanessa Lembeck

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • They Shoot Divas, Don't They?(2002)

    as Sloan McBride

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • 13 Moons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Suzi

  • Roger Dodger(2002)

    as Sophie

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Out of Line(2001)

    as Officer Jenny Capitanas

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Feast of All Saints(2001)

    as Dolly Rose

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Anniversary Party(2001)

    as Gina Taylor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Something More (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Lisa

  • Militia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Julie Sanders

  • Body and Soul(1999)

    as Gina

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • A House Divided (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Amanda Dickson

  • Without Malice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Samantha Wilkes

  • Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying(1999)

    as Jessica

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Wishful Thinking(1997)

    as Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Last Days of Disco(1998)

    as Nina

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Spree(1998)

    as Xinia Kelly

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Prophecy II(1998)

    as Valerie Rosales

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Nothing Sacred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 7 episodes · as Justine Madsen Judd

  • The Hunger(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Jane

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • The Twilight of the Golds(1996)

    as Suzanne Stein

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Four Rooms(1995)

    as Angela

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Let It Be Me(1995)

    as Emily Taylor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Devil in a Blue Dress(1995)

    as Daphne Monet

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Robin Dysart

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Search for One-eye Jimmy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Ellen

  • Dead on Sight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Rebecca Darcy

  • Pulp Fiction(1994)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle(1994)

    as Gertrude Benchley

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Dear Diary(1993)

    as Jennifer Beals

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Thief and the Cobbler(1993)

    as Princess YumYum (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Anne Ranberg

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Night Owl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Julia

  • Le grand pardon II(1992)

    as Joyce Ferranti

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • In the Soup(1992)

    as Angelica Pena

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Indecency(1992)

    as Ellie Shaw

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • 2000 Malibu Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 6 episodes · as Perry Quinn

  • Terror Stalks the Class Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Virginia

  • Blood and Concrete(1991)

    as Mona

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Sofia Archer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • The Madonna and the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Patty Meredith

  • The Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dr. M(1990)

    as Sonja Vogler

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Transvestite

  • Vampire's Kiss(1988)

    as Rachel

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Lady Olivia Candioni

  • Split Decisions(1988)

    as Barbara Uribe

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Bride(1985)

    as Eva

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Cinderella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Cinderella

  • Flashdance(1983)

    as Alex Owens

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Faerie Tale Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Cinderella

  • My Bodyguard(1980)

    as Clifford's Friend (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Joy Will Prevail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Esther Kahn

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 89 titles, 88 of them dated from 1980 to 2026; peak year 1994.

Biggest box office

The Book of Eli (2010)

$157M worldwide

Highest rated

Lie to Me (2009)

Midcredits 91st

Film career

19802026

Peak 1994 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 18 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting87 of 89: 85 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thProducing3 of 89: 1 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 89: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s9 · acting1990s32 · 31 acting · 1 crew2000s23 · acting2010s18 · 18 acting · 2 crew2020s6 · 5 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 9% of 32 roles
8393980313

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jennifer Beals' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 48; across their 42 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Approval · how many liked their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Midcredits score across 65 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th17

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 65 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned3
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed24

Most divisive · actor

My Name Is Sarah (2007)

82nd percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lie to Me (2009)

Midcredits 91st · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 40 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jennifer Beals' work okay for kids?

Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore16 titles23–84 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity23 titles21–66 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity15 titles33–74 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs15 titles29–67 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles29–78 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jennifer Beals work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jennifer Beals' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Campbell Scott shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles