If a star wanted to make a splash in the '90s—in more ways than one—appearing on Baywatch was one way to do it. When Carmen Electra joined the series as Lani McKenzie for a season in 1997, it became her breakout role. This, combined with modeling for magazines including Playboy, made her one of the biggest sex symbols of the '90s. Her high-profile relationship with NBA player Dennis Rodman also made its fair share of headlines.
Today, it's been around 25 years since Electra came to fame, and while she's not acting quite as much as she once did, she still remains active in the entertainment world. She also just celebrated a milestone birthday, turning 50 on April 20 and sharing her celebrations with her fans on social media. Read on to find out more about Electra today.
RELATED: See '80s Supermodel Kathy Ireland Now at 58.
She's continued acting, mostly on TV.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesWhen it comes to her acting career, in addition to her Baywatch role, Electra starred in several parody movies, including the Scary Movie franchise, which began in 2000. She's also been in Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, and Date Movie. The actor also appeared in the movies Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Starsky & Hutch, and Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding.
More recently, Electra has appeared on a few TV series. She was in episodes of Franklin & Bash and Jane the Virgin, and her latest role was in a 2018 episode of Alone Together.
She's also been a host and reality TV star.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesElectra has hosted a few reality competition shows during her career, including Singled Out, Dance Fever, and Ex Isle, and has been a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, Britain's Got Talent, and So You Think You Can Dance. As a competitor herself, she appeared on Worst Cooks in America in 2017, and in the early 2000s, she had a reality show with her then-husband Dave Navarro, titled 'Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave.
RELATED: For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
She took part in an acclaimed documentary.
Michael Tran/FilmMagic via Getty ImagesElectra returned to the public eye in a big way in 2020 when she appeared in the critically acclaimed documentary, The Last Dance, about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the '90s. Electra was interviewed in regards to Rodman, who she dated during his time on the team and who she was married to from 1998 to 1999. "Seeing Dennis back on the court brought tears to my eyes,” she told The Los Angeles Times of watching the documentary.
She just celebrated a big birthday.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty ImagesOn April 20, Electra celebrated her 50th birthday. She shared her Palm Springs celebration on her Instagram account in a video of the AirBnB where she was staying, which was decorated with balloons and flowers. She wrote over the video, "Thank you all for your birthday wishes." The day before her birthday, she also posted a video of herself from last year's birthday and wrote, "It’s almost that time again #birthday #tangerine #bikini."
RELATED: She Played Jill on Home Improvement. See Patricia Richardson Now at 71.
