Tiffani Thiessen

Tiffani Thiessen

Tiffani Thiessen (formerly known as Tiffani Amber Thiessen) is an American actress known for her roles as Kelly Kapowski in Saved by the Bell and as Valerie Malone in Beverly Hills, 90210. After many years of going by her full name, She is now credited as simply Tiffani Thiessen.

After a childhood of beauty pageants, Tiffani Thiessen was crowned Miss Junior America in 1987 and won Teen magazine's Great Model Search in 1988, gracing the cover of that issue. A year later, her first big break in show business was her role on the television program Saved By The Bell, which was publicized and given a great deal of fanfare by the same magazine. She portrayed Kelly Kapowski, a role she continued playing in the short lived Saved by the Bell: The College Years. This was very different from her next major role, as a duplicitous vixen, Valerie Malone, on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Tiffani Thiessen later guest-starred in the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl and the short-lived action show Fastlane, as well as guest-starring on Just Shoot Me!. Her transition to film has not gone well so far, as most of her movies have been critically panned. In 2002, She appeared in the film Hollywood Ending directed by Woody Allen.

In 2005, Tiffani Thiessen released a short (21 minute) film She had directed called Just Pray. It placed at several film festivals and was the first major effort from her new production company, Tit 4 Tat Productions.

In January 2007 Tiffani Thiessen joined the cast of ABC's relationship drama What About Brian, playing the boss of Brian, and a potential love interest for Adam. However, in May 2007 ABC officially canceled the series.

During her Saved By The Bell and Beverly Hills, 90210 career Tiffani Thiessen dated her co-stars Mark Paul Gosselaar and actor Brian Austin Green for about 7 years.

In March of 1999, Tiffani Thiessen's then-boyfriend, actor David Strickland, committed suicide. From October 2001 to April 2003, She was engaged to actor Richard Ruccolo, whom she had met during the Two Guys and a Girl run. On July 9, 2005, she married actor Brady Smith in Montecito, California.

Tiffani Thiessen is a part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. In February 2006, She accepted an invitation to serve on the National Advisory Council for the organization.