Jami Gertz, known for her roles in The Lost Boys, Twister, Less Than Zero, Crossroads, and Quicksilver, is a celebrated American actress. She has also appeared in various television series, including Square Pegs, Still Standing, and The Neighbors.
In Still Standing, she played half of a Chicago-based working-class couple who try to teach their children good values, even though they have never quite grown beyond their own teenage mentality. The show was a success and lasted for four seasons. Still, Standing also starred Mark Addy, who appeared in the first season of the very popular HBO show Game of Thrones as Robert Baratheon. But in The Neighbors, Jami Gertz played the matriarch of a family that moves to a gated community only to find that their neighbors are all aliens from another planet. Although the show had loyal viewers and was well-received, it was canceled after only two seasons.
She was a very popular and respected actress in the ’80s and ’90s. In recent years, however, she has chosen to focus more on her family life and charities than on her career, although she still most likely appears on our screens from time to time.
Jami Gertz Biography & Age
Jami Beth Gertz was born on October 28, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up with her parents and two brothers – Scott and Michael – in Glenview, a healthy suburb. Her father, Walter Gertz, was a contractor and builder, and her mother was Sharyn Gertz.
Jami is Jewish and grew up with her siblings in a conservative Jewish household.
The young actress attended Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois. After high school, she studied theater at New York University.
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Career
The actress was discovered when Norman Lear, an American television writer, and producer, initiated a nationwide talent search. She was cast at a young age alongside Andrew Dice Clay in an episode of Diff’rent Strokes. Later she had a recurring role as a friend and schoolmate of one of the main characters in The Facts Of Life. Later she was cast in Square Pegs as one of the main cast members – other cast members were Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker.
The Chicago-born actress starred in her first film Endless Love in 1981. Her role was only a little short, but when she was cast as “Girlfriend with Benefits” by Robert Downey Jr. in “Less Than Zero”, her career began to improve. Shortly afterward she appeared as “Half-Vampire” in the 1987 film hit The Lost Boys opposite Jason Patric and Kiefer Sutherland.
In the early 1990s, she took a break from Hollywood and moved to Paris, where she worked as a fragrance designer for Lanvin. When she returned to Los Angeles, she was cast in a supporting but key role in the 1996 disaster movie Twister, opposite Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Other films she starred in included Jersey Girl, Crossroads, Solar Babies, and Listen To Me, which all contributed to a successful career.
She also starred in an episode of Seinfeld as one of Jerry’s friends who worked as a phone sex operator. In 1997, she was cast as Dr. Nina Pomerantz, a recurring character on NBC’s medical show E.R., which was so popular in its heyday that it transformed George Clooney from an unknown actor to a Hollywood A-list. There were also rumors that Jami Gertz was offered the role of Rachel Green (who later went to Jennifer Aniston) in FRIENDS, but she declined the role.
In 2000 she was cast for the role of Kimmy Bishop, a proof of love for Johnny Cage in Ally McBeal. Her role earned her an Emmy nomination as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series.
Some of her later roles include appearances in Undercover Christmas, Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story, Modern Family, A Better Life, and Entourage.
Husband, Family
Many people are not aware of this, but Jami is married to billionaire Antony Ressler. The couple married in 1988 and have three sons – Oliver Jordan Ressler, born in 1992, Nicholas Simon Ressler, born in 1995, and Theo Ressler, born in 1998.
In 2011, Jami and her husband were named “Number One Charity Donor of all Celebrities” by the Giving Back Fund. This is just one proof of their very charitable character.
They currently live in the very exclusive community of Beverly Park, which is also home to several celebrities, including Denzel Washington, Reba McEntire, Samuel L. Jackson, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy, and Magic Johnson.
They also have a vacation home in Malibu, California. They are also members of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles.
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Jami Gertz Net Worth
The exact net worth of Jami Gertz is not known, as her net worth is usually measured together with her husband. In this sense, Jami Gertz and her husband together are worth $2.1 billion. Her husband, Tony Ressler, is an American businessman who founded Apollo management together with his brother-in-law and billionaire Leon Black in 1990. Apollo Management is a highly successful private equity firm that generates the majority of its income.
Ressler also co-founded Ares Management in 1997. Ares Management is also a private equity and investment firm. He is currently the Chairman and CEO and majority owner of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.
Jami and her husband are also members of an investment group that acquired the Major League Baseball franchise Milwaukee Brewers. The group is led by Mark Attanasio, a Los Angeles businessman.
Gertz-Ressler High Academy is named after her and her husband. The school is a member of the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, a California-based non-profit organization that operates charter schools in Los Angeles.
Jami Gertz Height, Weight, Feet And Other Measurements
Full Name: Jami Beth Gertz
Profession: Actress, Producer
Height: 5’5″ (165 cm)
Weight: 153 lbs (69 kg)
Body Shape: Hourglass
Breasts-Waist-Hips: 37-28-38 inches (94-71-97 cm)
Dress size: 10
Shoe & Feet Size: 10
Bra Size: 34C
Race: Caucasian
Nationality: American
