Who Played Becky Gelke On Seinfeld?
For many fans, it's not only fun to go back and watch old seasons of "Seinfeld" because the show's hilariously entertaining, but also to see the plethora of guest star appearances by actors who weren't quite well known back when the episode originally aired. Actors such as Courteney Cox, Bryan Cranston, and Bob Odenkirk all popped up on the hit NBC series before they became highly recognizable names. Sometimes when looking back at all the episodes, however, you may spot a guest appearance of an actor that you can't quite place. You may have experienced one of these moments when watching Season 3, Episode 19, "The Good Samaritan."
The episode kicks off with Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Jerry (Seinfeld) in a car together, seeing another driver crash into a parked car and then speed off. Following Elaine's orders, Jerry pursues the hit-and-run driver, resulting in a confrontation. However, Jerry's attempt to be the hero gets immediately sidetracked when he realizes this reckless driver is attractive and he ends up asking her out. In true "Seinfeld" form, the plot thickens when Jerry discovers the wrecked car belongs to Becky Gelke, a woman who lives across the street whom he's had a crush on. That woman was played by Helen Slater and if you think you've seen her before, there's a good chance you have.
She was the original Supergirl
In 1978, "Superman" was released in theaters and its success seemed to forever change big-screen comic book adaptations forever. The genre went from campy comedy to realistic, well-written films that were full of known actors. The original movie and two successful sequels led to the studio attempting to flip the gender coin in hopes to kick off a new franchise with 1984's "Supergirl." Helen Slater, who had only a couple of minor credits on her mostly barren résumé at that point, was cast as Linda Lee, aka Supergirl. The film was to expand the exponentially growing universe of the caped Krypton native, with Slater seemingly getting the role of a lifetime.
The opening sequence of the film somewhat parallels the original "Superman" with the hero's cousin, Kara Zor-El, racing to Earth after a powerful artifact, the Omegahedron, has been lost there. Much like Superman's origin story, the sun acts as a power amplifier, turning Slater's Kara Zor-El into Supergirl. The Omegahedron ends up in the hands of the power-hungry Selena (Faye Dunaway), setting up the typical superhero versus insane villain scenario. The film was considered a bomb at the box office and was crushed by critics. However, Slater's performance stood out and propelled her toward a successful career.
She led a nationwide teenage rebellion
After hanging up her red cape, Slater took no time flying into her next starring role in 1985's "The Legend of Billie Jean." Looking back at this film, it's hard not to zero in solely on the fact that it was Christian Slater's big-screen debut, as he played the younger brother of the title character (and no, the two Slaters are not related). But you shouldn't overlook the performance Helen Slater put forth as she took on this Joan of Arc-type story which focuses on a teenager who suddenly becomes the symbol of a nationwide youth movement. And it all starts with the simple act of an older sister trying to protect her brother from a bunch of local bullies.
After Billie Jean's brother, Binx (Christian Slater), has his scooter stolen by a group of town hooligans, Helen's character confronts the leader, looking to make things right. The altercation escalates to a point where the bad guy gets shot and Billie Jean and her brother find themselves on the run. From there, these young fugitives' story spreads like wildfire, turning Billie Jean into a teenage symbol of justice and leadership. Paralleling the plot of the movie, fans seem to enjoy the film more than the critics did.
Slater drove cattle and slept under the stars
From there, Slater's career continued to roll as she costarred in films like "Ruthless People" and "The Secret of My Success," before becoming a part of one of the most iconic comedy films of the '90s. She played the role of Bonnie Rayburn in the hit movie, "City Slickers," which stars Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, and Jack Palance — who snagged an Oscar for the role of Curly. The movie follows Mitch (Crystal), who joins his buddies on a "live out your fantasy" type trip, driving cattle from one ranch to another as if they are real cowboys.
Amongst this tourist cattle drive are other guests, one of whom is Bonnie, who has been stood up by a friend and is now attempting to enjoy the trip solo. Her character represents an enticing obstacle for Mitch who is mainly there to deal with his midlife crisis. Slater plays her character neutral, giving Crystal's Mitch a subtle opportunity to pursue her romantically, something that ends up never happening. However, Bonnie doesn't truly experience any type of rejection as she ends up agreeing to go on a date with Mitch's buddy, Phil (Stern). The film was a huge success and spawned a sequel that Slater wasn't involved in.
Back to where it all started
For many people, there comes a time when the only way to move forward is to revisit your roots, and in a way that's exactly what Slater did when she joined the cast of The CW TV series, "Supergirl." However, this time Slater doesn't don the red cape as she plays Eliza Danvers, the adoptive mother of the series' star, Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist). Slater's character, who is a brilliant scientist, popped up multiple times over the show's six-season run. And with an understanding of and direct connection to Superman, himself, Eliza believes that Kara would be safest staying with her, bringing her into the family.
Slater's character soon comes to realize that protecting Kara isn't going to be easy or safe. Life becomes much more dangerous and complicated when Eliza and her husband meet Hank Henshaw (David Harewood) of the D.E.O. who wants to turn Kara into a tool of their organization since Superman refused to do so. Being as motherly as she is, Eliza rejects this offer, wanting Kara to experience family life while she's still young. This rejection appears to result in Eliza's husband being murdered and the catalyst to the ongoing clash between good and evil that Supergirl eventually faces. Slater's run on the show ended with the series finale that aired back in 2021.