Bess Motta is a multifaceted American personality who has made a lasting impact in the entertainment industry. Born on February 10, 1958, in Burbank, California, to Eric, a scientist, and Rita, an operetta singer, she was raised in Woodland Hills, California.
As a pre-teen, Bess was a competitive ice skater, and at the age of 13, she began studying drama with Austrian actor Francis Lederer. She attended William Howard Taft High School, where she starred in multiple theater productions and was also active in summer productions and drama competitions alongside fellow San Fernando Valley actors Mare Winningham, Val Kilmer, and Kevin Spacey.
At the age of 18, Bess was cast in the San Francisco production of "The Great American Backstage Musical". Her impressive performance caught the attention of British actor Anthony Andrews, who decided to produce the show in London and brought her over as the sole American in the show. After returning from England, Bess became fascinated with aerobics and leveraged her dance and musical background to become one of the most popular instructors in Brentwood, California.
Her success as an instructor led to her being cast in the exercise show :20 Minute Workout (1983),which was filmed entirely in Toronto, Canada. Bess is often credited with putting TV aerobics on the map, and although the show only ran for two seasons, it remained in international syndication for over 10 years.
In 1984, Bess was cast as Sarah Connor's roommate Ginger Ventura in James Cameron's classic film The Terminator, in which she performed her own stunts. She continued to work in theater throughout her career, performing in various Los Angeles productions, including Charles Busch's "Psycho Beach Party".
In an interview with the Terminator Fans website in August 2010, Bess confirmed that she has attended the occasional Comic-Con convention (Burbank and Chicago). Currently, she continues to act as a voice-over artist, leaving a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry.
