Betsy Russell is a talented actress, born in San Diego, California, best known for her iconic role as "Jill Tuck" in the "Saw" film series. She was born into a family of educators, with her father, Richard Russell, being a renowned economist and her grandfather, Max Lerner, an author and syndicated columnist. With such a strong academic background, it's no surprise that Russell set the bar high for herself and pursued a career in acting.
At just 16 years old, Russell landed her first real gig in the business, a Pepsi commercial in her hometown of San Diego. This sparked a fire within her, and she immediately moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time. Her first TV role was on the series "The Powers of Matthew Star" in 1982, with just one line. After that, TV roles began to pour in, until she landed an audition for the cult classic "Private School" in 1983.
The film launched Russell into Hollywood stardom, and she quickly became known as the "it-girl" of the 80s. Her scene riding a horse topless in slow motion made her an iconic figure of the decade. She continued to work steadily in film, starring in such films as "Tomboy," "Avenging Angel," and "Cheerleader Camp," and did guest-starring roles in top-rated television series like "The A-Team," "T.J. Hooker," and "Family Ties."
At the height of her career, Russell met actor and tennis star Vincent Van Patten at The Playboy Mansion, where she visited frequently as her grandfather was a close friend of Hugh Hefner. The two married in 1989 and had two beautiful boys. She decided to take a hiatus from acting to focus on her family and raising her children.
After her divorce from Van Patten in 2001, Russell moved to Malibu, California, to continue raising her family. Soon after her divorce, she received a call from "Saw" producer Mark Burg about an upcoming role in the series. Russell jumped at the opportunity to work in one of the biggest horror franchises in the history of film, and returned to the screen starring as "Jill Tuck" in Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' "Saw" film series.
In addition to her acting career, Russell is an avid writer, has a huge passion for various charities, holds a real-estate license, and is a certified hypnotist. While she continues to love acting, she considers "Spiritual Psychology" and life coaching her other passion. She completed a three-year Masters program at The University of Santa Monica in this field, with an emphasis on consciousness health and healing, and hopes to help others with healing their issues and learning communication skills.
