Betsy Russell (born Elizabeth Russell; September 6, 1963) is an American actress who is best known for her roles in Private School (1983), Tomboy (1985), and as Jill Tuck, one of the primary characters of the Saw film series from 2006 to 2010.
Early life
Russell was born in San Diego, California, on September 6, 1963,[1][2] the daughter of Constance (née Lerner) and Richard Lion Russell, a stock analyst. Russell was the granddaughter of journalist and educator Max Lerner.[3] Her father and maternal grandfather were Jewish.[2] Russell attended Mission Bay High School and graduated in 1981.[4] While in high school, she appeared in a Pepsi commercial that was taped locally.[5]
Russell's first role was in the 1982 film Let's Do It!.[6] That same year, she landed roles on T. J. Hooker, Family Ties, and The Powers of Matthew Star. In 1983, Russell's breakout role came as Jordan Leigh-Jensen in the sex comedyPrivate School. While shooting the action film Avenging Angel, she was offered to audition for the 1985 film Silverado but turned it down. She said in an interview, "Everything happens for a reason. I always believe my career would have been different had I done that part. I can't say if it would have been better or worse. I've had a great run."[3]
In August 1988, Russell became engaged to actor Vincent Van Patten and they married nine months later, on May 27, 1989, in North Hollywood. The wedding reception was at Van Patten's father's Sherman Oaks home.[11] They have two sons and divorced in 2001.[12][13] Russell was previously engaged to film producer Mark Burg.[14] As of 2010[update], Russell resided in Malibu, California. She has completed a masters program in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica and is a certified hypnotist and life coach.[13][7]
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