Phoebe Cates starred in many movies, such as “Gremlins” and “Drop Dead Fred,” but she is best known for her famous pool scene in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” from 1982.
However, Phoebe Cates left Hollywood more than 20 years ago. Nowadays, she has a regular job that she really enjoys.
Phoebe Belle Cates was born on July 16, 1963, in New York City. When she was a young girl, she went to private schools and studied ballet at Juilliard.
Acting was a big part of Phoebe’s family. Her father, Joe Cates, was a producer and director, her uncle was the president of the Director’s Guild, her brother used to be an actor, and her sister, Valerie, worked in theater.
Phoebe wanted to be a dancer when she was younger, but she had to stop after a knee injury.
At 14, Phoebe Cates started modeling and did pretty well. She was even on the cover of Seventeen magazine four times. But she didn’t really enjoy it and wanted to try something new.
“It was just the same thing, over and over. After a while, I did it solely for the money,” Phoebe said about her short modeling career.
One night, at a party at New York’s famous Studio 54, she met her film agent. After that, she trained with Robert Ravan, who founded The Actors’ Circle in New York.
“I just knew that I didn’t want to go to college. I thought if I could get a few movie roles, it would be a great way to avoid college. Seriously, it’s true,” Phoebe told The Daily Item in 1985.
Phoebe also trained with Alice Spivack at the H.B. Studios. She made her acting debut in 1982, playing Sarah in “Paradise.” Less than a year later, she starred in “Experienced” and then “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” which featured the famous swimming pool scene.
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” was a big hit with teenagers and became an important part of pop culture. It’s especially famous for one scene that Rolling Stone magazine called “the most memorable bikini-drop in cinema history.”
As a friend of mine said, that scene made a lot of teenage boys’ hearts beat faster than they should have!
In 1982, Phoebe shared her thoughts on acting. “In this business, if a girl wants a career, she has to be willing to strip. If you’ve got a good body, then why not show it?” she said.
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” had an impressive cast, including future stars like Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stoltz, and Forest Whitaker.
Jennifer Jason Leigh reflected on the film, saying, “Well, it was a funny thing because we were all so young when we made it. Then it came out and was this big hit. You’d go to the theater, and people would say the lines along with it. People had obviously seen the movie over and over again,” she told The Daily News.
Later on, Phoebe continued working in theater and starred in “Private School” as Christine Ramsey in 1983. She also co-starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Gremlins” in 1984.
Phoebe met Kevin Kline, a well-known theater actor, while auditioning for the 1983 film “The Big Chill.” Although she didn’t get the role, she did meet her future husband.
Kevin was 16 years older than Phoebe, but they didn’t start dating until two years after they first met. Kevin hired Phoebe’s former assistant and asked for help to ask Phoebe out.
In 1989, Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline got married in New York City when she was 25 and he was 41. They had their first child, Owen Joseph, in 1991 and their daughter, Greta Simone, in 1994.
By 2017, the couple had been married for 27 years, and many people wondered how they stayed so happy together for so long. “We take care of the marriage,” Kline said.
Although Phoebe was successful, she decided to step away from acting after having their children. In the 1990s, she gradually left the entertainment industry.
In 1998, Phoebe told Playboy that she and her husband had agreed to alternate their acting jobs so that their children would always have one parent at home.
Kevin Kline mentioned that even when it was Phoebe Cates’ turn to work, she often chose to stay home with their children. Although she did some acting occasionally, she was more often seen with her husband at red-carpet events, as he continued acting regularly.
In 2005, Phoebe opened a store called Blue Tree near Carnegie Hall. The store sells fragrances, clothing, and gifts.
Phoebe dedicated herself to running the store full-time, often working there personally or searching for new products to sell. Today, you can visit her store at 1283 Madison Avenue in New York City, located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where she also lives.
And just so you know, Phoebe still looks amazing!
What do you think of when you hear Phoebe Cates’ name? I always thought she was a pretty good actress, but the first things that come to mind are her shower scene in the cave in “Paradise” and the bikini scene in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”
My 18th Birthday Surprise for My Stepmom Left Her Speechless
My 18th birthday was a day I will always remember, not just because it marked my official move into adulthood, but also because it was the day I planned to reveal a surprise for my stepmom — one that I hoped would change her life in a way she never expected.
Have you ever felt like life is one long, unscripted play, where every moment could either break you or make you stronger? My life has been a bit like that.
Navigating through the tough times of loss and new beginnings, I found myself faced with a decision that could either be a heartwarming moment or a big surprise gone wrong.
My name is Sarah, and this is the story of how my entry into adulthood became unforgettable for an unexpected reason.
When my mom passed away when I was just 11, life felt like a never-ending storm. My dad, lost in his own sadness, found hope in a new woman and eventually remarried.
That’s how my stepmom, Olivia, came into my life. She became much more than just a new person in the house; she was a great source of support and love when I needed it.
At first, I wasn’t ready for her. I was too angry and wrapped up in my grief to see her for who she was. I remember the day she moved in — I stayed locked in my room, listening to her unpack, refusing to acknowledge that she was now part of our lives.
I thought, how could my dad move on so quickly? How could he bring someone new into our home?
But Olivia never forced her way in. She gave me space and waited patiently until I was ready to talk. One night, I had a nightmare about my mom. I woke up crying, drenched in sweat. Olivia heard me from the hallway and quietly opened my door.
“Sarah, sweetie, it’s okay. You’re safe,” she whispered, sitting beside me and rubbing my back gently. I didn’t push her away. For the first time, I let her comfort me, and as she held me, I felt a small warmth amid the grief.
Just like that, Olivia and I became close. She never tried to replace my mom but filled our home with a light I thought we had lost forever. “I’m here for you, always,” she’d tell me, her words soothing my aching heart.
But life had another surprise waiting. When we lost my dad, the silence in our home was heavy. I remember sitting in the dim living room, filled with fear and uncertainty.
“I can’t imagine how hard this is for you,” Olivia said softly. “But I want you to know I’m here for you. We’re family, no matter what.”
Her words were a lifeline in my sadness. “But everyone’s saying you’ll leave… go back to your family,” I said, struggling to hold back tears. “Will I…will I go to an orphanage?”
It wasn’t just my fear of losing her. I had heard people whispering at the funeral, speculating about how Olivia would leave now that my dad was gone. The thought terrified me. I didn’t want to be alone again.
“No, sweetie. You’re not going anywhere, and neither am I. Look at me,” she said, holding my hand in the dark. She cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “We’ll get through this together.”
For a moment, the heaviness in my chest lifted. Olivia had always been my steady anchor. She stayed by my side through every family gathering where people looked at us with pity, and through every sleepless night when grief threatened to take over. Slowly, I began to trust that she meant it when she said she wasn’t going anywhere.
And she was right. Despite the whispers from others, she stayed, showing me that the bonds of family we choose can be just as strong as those we’re born into.
On the morning of my 18th birthday, the air was filled with excitement, not just for the usual celebrations but for a surprise I had been planning for years.
Olivia greeted me with her warm smile, one that had often brightened my mood since the day she entered our lives.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” she said, handing me a small, beautifully wrapped box. Her eyes sparkled with the love and care that had become her trademark.
I took the box, my hands shaking slightly. I wasn’t nervous about the gift inside — it was the surprise I had for her that had my heart racing.
“Thank you,” I replied, feeling grateful for this woman who had stood by me through everything. “I have a surprise for you too, but… you’ll need to pack your things.”
The look of confusion on her face was immediate. “Pack my things?” she echoed, the joy fading into uncertainty. “Are you… Are you serious?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “I want you to pack your things in the next hour. You’re leaving this house.”
Her laughter, light and disbelieving at first, faded as she saw the seriousness in my eyes. “But why, dear? I thought we were a family…” Her voice trailed off, a hint of despair creeping in.
I could feel my resolve wavering. The pain in her eyes was more than I had expected. But I couldn’t back down. Not now. Not yet.
“It’s time,” I began, feeling the weight of the moment. “I’ve been planning this since the day Dad died. You are going to another city.”
She sat at the kitchen table, her hands shaking as she reached for something to hold, but her fingers grasped at nothing. Her breath hitched as she whispered, “I don’t understand. What did I do? Why are you sending me away?”
In a moment that felt like a scene from a movie, I loaded her things into the car and drove her to a new place, all while she sat beside me in silence, filled with confusion and sorrow.
The drive was long and quiet, filled with unspoken questions and tension. I was the first to speak.
“You didn’t know that my father opened an account in my name when I was a child, saving money for my education. Since his death, I’ve put my money from jobs and gifts into this account. Now, there’s a large sum.”
Olivia turned to me, a mix of pain and understanding in her eyes. “I understand. You’re an adult now, and you don’t need me anymore. But why are you sending me so far away? You don’t want to see me at all?”
Her voice cracked, and it felt like a dagger in my chest. I never thought this moment would hurt so much.
As we pulled up in front of a beautiful house, the surprise I had been hiding was finally ready to be revealed.
“I will use some of this money for my education,” I continued, pointing to the house. “At an Ivy League university in the city where we’re now, where I’ve already been accepted. Do you see this house?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice heavy with confusion and a hint of hope.
“I bought this house for you,” I revealed, the tension finally breaking. “There was enough money for everything. Now I will study here and you will live next door. We won’t have to be apart, and if you want, you can go back to our old house at any time, or we can return together after I finish my studies.”
She sat in stunned silence, her eyes locked on the house. “You… you bought this for me?” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Tears came then, marking the moment with emotions that words could hardly capture. We hugged, our tears mingling, showing the depth of our bond and the love that had grown between us over the years.
“I love you, Sarah,” Olivia said, her voice barely a whisper but still clear.
“I love you too,” I replied, reaching for the house keys in my bag and placing them in her hand.
It was a birthday unlike any other, marked not just by receiving gifts but by giving a future, a home, and a promise of family, no matter what life might bring.
This was our story, a stepdaughter and her stepmom, navigating life together and proving that love knows no bounds.
As we stood there, holding each other in front of her new home, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I had done it: I had given back to the woman who had given me so much.
For the first time in years, I felt like I could truly breathe, knowing we had a future together.
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