Helen Slater

Helen Rachel Slater (born December 15, 1963 in Bethpahe, New York) is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She played the title role in the 1984 film Supergirl,[1] and returned to the 2015 TV series of the same name, this time as Supergirl's adoptive mother. In the following years, she starred in several comedy-drama films such as Ruthless People (1986), The Secret of My Success (1987), and City Slickers (1991). She additionally found work as an actress in television, and stage projects, including three guest appearances on the series Smallville (2007–2010).[2] She was a series regular for the two-season run (2011–2013) on the ABC Family series The Lying Game.
In the 2000s, Slater recorded five albums, singing her very own kind of compositions and playing the piano.
== Early life ==
Slater was born in Bethpage, New York, to a Jewish family.[3] Her parents, Alice Joan (née Citrin), a lawyer and nuclear disarmament peace activist based in New York City, and Gerald Slater, a television executive,[4] divorced in 1974.[5]She has a brother, David, who is a lawyer in New York City. Slater attended Great Neck South High School[6] and then transferred to the High School of Performing Arts from which she graduated in 1982.[7] Despite common misconception, she is not related to actor Christian Slater, who played her brother in The Legend of Billie Jean.[8]
== Film and television work ==
Slater made her acting debut in the ABC Afterschool Special Amy & the Angel, aired in 1982, alongside James Earl Jones, Meg Ryan, and Matthew Modine. This was also the only film she appeared in exclusively as a brunette. In 1984, she played the title character, versus Faye Dunaway as Selena, in the TriStarrelease Supergirl. The film, directed by Jeannot Szwarc and including big name actors like Mia Farrow and Peter O'Toole, received mixed reviews, and was not a box-office success. The film was cited as a reason for publisher DC killing off the original comics character (Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)) in 1985, though a new "Supergirl" soon appeared. Slater's performance was not generally blamed.
In her next film, Slater was cast alongside Christian Slater and Yeardley Smith as Billie Jean Davy, a folk hero who styles herself as a modern-day Joan of Arc, in the film The Legend of Billie Jean (1985). Next, she appeared in two high-profile comedies, Ruthless People (1986) and The Secret of My Success (1987). More high-profile roles followed when she appeared in the independent comedy Sticky Fingers (1988) with longtime friend Melanie Mayron, City Slickers (1991) with Billy Crystal, the steamy A House in the Hills (1993) with Michael Madsen, and the action-crime drama No Way Back opposite Russell Crowe (1996). Other noteworthy performances were seen in films including 12:01 (1993), Betrayal of the Dove, and opposite Andy Richter in Seeing Other People (2004).
Slater has appeared on episodes of various television series, including The New Adventures of Old Christine, Supernatural, four episodes as the voice of Talia in Batman: The Animated Series, and others. She was a series regular on the half-season run of the 1990 ABC newsroom drama Capital News and the 2011–2013 two season run of the ABC Family series The Lying Game.
During her career, Slater has revisited her 1984 role of Supergirl. She made a brief guest appearance on Seinfeld as a love interest of Jerry Seinfeld, who in reality is a huge fan of Superman. Slater was seen in a recurring role as Clark Kent's biological mother, Lara, on the TV series Smallville and as Supergirl's adoptive mother in the TV series Supergirl.
Slater was a spokeswoman for Preference by L'Oréal in both television and print ads.
=== Stage work ===
Slater co-founded the New York theater group, The Naked Angels, with Gina Gershon. Her stage credits include appearances in Grease and Shakespeare and Friends. Off-Broadway, she starred in Responsible Parties and Almost Romance. She also attended classes at both N.Y.U. and U.C.L.A., to broaden her acting abilities.
=== Musical career ===
Slater has stated that she pursued musical efforts even before doing movies. In the 1989 Patrick Dempsey romantic comedy Happy Together, she sang a medley of Broadway songs as well as other songs. In the 1994 movie Lassie, she also sang. For the soundtrack of the film Nowhere In Sight (2000), she contributed the song "The Detour."
In 2003, she released a CD, One of These Days, consisting of her original songs. The tracks were real-time recordings with Slater singing and playing piano, accompanied by six other musicians; no multitracking, editing, or dubbing were employed. In 2005, she released a second CD, Crossword, which used the same recording approach as the first CD. Both albums were produced by Phil Swann. In 2008, Cortes Alexander recorded Slater's "Any Day Now" and "Love'll Come & Do Just That" on his album Swell.[9] Her third album, Shine, was released in 2010.
=== Awards ===
In 1985, DC Comics named Slater as one of the honorees in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great for her work on the Supergirl film.[10]
=== Writing ===
In 2010, Slater wrote a Supergirl story titled "A Hero's Journey" which appeared in the fiftieth issue of the fifth volume of the Supergirl comic book.[11]
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1984	Supergirl 	Kara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl	First known appearance of the character in live action
1985	The Legend of Billie Jean 	Billie Jean Davy 	
1986	Ruthless People 	Sandy Kessler 	
1987	The Secret of My Success 	Christy Wills 	
1988	Sticky Fingers 	Hattie 	
1989	Happy Together 	Alexandra Page 	Also features singing by Slater
1991	City Slickers 	Bonnie Rayburn 	
1992	Betrayal of the Dove 	Ellie West 	
1993	A House in the Hills 	Alex Weaver 	
1994	Lassie 	Laura Turner 	Also features singing by Slater
1995	The Steal 	Kim 	
1995	No Way Back 	Mary 	
1997	The Long Way Home 	Herself (voice) 	Documentary film
1999	Carlo's Wake 	Lisa Torello 	
2001	Nowhere in Sight 	Carly Bauers 	
2004	Seeing Other People 	Penelope 	
2008	Sock Puppet Inferno! 	Hansha 	Short film
2011	Beautiful Wave 	Jane Davenport 	
2012	Model Minority 	Mrs. Ambrose 	
2014	Echo Park 	Julia 	
2015	The Curse of Downers Grove 	Diane 	
2016	DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year	Martha Kent(voice) 	
2016	A Remarkable Life 	Iris 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1982 	ABC Afterschool Special 	Amy Watson 	Episode: "Amy & the Angel"
1988 	Improv Tonite 	Herself 	Guest host
1990 	The Great Air Race 	Jacqui Cochrane 	Television miniseries
1990 	Capital News 	Anne McKenna 	Television film
1991 	The Hidden Room 	Lauren 	Episode: "Wasting Away"
1992 	Seinfeld 	Becky Gelke 	Uncredited; episode: "The Good Samaritan"
1992 	Dream On 	Sarah 	Episode: "Theory of Relativity"
1992–1994 	Batman: The Animated Series 	Talia (voice) 	4 episodes
1993 	12:01 	Lisa Fredericks 	Television film
1993 	Chantilly Lace 	Hannah 	Television film
1994 	Couples 	Nina 	Television film
1994 	Parallel Lives 	Elsa Freedman 	Television film
1997 	Caroline in the City 	Cassandra Thompson 	Uncredited; episode: "Caroline and the Monkeys"
1997 	Toothless 	Mrs. Lewis 	Television film
1997–1998 	Michael Hayes 	Julie Siegel 	3 episodes
1998 	Best Friends for Life 	Pammy Cahill 	Television film
2000 	American Adventure 	Kathy 	Television film
2001 	Will & Grace 	Peggy Truman 	Episode: "Moveable Feast"
2003 	Boston Public 	Mrs. McNeal 	Episode: "Chapter Seventy-Four"
2004 	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 	Susan Coyle 	Episode: "Families"
2005 	Grey's Anatomy 	Nadia Shelton 	Episode: "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
2006 	Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall 	Stella Andre 	Television film
2006 	The New Adventures of Old Christine 	Liz 	Episode: “Teach Your Children Well”
2007 	Crossing Jordan 	Elaine Tallridge 	Episode: "Seven Feet Under"
2007–2010 	Smallville 	Lara-El 	3 episodes
2009 	Supernatural 	Susan Carter 	Episode: "Family Remains"
2009 	Eleventh Hour 	Susan Wynne 	Episode: "Medea"
2009 	Greek 	Dr. Magda Stephanopoulos	Episode: "Guilty Treasures"
2010–2011 	Gigantic 	Jennifer Brooks 	10 episodes
2010 	CSI: NY 	Elizabeth Harris 	Episode: "Do Not Pass Go"
2011 	Private Practice 	Erin 	Episode: "Two Steps Back"
2011 	Rock the House 	Diane Petersen 	Television film
2011 	Drop Dead Diva 	Penny Brecker 	Episode: "Hit and Run"
2011–2013 	The Lying Game 	Kristin Mercer 	Main cast
2013 	The Good Mother 	Cheryl Jordan 	Television film
2014 	Caper 	Luke's Mom 	Episode: "All Hands on Peltas"
2014 	The Young and the Restless 	Dr. Chiverton 	4 episodes
2015 	Mad Men 	Sheila 	Episode: "Person to Person"
2015–present	Supergirl 	Eliza Danvers 	9 episodes
2015 	Agent X 	Helen Eckhart 	Episode: "Fidelity"
2016 	DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High	Martha Kent(voice) 	Television film