Yasmine Bleeth, star of Baywatch, on her path to a quiet life
Being a well-liked star and in the public eye frequently has a price. People can occasionally be misled by the flash and glamour. Many famous people, such as singers and actors, who had to leave their occupations, can attest to this.
In the 1990s, Yasmine Bleeth was a cultural icon. She shot to fame with her portrayal of Caroline Holden in the hugely successful television series Baywatch. Born in 1968 in New York, Bleeth first gained notoriety at the age of 10 months by starring in a Johnson & Johnson commercial for their baby shampoo No More Tears.
Bleeth drew notice with her breathtaking beauty even at an early age. Her mother, Carina, was regarded by famed fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo as “one of the most beautiful women in the world,” and he too was captivated by her. Their images were featured in his well-known book, Scavullo Women.
Everyone in Bleeth’s immediate vicinity was aware of her extraordinary destiny. As a child, she had already had success in advertising, so it was only a matter of time until she established herself on television. Bleeth starred in the movie Hey Babe! and the daytime serial drama Ryan’s Hope prior to her big break in Baywatch.
Tragically, though, a few months after the show’s cancellation, Bleeth’s mother was found to have inflammatory breast cancer and died at the age of 47. Heartbroken by her passing, Bleeth stepped back from the spotlight and turned down multiple film offers.
Bleeth began making guest appearances on Baywatch in the 1990s, and after that, she was a regular cast member for four seasons. People Magazine named her one of the “50 Most Beautiful People” in 1995.
In the television series Nash Bridges, Bleeth played the seductive investigator Caitlin Cross from 1998 to 2000. Her personal life, however, was turbulent at this time. Following the breakup of her engagement to actor Richard Grieco, Bleeth turned to drugs as a coping mechanism for her feelings. She also became totally fixated on shopping.
“I used to spend hours getting my face done, applying tanning cream, and plucking my eyebrows. But I would primarily shop online. I used to spend hundreds of dollars in a single night placing orders from upscale businesses. In a 2003 interview with Glamour, Bleeth said, “Shopping became my instant gratification.”
Bleeth’s behavior became more concerning as she became more and more consumed by her addictions and estranged from her pals. Although she struggled to maintain sobriety during filming, her physical appearance gave away that something wasn’t quite right. Her head swelled and her weight decreased dramatically.
Glancing back at that time, Bleeth acknowledged the direness of her circumstances. A potentially fatal infection of the nose existed. “Another couple of months with this infection and it could have gone to your brain and killed you,” the doctor told her, starting me on medication.
Bleeth was aware that something needed to happen after passing out on set and getting arrested for cocaine possession. Upon her decision to enter recovery, she fell in love with Paul Cerrito, the man who would become her husband.
“They say that your first year of sobriety should be spent single, especially if you are in a program. However, Paul and I fell in love right away,” Bleeth said in a Glamour Magazine interview.
Yasmine Bleeth and her husband Paul live a calm life together these days. They would rather avoid the spotlight. At the age of 54, she gave up performing in 2003. Bleeth appears to have changed since her earlier encounters. She’s put on weight and is enjoying the peace and quiet of a more personal life.
As a reminder that it’s never too late to make good choices in life, please share this motivational story with your family and friends.