Erika Eleniak was born on September 29, 1969 in Glendale, California and is a Ukrainian-American Playboy Playmate and actress. She is the eldest daughter in her family of four girls and one boy whose parents divorced. During the late 1970s, Erika's father introduced her to her future career in the movie industry when his then girlfriend got Erika a part to model children's clothing for TV commercials. Her first role was in the world wide hit film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)-as the girl kissed by Elliott, but she is probably most recognized for her roles on the television show Baywatch from 1989 to 1992, and in movies, of varying degrees of success, such as Steven Seagal's Under Siege, The Beverly Hillbillies, Chasers (where she met her former fiancé, actor William McNamara), Girl in the Cadillac, and Panic in the Park.

She is divorced from Philip Goglia, whose name she carried during their brief marriage, Erika Eleniak-Goglia.

She currently lives in Calgary, Alberta and continues to act. She was recently announced as one of the cast members of the reality television series The Real Gilligan's Island for its second season starting in June 2005.

Her appearances in Playboy Special Editions

• Playboy's Great Playmate Hunt February 1989 - page 55.
• Playboy's Playmate Review Vol. 6 July 1990.
• Playboy's Girls of Summer '90 August 1990 - pages 28-29, 67.
• Playboy's Wet & Wild Women December 1990.
• Playboy's Book of Lingerie Vol. 25 May 1992.
• Playboy's Girls of Summer '93 June 1993 - pages 54-55, 93.
• Playboy's Book of Lingerie Vol. 33 September 1993.
• Playboy's Nudes December 1993 - page 9.
• Playboy's Playmates in Paradise March 1994 - pages 24-29.
• Playboy's Girls of Summer '94 June 1994.
• Playboy's Nudes November 1994.
• Playboy's Playmates in Bed Vol. 1 January 1995.
• Playboy's Book of Lingerie Vol. 43 May 1995.
• Playboy's Nude Celebrities June 1995.
• Playboy's Celebrating Centerfolds Vol. 3 October 1999.