Erika Eleniak

Erika Eleniak is the all-American blonde that eighties dreams were made of. Born Erika Maya Eleniak on 29 September 1969 in Glendale, California, with Ukrainian roots on her father's side, she grew up just outside Los Angeles, in the shadow of the Hollywood studios. Acting was in her blood, and so, as the world would soon discover, was an extraordinary talent for looking sensational with nothing on.

In 1989 Playboy made her a star. She appeared on the cover in April and then, in July 1989, became Playmate of the Month with a sun-and-sea, nautical-themed centrefold that is still remembered by fans as one of the hottest summer issues of the decade. Golden hair, green eyes, a dazzling smile and curves in all the right places: Erika was summer personified.

Her photos have a joyful, carefree sexiness. Erika poses like a girl on holiday, stretching out on the deck, letting the wind play with her hair and the sun warm her bare skin, laughing as if she has just been caught doing something naughty. It is impossible not to smile back, and almost impossible not to stare.

That same year she joined a little show called Baywatch as lifeguard Shauni McClain. She stayed in the main cast until 1992, running along the sand in that iconic red swimsuit in front of an audience of millions. Hollywood took notice, and in 1992 she starred opposite Steven Seagal in the action blockbuster Under Siege, in which, fittingly, she played a Playboy Playmate whose surprise appearance from inside a cake became an instant classic. She followed it with The Beverly Hillbillies and Chasers.

Decades later, Erika remains one of the most beloved Baywatch beauties, and in 2026 she was announced as returning to the revival of the show. But for many fans, the Erika of 1989 will always be the ultimate pin-up. Dive into this gallery and enjoy the sunshine.

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