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Beth Toussaint (born 25 September 1962; age 61) is the actress who played Ishara Yar in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fourth season episode "Legacy". Director Robert Scheerer suggested Toussaint for the role of Ishara Yar, having previously worked with the actress on an episode of Matlock. (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages [page number?edit]) Two of her costumes from "Legacy" were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1] [2]

Personal[]

Toussaint has been married to actor Jack Coleman since 1996 and is also known as Beth Toussaint Coleman. The couple has one daughter, Tess, born in 1999. Toussaint is the older sister of playwright and theater critic David Toussaint. She studied acting at the Brian Reese Studios and under acting coaches Diana Bellamy and Lilyan Chauvin.

The 1980s[]

Prior to her television and film career, Toussaint appeared in several music videos throughout the 1980s, including videos for artists such as Bon Jovi, [3] Peter Cetera, [4] Bob Seger, [5], and SAGA. [6]

Her film debut was Berserker (1987), followed by Dead Heat (1988, with Joe Piscopo, Keye Luke, Robert Picardo, Chip Heller, Monty Cox, Gene LeBell, and Dick Miller), an episode of Monsters (1988, written by Michael Reaves), and a recurring role as Tracey Lawton in the twelfth season of the soap opera Dallas (1988-1989, with Joshua Harris, William Smithers, Gerrit Graham, Sherman Howard, Cliff Potts, Ken Jenkins, Christopher Neame, and Robert O'Reilly).

Following her work on Dallas, Toussaint had guest parts in episodes of Growing Pains (1989, with William Denis and Carlos LaCamara) and Booker (1989, with Brian Bonsall) and appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show (1989, with Dean Stockwell and Chuck Borden).

The 1990s[]

In the 1990s, Toussaint appeared in an episode of Matlock (1990, with Gregg Daniel and David Froman) which was directed by Robert Scheerer who suggested her for the part of Ishara Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Further television credits include episodes of MacGyver (1991, with Kaj-Erik Eriksen), 21 Jump Street (1991), Cheers (1991, with Kirstie Alley, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, and Paul Willson), Nightmare Cafe (1992, with her future husband Jack Coleman), Mann & Machine (1992, starring David Andrews and written by Morgan Gendel), Matlock (1992, with Daniel Roebuck and Lee Spencer), Melrose Place (1992, with Fran Bennett), and The Commish (1993, directed by James Whitmore, Jr.).

She portrayed Charlene in the 1991 television thriller Blackmail and Karen in Danger Island 1992, with Lisa Banes, Richard Beymer, Gary Graham, Christopher Pettiet, Nikki Cox, and Joni Avery) before she was cast as Venus Maria in the television mini series Lady Boss (1992, with Phil Morris, Georgann Johnson, Jake Dengel, Nick Tate, Eugenie Bondurant, Marty Rackham, and Jeff Austin).

Following a leading role as Laurie Webber in Project Shadowchaser II (1994), Toussaint appeared in Green Dolphin Beat (1994, with Melanie Smith, Allan G. Royal, and John Vargas), Breach of Conduct (1994, with Gregg Daniel), the television special The Return of Hunter (1995, with Miguel Ferrer, Barry Lynch, and Brian Keith), and episodes of Fortune Hunter (1994), Marker (1995, with Gates McFadden, Keone Young, John Vargas, and Stanley Kamel), and Legend (1995, with John de Lancie, Bruce Gray, and Patrick Kilpatrick). Toussaint also portrayed Anna Sheridan, the late wife of Bruce Boxleitner's character, in the Babylon 5 episode "Revelations" (1996, written and created by J. Michael Straczynski and with Bill Mumy, Mary Kay Adams, Andreas Katsulas, and David L. Crowley).

Between 1996 and 1997 Toussaint portrayed Veronica Kozlowski in Savannah on which she worked with fellow regular Ray Wise. Further guest roles include episodes of Deadly Games (1997, with Christopher Lloyd), Martial Law (1998, with Tom Wright and Tim de Zarn), and Any Day Now (1999) as well as the action thriller Hijack (1999, with Patrick Kilpatrick, Robert Miano, Rosalind Allen, and Tom Poster).

The 2000s[]

Following the birth of her daughter in 1999 Toussaint only appeared in a few projects. She lent her voice to Scream 3 (2000, with Josh Pais), portrayed Karen Brennick in Fortress 2: Re-Entry (2000), and Lydie Keefe in Red Eye (2005, with Angela Paton, Suzie Plakson, Robert Pine, and Scott Leva). In 2006 Toussaint had a recurring role as Hope Adams Wilson in nine episodes of the daily soap The Young and the Restless.

Throughout the 2000s she was a prominent guest at several award shows including several Emmy Awards going along with her husband who received several nominations for his work on the television series Heroes. Toussaint and her husband also attended the 2009 Los Angeles Star Trek premiere. [7]

External links[]

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