{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Leslie Bega | birth_name = Leslie Rae Bega | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|04|17}} | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | alma_mater = University of Southern California | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1984–2011 }} '''Leslie Rae Bega''' (born April 17, 1967)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Elle.pdf|title=Leslie Bega's INXS-ive Love Story|publisher=Cleo|author=Rushton, Prue|date=April 1992|accessdate=June 22, 2014|quote=Leslie Bega, born in Los Angeles 25 years ago, is an actor.}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Us_Magazine.pdf|title=The Bat Pack|publisher=Us Weekly|date=March 6, 1989|accessdate=June 22, 2014|quote=Leslie Bega, 21, brainy Maria on ABC's Top Twenty hit ''Head of the Class''|archive-date=December 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210160615/http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Us_Magazine.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an American actress, best known as Maria on ''Head of the Class'' (1986–1989), and Valentina La Paz on ''The Sopranos'' (2002–2004).
== Early life and education == Bega was born in Los Angeles to a Sephardi Jewish father and Russian Jewish mother. Her paternal grandparents came to the United States from Spain. In addition to English, Bega speaks Spanish and French fluently.<ref name="Xalapa">{{cite news|last=Bildstein|first=Jay|date=June 11, 2007|title=Renaissance woman Leslie Bega|pages=1E, 8E|work=Diario de Xalapa|url=http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Diaro_Xalapa.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124085423/http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Diaro_Xalapa.pdf|archivedate=January 24, 2013}}</ref> After graduating as valedictorian from Lycée Français de Los Angeles, Bega attended the University of Southern California and got her degree in Cinema.<ref name="Maxim">{{citation|last=Rebello|first=Stephen|title=Sultry New Soprano|date=November 2002|url=http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Maxim.pdf|work=Maxim|page=204|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124085226/http://leslieraebega.com/theatrical/downloads/Leslie_Rae_Bega_Maxim.pdf|archivedate=January 24, 2013}}</ref>
== Career == Bega is known for performances in ''Head of the Class'' as Maria Borges, David Lynch's ''Lost Highway'', and as a recurring cast member in ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', ''C-16: FBI'' and ''The Sopranos'' as Valentina La Paz.<ref name="NYDN">{{cite news|last1=Battaglio|first1=Stephen|title=Tony's new lover remains mistress of her career|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/nydn-features/tony-new-lover-remains-mistress-career-article-1.504618|accessdate=October 28, 2017|work=NY Daily News|publisher=New York Daily News|date=November 6, 2002|language=en}}</ref> She is also featured as a dancer in the breakdancing films ''Breakin'' and ''Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo''. She played the role of Anna Lansky (née Sitrone) in 1991's ''Mobsters''.
She has appeared as a guest star in the television shows ''21 Jump Street'', ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', ''The Twilight Zone'', and ''Highway To Heaven''. Her theater work includes ''King Lear'', at the Electric Theatre, ''The Merchant of Venice'', ''Gypsy'', ''Grease'', ''The Sound of Music'', and Maria in ''West Side Story'' at the Westchester Theatre.
In addition to acting, Bega works as a real estate agent in Beverly Hills, California.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Borama|first=Jennifer|date=May 19, 2020|title=Whatever Happened to Leslie Bega?|url=https://www.tvovermind.com/whatever-happened-to-leslie-bega/|access-date=June 19, 2021|website=TVOvermind|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1984 |''Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo'' | rowspan="2" |Dancer | |- |1985 |''Tuff Turf'' | |- |1988 |''For Keeps'' |Carlita | |- |1991 |''Uncaged'' |Mickie | |- |1991 |''Mobsters'' |Anna Lansky | |- |1995 |''Get Shorty'' |Vikki Vespa |Uncredited |- |1995 |''The American President'' |White House Staffer Laura | |- |1996 |''Power 98'' |Denise | |- |1997 |''Lost Highway'' |Raquel | |- |1997 |''Against the Law'' |Lucia the Liquor Store Clerk | |- |2000 |''The Last Producer'' |Restaurant Manager | |- |2000 |''Time of Her Time'' |Denise Gondelman | |- |2005 |''Dating Games People Play'' |Mona Evans | |- |2019 |''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' |Cameo |Uncredited |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1984 |''Silence of the Heart'' |Cindy |Television film |- |1985 |''The Twilight Zone'' |Girl |Episode: "Dead Woman's Shoes/Wong's Lost and Found Emporium" |- |1985 |''Hardcastle and McCormick'' |Betty |Episode: "You're Sixteen, You're Beautiful, and You're His" |- |1985 |''Highway to Heaven'' |Heather Fowler |Episode: "The Secret" |- |1986 |''Small Wonder'' |Mary |Episode: "The Older Woman" |- |1986–1989 |''Head of the Class'' |Maria Borges |68 episodes |- |1990 |''Freddy's Nightmares'' |Stacy |Episode: "Interior Loft Later" |- |1990 |''Beverly Hills, 90210'' |Marianne Moore |Episode: "Class of Beverly Hills" |- |1991 |''21 Jump Street'' |Stephanie 'Stevie' Plummer |Episode: "Under the Influence" |- |1995 |''SeaQuest DSV'' |Sandra Kirby |Episode: "And Everything Nice" |- |1997–1998 |''C-16: FBI'' |Laura Sandoval |4 episodes |- |1999 |''Martial Law'' |Didi Kirkus |Episode: "Trifecta" |- |2002–2003 |''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' |Leah |3 episodes |- |2002–2004 |''The Sopranos'' |Valentina La Paz |7 episodes |- |2005 |''CSI: NY'' |Grace Walderson |Episode: "The Dove Commission" |- |2007 |''Nip/Tuck'' |Photographer |Episode: "Joyce and Sharon Monroe" |- |2008 |''American Dad!'' |Ms. Anderson |Episode: "Pulling Double Booty" |- |2011 |''Bird Dog'' |Carmen |Television film |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official}} * {{IMDb name}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bega, Leslie}} Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American people of Spanish-Jewish descent
{{US-screen-actor-1960s-stub}} {{US-theat-actor-1960s-stub}} Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:Lycée Français de Los Angeles alumni