Cari Beauchamp is an American actress, writer, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles in the films "Mystic Pizza" (1988), "Daughters of the Dust" (1992), and "Liz & Dick" (2012).
Beauchamp was born in Los Angeles, California in September 1962. She was raised in a small town in the Central Valley of California. As a child, she was drawn to the theatre and began performing in school plays at age 8. She attended California State University, Fresno where she studied theatre and dance.
In the late 1980s, Beauchamp made her big screen debut as a featured extra in the classic teen comedy, "Mystic Pizza." This led to more roles in films such as "Near Dark" (1987), "Hollywood Shuffle" (1987), and the Tom Cruise-starring "Days of Thunder" (1990).
In 1992, Beauchamp starred in the independent drama "Daughters of the Dust" alongside Julie Dash. The film was critically acclaimed and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It was also nominated for several awards, including an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.
In the 2000s, Beauchamp began to focus on writing and directing. She wrote and directed the short film "The Last Supper" (2003), which won awards at several film festivals. She also wrote and directed the feature film "Liz & Dick" (2012), which starred Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler.
Beauchamp has also appeared in a number of television shows, including "ER", "The West Wing", "NCIS", and "Desperate Housewives". She has also directed episodes of "ER", "Grey's Anatomy", and "The Mentalist".
Throughout her career, Beauchamp has been recognized with various awards and nominations, including a nomination for the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards for her work on "Liz & Dick".
Cari Beauchamp is an accomplished actress, writer, director, and producer who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her passion for the craft and her dedication to her work have earned her critical acclaim and awards.