Meet Roswell’s Shiri Appleby

Thanks to Stacy for sending this in!

Meet Roswell’s Shiri Appleby!
16, March 2000
By: Mary Jekielek Insprucker

Shiri Appleby has fame and fortune. But what she is probably most envied for
is her relationship with TV’s hot hunk Jason Behr. Every week, via WB’s
show, Roswell, Shiri gets up close and personal with him.

“I’d like to stress that although Jason and I are friends, we are NOT
boyfriend and girlfriend,” says the actress. This is where a lot of you go,
“Whew!” In fact, Shiri doesn’t know of any current flame for Behr. What she
personally likes about her co-star is how much he helps her. “Once when we
had to do this publicity appearance, I was really nervous,” continues Shiri.
“Jason was fantastic! He helped me with all the ins and outs of the
interviewing. If the interviewer threw me a difficult question, Jason would
field and handle it. He is just such a good person off camera.”

During her audition for the part of Liz Parker, Shiri had to read with Behr.
Although it was her chemistry with him that got her the part, she gets along
well with the entire cast. “We all support each other,” she says. “We’ll
hang out on birthdays, or go to the movies or bowling.”

By the time she tried out for Roswell, Shiri was used to auditioning. She
started at the age of four when “…it was all fun and games.” “I was never
athletic,” she explains. “I wasn’t into soccer or other sports or hobbies
like most kids, so my mom would take me on these fun auditions. At the time,
I didn’t really care if I got the part or not, it was just something to do
for fun.

That fun turned into a career for Shiri. She auditioned and got numerous
commercials, including those for Cheerios, Taco Bell and M & Ms. That lead
to parts as a gang member in trouble on The WB’s 7th Heaven, and appearances
on thirtysomething, ER, Xena:Warrior Princess and Doogie Howser, M.D. She
also starred in Perfect Family, Family Prayers and Sunday Dinner. Shiri made
her big screen debut in the black comeddy I Love You To Death with Kevin
Kline, River Phoenix and Tracey Ullman.

Currently, on Roswell Shiri portrays Liz Parker, friend and love interest of
Max, an extraterrestrial. She, along with her friends, experiences firsthand
all the emotions that come with life and adolescence. “I am very proud of my
work on the show, and very excited. However, I am nothing like my
character,” she assures. Although she plays a sixteen-year-old on Roswell,
Shiri is really twenty-one. Still young enough to handle all the stress of a
high profile TV show and the 12 to 17-hour work days. How does she do it?
“I lean on my family and friends,” she says, noting, “My parents have been
the biggest influence in my life.”

Shiri was attending the University of Southern California, where she was
majoring in English, when she got the part of Liz. However, she says, “I had
to take a leave of absense from school. With this heavy work schedule there
was no way I could do both. But I hope to one day return to become an
English professor.” Currently, Shiri lives with a roommate, hangs with
friends, enjoys every day, and lists sleeping as her favorite hobby. Her
advice to others: “Be true to yourself!” Sound advice from a young woman who
has followed her own heart!