Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 28, 2025 · Entertainment

Erika Eleniak Unveiled: From Baywatch to Bold Tattoos!

The actress Erika Eleniak looked unrecognizable when she was spotted in LA this week. The 55-year-old film and television star is best known for starring on Baywatch (pictured) for three years, from 1989 to 1992

Erika Eleniak: From Baywatch Blonde Bombshell to Tattooed Rebel

In a shocking transformation, 55-year-old actress Erika Eleniak has traded in her signature blonde locks and toned physique for a bold new look - replete with sleeves of tattoos that would make even the most seasoned ink enthusiast jealous. The former Baywatch beauty was spotted taking a leisurely stroll with her adorable black-and-white dog in Los Angeles, leaving fans stunned by her dramatic makeover.

The Scholarynote.com has the scoop on Erika's transformation, which has left even die-hard Baywatch enthusiasts struggling to recognize their beloved Shauni McLain. Gone are the days of sun-kissed skin and perfectly coiffed hair; in their place, a rebellious spirit and a canvas of body art that tells a thousand stories.

Now, more than four decades after she got her big break in Hollywood on Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, DailyMail.com takes a look at what Erika looks like now; pictured with on- and off-screen love interest Billy Warlock in a Baywatch publicity photo from 1991

Erika's tattoos, which span her arms from shoulder to hand, are more than just a fashion statement - they're a testament to her personal journey. In an exclusive interview with Steve Kmetko on his Still Here Hollywood podcast, Erika revealed the significance behind each of her inks, including one that bears her mother's name.

"I love tattoos," she confessed. "I love that my body is a canvas to tell my stories." And what stories they tell! From her Ukrainian-Estonian-German heritage to her struggles with the pressures of Hollywood fame, Erika's tattoos are a visual representation of her life experiences - and we can't get enough.

But before we dive into the juicy details of Erika's transformation, let's take a trip down memory lane. Remember when she burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced 12-year-old in Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial? Or how about her stint as a Playboy Playmate, which earned her the nickname "the difficult" among modeling circles?

The actress and one-time model was pictured out in Los Angeles this week as she took her adorable black-and-white dog for a walk

Fast-forward to the late '80s, when Erika landed her breakout role on Baywatch - a show that would go on to become a global phenomenon, despite its initial cancellation by NBC. As Shauni McLain, she captured hearts with her All-American looks and effortless charm, but little did we know that beneath those sun-kissed skin tones lay a rebellious spirit waiting to be unleashed.

Erika's post-Baywatch career has been marked by ups and downs - from her marriage to bodybuilder Philip Golgia (which lasted all of six months) to her relationship with film worker Roch Daigle, with whom she shares a daughter. But it seems that Erika has finally found her true calling in the world of tattoos and podcasting.

As we bid adieu to the old Erika and hello to the new, one thing is clear: this former Baywatch bombshell is no longer content to simply be a pretty face - she's a force to be reckoned with. And who knows? Maybe her next big project will be a tattoo-inspired film or TV series. Stranger things have happened, after all!

Erika looked worlds apart from the clean-cut blonde who previously graced television screens across the nation

Stay tuned for more updates on Erika's transformation and the latest scoop from The Scholarynote.com!

The most obvious changes was the sleeves of tattoos on her arms running from under her T-shirt sleeves all the way to her hands

Erika's tattoos suited her casual outfit, which included a black graphic T-shirt

Erika explained how she changed up her appearance with tattoos during the most recent episode of the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko

She said she started her tattoos on her back in her 'late 20s,' after her stint on Baywatch. 'Every tattoo that I have is significant of something,' she said

Erika was born in Glendale, California, to parents of Ukrainian, Estonian and German descent whose family had previously settled in Canada

She made a memorable star turn in feature films in 1982 when she was cast as a girl who kisses the film's child star, Henry Thomas, during a classroom scene in which he's psychically influenced by the eponymous alien

In 1987, she began appearing on TV with guest roles on Silver Spoons, The New Leave It To Beaver and Boys Will Be Boys. On film, she appeared in the cult classic horror remake The Blob (1988), followed by Under Siege and The Beverly Hillbillies adaptation (1993; pictured)

Her Baywatch character left the show at the start of the third season when she got married to Billy Warlock's character and they moved to Australia; pictured on Baywatch

The actors were also engaged in real life at one point

The beginning of her Baywatch career in 1989 coincided with her appearing on the cover of the July 1989 issue of Playboy Magazine

Just before her stint on Baywatch, Erika appeared as a Playmate on the July 1989 cover of Playboy Magazine

Erika said she became known as 'the difficult' Playmate in the late '80s because she found shooting for the magazine uncomfortable and bristled at ideas from photographers

'I viewed it as a modeling job,' she clarified on Still Here Hollywood, and she stressed that she always considered herself 'an actress who did Playboy,' rather than a real Playmate

Erika later married the bodybuilder Philip Golgia in 1998, but they divorced after just six months. In the early 2000s she began dating the film worker Roch Daigle, and they moved to Calgary, Canada, before tying the knot in 2005 and later welcoming a daughter together

Erika's most recent project was narrating an eight-episode podcast series, The Murder Years, from last year, according to IMDb