Elisabeth Shue was the girl friend to the Karate Kid and Marty McFly. She had babysitting adventures and cocktails with Tom Cruise. In the 90s, she was an Academy Award nominee for Leaving Las Vegas, but then she disappeared from the spotlight until recently.

What the hell happened?

Shue got her start doing commercials. Here she is in a 1982 Burger King commercial which also features Lea Thompson and little Sarah Michelle Gellar.



By 1983, Shue was shilling Whoppers solo.



In 1984, Shue landed a regular role on the TV show Call to Glory starring Craig T Nelson as an air force pilot in the 1960s. The family drama was inspired by the success of Top Gun and based loosely on The Right Stuff.

However, the show was cancelled after the first season due to low ratings.

Shue considered the show the perfect introduction to show biz:

“I was lucky I started out on television on a show that got cancelled at the end of the year. I had a great character, I played a total tomboy. I was so fortunate that that was my first real experience, because I was very, very naïve; I did not know much about the world at that time, and I could have gotten lost, you know, in some other zone of reality.”

That same year, Shue starred opposite Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid.

The Karate Kid is basically Rocky for the teenage set. This is not surprising given that it was directed by Rocky director, John Avildsen.

As a 13-year-old, The Karate Kid was irresistible to me. I loved the story of an underdog roughly my own age who not only beat the odds but got the girl. I was instantly smitten with Shue’s fresh-faced California cheerleader. In my opinion, Daniel-san was playing way out of his league. I nearly signed up for karate classes as soon as I left the theater.

The Karate Kid was a surprise hit that summer. Three sequels and a remake followed. But Shue doesn’t appear in any of them, so we will speak of them no more.

In 1986, Shue paid her dues in the British horror film, Link opposite General Zod himself, Terrence Stamp.

The movie was yet another Jaws rip-off only this time with chimps. It wouldn’t be the last time Shue would star in a Jaws rip-off as it turns out.

Hysterically, the “chimp” in Link was played by an orangutan with its fur dyed brown. Shue was nominated for a Saturn Award for being a hot chick terrorized by a monkey in the fine tradition of Faye Wray and Jessica Lange.

In 1987, Shue starred in Chris Columbus’ kiddie comedy, Adventures in Babysitting.

Shue starred as a babysitter who takes her charges on the road to rescue her best friend played by Penelope Ann Miller. Along the way they encounter the kind of criminals who appear in PG-13 Disney movies (of which, Adventures was the first), sing at a blues club and encounter a mechanic who bears a striking resemblance to Thor (played by Vincent D’Onofrio).

Shue remembers the movie fondly:

“That was really a very special experience for me, because it was the first movie I was kind of the star of, and it was Chris Columbus’ first movie, and Lynda’s [Obst, producer]. I just remember there was such an innocence to making that movie, and so many things I got to do, like singing the blues. That was probably the best scene I’ve ever gotten to do. So fun. If it had done well, and it was a shitty experience, I would not pretend to you that it was a great experience. [Laughs.] So when they’re great experiences, and they are well-accepted… It’s so nice, because sometimes you have a great experience and no one sees the movie. Other times, you have a shitty experience, and the movie ends up being successful, but you don’t care. And every once in a while, you love the people, you love the experience, and it happens to break through. That’s rare. Especially today.”

In spite of being extremely silly or maybe because of it, Adventures in Babysitting got mostly good reviews and was a hit at the box office. But it wasn’t a hit right out of the gate. According to Shue:

“Adventures In Babysitting didn’t even make any money the first weekend. And then Jeff Katzenberg said, ‘Aw, we really like this movie, let’s try and put more advertising behind it.’ I mean, that doesn’t happen today. Today, you go ‘Oh, it didn’t make any money? Yank it.’ And when you do independent films with no marketing budget and there’s no hope for an award? It’s like, “Put it in a movie theater for a week.” So it’s a tougher time now for things to get through. But it teaches you. I think over the years, it’s taught me that you don’t make movies for a result. If that’s what you’re in it for, you’re going to be disappointed a lot.”

Adventures in Babysitting was later adapted into a TV pilot which was never picked up. A rumored remake has been in the works but has yet to receive a green light.



In 1998, Shue paired with the biggest star in Hollywood at the time, a post-Top Gun Tom Cruise.

In Cocktail, Cruise played a cocky bartender with a killer smile and Shue played the rich girl who falls for him. Her father doesn’t want her dating a bartender even if he does have a million-dollar grin. Clichés ensue.

The story was largely besides the point. All that mattered was that Cruise and Shue looked fantastic in the tropical setting. Together, they threatened to take over the world through the sheer wattage of their brilliant smiles.

The movie soundtrack unleashed both Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and the Beach Boy’s “Kokomo” on the world. It’s a wonder pop culture survived.

Apparently Marty’s trip back in time had some unexpected side effects on his girlfriend…

Shue followed up Cocktail by appearing in Back to the Future 2 and 3 despite not having appeared in Back to the Future. The role of Jennifer, Marty McFly’s girlfriend, was played by Claudia Wells in Back to the Future. But when she dropped out of the sequels, Shue stepped in. UPGRADE!

The original George McFly (Crispin Glover) was also replaced for the sequels. Time travel’s funny that way I guess.

The original Back to the Future was a huge hit with critics and audience who practically demanded a sequel. To accommodate Michael J. Fox’s schedule on Family Ties, the sequels were shot back-to-back during the summer hiatus.

Unfortunately, the first film had ended with Marty taking Jennifer into the future, so the character had to be included in the sequels. Wells was unavailable to reprise the role, it was recast. The writers didn’t have anything in mind for Jennifer to do in the sequel, so she was rendered unconscious for most of the film. According to Shue:

“To be honest, I had such a small part in that, I don’t remember it being too grueling for me, but I’m sure it was for the other guys. It did take a long time, but remember, I was asleep most of that movie. That movie, I really did as a favor to [director Robert] Zemeckis, because, um, I was trying to not distract anyone from the fact that the original girl was not coming back, so I was just trying to kind of hide behind whoever she was, and not do too much to alert people to the fact that she was not there.”

The sequels got mixed to positive reviews and were not quite as well-received as the original. But they were still financially successful.

In 1991, Shue appeared in the Alec Baldwin/Kim Basigner disaster, The Marrying Man which would eventually lead to Baldwin and Basigner’s marriage, divorce and a series of really unfortunate phone messages.

Shue played an heiress who was engaged to Baldwin. On his way to the altar, Baldwin met a singer played by Basinger who he married repeatedly.

The film was a notorious train wreck. I highly recommend reading the Kim Basinger article for all the details. But since Shue was barely in the movie, we’ll move on.



Later that year, Shue appeared in the soap opera satire, Soapdish.

Soapdish had an all-star cast that included Sally Field, Kevin Kline in his funniest role since A Fish Called Wanda, an unknown Terri Hatcher and a pre-rehab, pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. It’s not a classic by any stretch, but when it works, it’s a lot of fun.

Shue played a naive actress caught up in the world of soaps. I don’t want to give too much away except that she is a relative of Sally Field’s character. Field plays an aging soap star threatened by younger stars and the return of her ex, played by Kline.

Reviews were mixed and Soapdish did so-so at the box office. Our own Daffy Stardust picked Soapdish as the Best Comedy of 1991. So, you know it’s gotta be good

In 1993, Shue reunited with Robert Downey Jr. for the supernatural comedy, Heart and Souls.

Downey played a guy who was haunted by four ghosts only he could see. The ghosts were played by Charles Grodin, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Sizemore, and Alfre Woodard. Shue had the thankless role of Downey’s girlfriend.

Heart and Souls did not connect with critics or audiences.

Shue’s career was on a downward spiral. But in 1995, she turned her career trajectory around with a brave performance opposite Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas.

Shue played the proverbial “hooker with a heart of gold” who cares for a suicidal alcoholic played by Cage. There is nothing Hollywood loves more than a sweet girl next door playing a hooker. So, Shue was nominated for every single award in 1995. But after nursing Nicholas Cage for two hours, I’d say she earned them.

*spoiler warning* In spite of the unhappy ending, Shue say the movie was not a bummer:

“It was uplifting. Because in the end, it was still a love story. It wasn’t depressing. I mean, of course he does die, but you’re still watching two people allowing each other to be who they are and survive their circumstance through their affection for each other. There’s a real easiness to it that was very beautiful. It was romantic. And it was beautiful because it was dark, but it was also innocent and romantic. And so the two textures combined to make something very beautiful.”

Ultimately, the Best Actress Oscar went to Susan Sarandon for Dead Man Walking. But Shue won a lot of critics’ awards that year.

Despite the praise, Shue says that Leaving Las Vegas didn’t open as many doors as you might expect:

“It was definitely a different part, and I hadn’t had any opportunities to play anybody that complicated, or even that dark or that emotional. I just hadn’t had that chance yet, so I can see why I was sort of pigeonholed before. But still, I look back and I go “Wow.” I mean, even doing that movie—it’s not like the red carpet was laid out for me and I got every great role that there was to offer. It’s still a complete struggle. I still make tons of mistakes. I’ve struggled all the way through. So that was another great lesson. You don’t just all of a sudden have roles open. You still have to go out there and slug it out with everyone else. But that’s what’s challenging and good about it.”

Shue struggled to capitalize on the success of Leaving Las Vegas. Her next major role was opposite Kyle MacLachlan in the thriller, The Trigger Effect.

MacLachlan and Shue played a couple with a sick infant in need of medicine. But due to a blackout, there are complications getting the medicine. In the chaos of the blackout, there is a home invader and violence ensues.

The Trigger Effect actually got decent reviews. But it performed poorly at the box office.

In 1997, Shue starred opposite Val Kilmer in the remake of the TV show, The Saint.

The Saint is a nonsensical movie about stolen technology for clean energy. Shue plays the scientist who invents the technology which will change the world. Kilmer plays Simon Templar, a master of disguise who gets involved in the plot to steal this technology.

It doesn’t make a bit of sense. But Kilmer is fun with all of his disguises and Shue is as beautiful and engaging as ever. The movie got mixed reviews and disappointed at the box office. The planned sequels were scrapped.

Later that year, she appeared opposite everyone in Hollywood in Woody Allen’s Deconstructing Harry. It’s a lesser Allen picture, but it crosses making a Woody Allen movie off Shue’s bucket list.

In true Woody Allen fashion, the audience is expected to believe that Shue and Allen dated. Is it any wonder audiences have difficulty relating to Allen’s films from this period?

In 1998, Shue starred opposite a younger Woody, Woody Harrelson, in the neo-noir film, Palmetto.

The reviews were bad and Palmetto bombed at the box office.

Later that year, she appeared opposite Jessica Lange in American Horror Story. I’m just basing that on the picture above. Oh no, wait. Never mind. That was actually the little-seen English comedy/drama, Cousin Bette.

Lange played a poor woman set on revenge against a wealthy family headed by a pre-House Hugh Laurie. Shue played an actress who agrees to help her get her vengeance. And also dresses as a naughty angel. Why haven’t I seen this movie?

Oh right. Because it got mixed reviews and flopped at the box office.

In 1999, Shue starred opposite Aaron Eckhart in the romantic comedy/drama about autism, Molly.

Molly was supposed to be an uplifting movie along the lines of Rain Man. But, it didn’t quite turn out that way,

Instead of garnering Oscar nominations, Molly turned out to be an embarrassing misstep. Reviews were negative and the movie flopped at the box office.

In 2000, Shue starred opposite Kevin Bacon in Paul Verhoeven’s Invisible Man update, The Hollow Man.

Bacon played a scientist who turned himself invisible. Freed from the notice of society, he goes a little mad. Shue played his ex with whom he is obsessed.

The Hollow Man featured some impressive CGI for the time. But the story was pretty uninspired. Reviews were mostly negative, so the studio hired someone to write a fake review. This wasn’t all that uncommon at the time, but this time the deception was exposed.

Audiences didn’t care. The Hollow Man was a hit and inspired a direct-to-video sequel starring Christian Slater.

Despite the success of The Hollow Man, Shue didn’t work much in the early part of the 21st century. Instead, she chose to work on raising her family. Shue’s first child was born in 1997. Her second was born in 2001 and her third was born in 2006. That’s bound to keep you busy.

In 2005, Shue costarred opposite Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning in the thriller, Hide and Seek.

DeNiro plays a father whose child has an imaginary friend who is causing all sorts of chaos. Shue plays his new girlfriend who… whoa! Nice going, Bobby De. What was this movie about again?

Hide and Seek is a silly and stupid movie. They filmed multiple endings none of which make a lot of sense. The reviews were negative, but the movie was a hit all the same.

In 2010, Shue appeared in a very unlikely comeback vehicle, Piranha 3-D.

The original Piranha was one of the better Jaws rip-offs. It recognized its budgetary limits and added a touch of satire. The 2010 remake took that winking to ridiculous extremes with cheesy CGI killer fish, over-the-top violence and gratuitous nudity all in 3-D.

What was a former Oscar nominee doing slumming in a movie like this? Well, as it turns out Piranha 3-D is actually a lot of fun if you go into it with the right mindset. The same can not be said of the terrible sequel, Piranha 3-DD (see what they did there? It’s a boob joke.)

According to Shue, she joined the project because she could share the vision of director Alexander Aja:

“I can’t imagine doing this movie in anyone else’s hands; I think that would be really terrifying. [Laughs.] I knew his vision was definitely to make it over the top, but grounded in an intensity and a reality… We just tried to have fun and tried to give over to the reality of what we were doing, not try to take ourselves or the movie too seriously. We just tried to be in the moment as much as we could, react to whatever the craziness was as real as we could, but without, you know, trying too hard.”

The gamble of starring in an intentionally bad remake of a Jaws rip-off worked. Piranha 3-D got favorable reviews and was a hit at the box office. It reminded people that Shue was available and that she still looked amazing.

Since then, Shue has staged a pretty remarkable comeback. In 2012, she starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence in the thriller, House at the End of the Street.

Despite poor reviews, House was a hit. Later that year, she had a supporting role opposite Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones in Hope Springs.



Shue topped off the year by returning to TV on the hit show, CSI. The vulnerable show enjoyed a ratings boost when Shue joined the cast.



In 2014, Shue Graham appeared in the comedy, Behaving Badly.

Natt Wolff starred as a young man who has a crush on a girl played by Selena Gomez. He goes to great lengths to try to win her heart which brings him into contact with several eccentric characters. Shue played Wolff’s best friend’s sexy mom who seduces him.

The cast included Mary-Louise Parker, Heather Grham, Dylan McDermott, Jason Lee, Cary Elwes and Gary Busey. The movie was actually completed in 2012 but sat on a shelf for two years before being released. Ric Browde, the author of the autobiographical novel the movie is based on, has disavowed the adaptation.

The movie was seen by very few critics, but those that saw it did not like it. The review in Variety read:

This ruthlessly unfunny misfire should be quickly relegated to an IMDb trivia question after a brief theatrical bow.

So, what the hell happened?

Shue was never able to fully capitalize on the success of Leaving Las Vegas and the acclaim it brought her. Just as her career was starting to cool anyway, Shue decided to focus on raising her family. But now that her kids are older, she has staged a pretty impressive comeback both in movies and TV.

Daniel-san would be proud.

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