# Jennifer Rubin (actress)
**Jennifer Rubin** (Jennifer Collene Rubin, born 1962 in [Phoenix, Arizona](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoenix-arizona)) is an American actress, model, screenwriter, and producer whose screen career spans nearly four decades. She is best known for playing Taryn White in *A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors* (1987) and for roles in *Bad Dreams* (1988), *The Doors* (1991), *[The Crush](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-crush-1993-film)* (1993), and *[Screamers](https://www.edgepedia.org/screamers-1995-film)* (1995).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Jennifer Collene Rubin, born 1962, Phoenix, Arizona, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) |
| Modeling peak | Ford International Model of the Year, 1984; original model for the Calvin Klein Obsession campaign[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) |
| Breakthrough role | Taryn White in *A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors* (1987), directed by Chuck Russell[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) |
| First leading role | Cynthia in *Bad Dreams* (1988)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) |
| Notable 1990s films | *The Doors* (1991, as Edie Sedgwick), *The Crush* (1993), *Screamers* (1995)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) |
| Producing | Produced and starred in *Road Kill* (1999)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) |
| Later credits | *Heebie Jeebies* (2013), *Untold: This Is My Story* (2021), *The Once and Future Smash* (2022)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) |
## Modeling career
While crossing the [University of Arizona](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-arizona) campus, Rubin caught the attention of the Ford Modeling Agency, and in 1984 she received the title of Ford International Model of the Year.[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=6715) She gained fame through pictures in [Harper's Bazaar](https://www.edgepedia.org/harpers-bazaar), Vogue, Glamour, and [Interview](https://www.edgepedia.org/interview) magazine, which led to acting in Super Bowl commercials for Chevrolet, Coke, and Budweiser, among others.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) She was also David Lynch's original Calvin Klein model for his Obsession campaign.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) Before modeling she was a competitive swimmer.[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=6715)
## Acting career
**1987 to 1988.** Rubin decided to devote herself to acting in 1987 and accepted the role of Taryn White in the [Wes Craven](https://www.edgepedia.org/wes-craven) sequel *A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors*, directed by [Chuck Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-russell).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) The film opened at number one at the box office in February 1987 and is the third highest grossing entry in the franchise.[4](https://www.horrorsociety.com/2017/05/23/now-jennifer-rubin/) She followed it with her first leading role as Cynthia, whose frightening visions become reality, in *Bad Dreams* (1988), and then appeared in support of [Keanu Reeves](https://www.edgepedia.org/keanu-reeves) in *Permanent Record* and in the coming-of-age tale *Blueberry Hill* (both 1988).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin)
**1990s.** Rubin was the object of [Ralph Macchio](https://www.edgepedia.org/ralph-macchio)'s desire in *Too Much Sun* and played a cameo as [Edie Sedgwick](https://www.edgepedia.org/edie-sedgwick) in the [Andy Warhol](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-warhol) sequence of Oliver Stone's *The Doors* (both 1991).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) In *Bitter Harvest* (1993) she played a bank robber, and in *The Crush* (1993) she was Cary Elwes' girlfriend who runs afoul of Alicia Silverstone.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) She co-starred with Peter Weller in *Screamers* (1995), based on the science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/) She also appeared in Chris Isaak's music video for "Somebody's Crying" (1995), with Chris Penn.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/)
**Television and producing.** Rubin made guest appearances on television series including *The Twilight Zone*, *Miami Vice*, *Tales from the Crypt*, and *The Outer Limits*, and starred in several made-for-TV movies, including *Drop Dead Gorgeous* (1991), *The Fear Inside* (1992), *Full Eclipse* (1993), *The Wasp Woman* (1995), *Twists of Terror* (1996), *Sanctimony* (2000), and *Lawless: Beyond Justice* (2001).[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=6715) She produced and starred in the film *Road Kill* (1999).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/)
## Later work
Rubin's screen credits continued into the 2000s and beyond, including *Amazons and Gladiators* (2001), *Heebie Jeebies* (2013), *Untold: This Is My Story* (2021), and *The Once and Future Smash* (2022).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) On Rotten Tomatoes her highest-rated title is the documentary *Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy* (2010), in which she appeared as herself, and her lowest is *Plump Fiction* (1998).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin) In 2010 she began writing screenplays, including *Hot Hemp Pancakes*, *Oopsy-Daisy*, and *The Bookie-Lady*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/)
## References
1. [Jennifer Rubin (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748075/)
2. [Jennifer Rubin, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_rubin)
3. [Jennifer Rubin, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=6715)
4. [Where Are They Now?: Jennifer Rubin, Horror Society (2017)](https://www.horrorsociety.com/2017/05/23/now-jennifer-rubin/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Ro to Sa*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license