Phoebe Cates Siblings: Getting to Know Valerie Cates

Phoebe Cates is an American businesswoman and retired actress and model, best known for her iconic roles in 1980s films.

Born Phoebe Belle Cates on July 16, 1963, in New York City, she grew up in a family deeply connected to the entertainment industry.

Her father, Joseph Cates (originally Joseph Katz), was a prominent Broadway producer and television pioneer who helped create the game show The $64,000 Question.

Her mother, Lily Cates (née Lue), was born in Shanghai to a family of Chinese-Filipino heritage, while her father was of Russian Jewish descent from Manhattan.

Siblings

Phoebe has at least one sister, Valerie Cates, who is older and worked as a model.

Valerie appeared alongside Phoebe in magazine features and photo layouts during the 1980s, and the two were occasionally photographed together at events, such as film premieres.

Career

Cates began her career as a model at a young age, appearing in magazines such as Seventeen, Elle, and Vogue, as well as on the cover of Andy Warhol’s Interview.

She trained in dance at Juilliard and the School of American Ballet on scholarship but suffered a knee injury at 15 that ended her ballet aspirations.

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Transitioning to acting, she made her film debut in the 1982 romantic adventure Paradise, opposite Willie Aames.

That same year, she gained widespread recognition for her role as Linda Barrett in the coming-of-age comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, directed by Amy Heckerling, where her performance, including a memorable bikini scene, cemented her status as a teen idol and sex symbol.

She followed this with roles in Private School and the family horror-comedy Gremlins, directed by Joe Dante and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, which became one of her biggest box-office successes.

Cates continued acting through the late 1980s and early 1990s in films such as Date with an Angel, Bright Lights, Big City, Shag, Drop Dead Fred, and Princess Caraboo.

She also released a Japanese pop single in the 1980s and appeared in theater.

After retiring from acting in the mid-1990s to focus on family, she made a brief return in 2001 for The Anniversary Party, directed by her friend Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Later, she became an entrepreneur, opening a boutique in New York City.

Accolades

Cates was nominated for a Young Artist Award in the early 1980s for her performances in youth-focused projects, reflecting her appeal in that demographic.

Her roles in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins earned her lasting cultural recognition and status as an 1980s icon, with scenes from her films frequently referenced in pop culture retrospectives.

Critics and audiences praised her charisma and screen presence, particularly in comedic and fantastical roles, though her career was relatively short-lived in Hollywood.