Brigitte Bako keeps a low profile compared to many Hollywood stars. She was born May 15, 1967 in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal, Quebec. Both her parents were Holocost Survivors who immigrated to Canada. As an adolescent, Brigitte battled with anorexia, and went on at age 17 to dance professionally with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She arrived in New York at age 18, and in a relatively short time, she had landed a role in Martin Scorsese's "New York Stories." This was followed by a part, albeit small, in "One Good Cop." Her big break came in 1992, when she was cast in Zalman King's "Red Shoe Daries" with David Duchovny and Billy Wirth. This "made for TV" movie became a cult hit on the Showtime Network.
In 1993, Brigitte starred with Tom McManus and Kevin Tighe in the Canadian movie "A Man in Uniform." She earned a Genie (basically the Canadian Academy Award) nomination for her performance in this tense thriller. That same year, she starred in "Dark Tide" with Chris Sarandon and Michael Tyson. Both "Dark Tide" and "Red Shoe Diaries" had some nudity which, as with many stars, has been taken out of context and exploited on so-called "adult" web sites. In reality, both are quality movies in which the nudity is an integral part of the plot. Following a major supporting role in "Strange Days," Brigitte has been featured in a number of action and suspense films. These include "The Escape" with Patrick Dempsey, "Double Take" with Craig Sheffer and Costas Mandylor, and "Primary Suspect" with William Baldwin, among others.
She has also been in demand as a voice actor. Her credits in this arena include Disney's "Gargoyles," the "Godzilla" cartoon series, and the English dub of "3x3 Eyes." Brigitte has appeared on stage in "Othello" and "The Doll's House," and on television in episodes of "Class of 96," "Equal Justice," "Strangers," "Secret Agent Man," "Law and Order," and "Californication".
In a 1995 interview with Liza Finlay in "Flare" magazine, Brigitte expressed a love for vintage dresses, particularly velvet and lace. She said that she likes to keep things simple, and that she does not wear much makeup. Nor does she drink or smoke. She described her style as "eclectic." In a 1998 interview with Cybergirl Aliza Sherman, Brigitte indicated that she had only been on-line once in her life. She expressed concern about people living their lives in front of a computer, rather than in the real world.
But she also acknowledged the growing power of the web, and the positive role it can play. Brigitte has generally stayed out of the public eye. Personal appearances are rare, but she was listed among the guests for the June 2001 "Gathering of the Gargoyles" Convention in Los Angeles. She appeared in the role of Bianca in the HBO series "The Mind of the Married Man" which ran for two seasons. She also created and starred as Gigi in the Canadian TV series "G-Spot" which enjoyed three successful seasons.
