Jennifer Beals is an American actress, photographer, and activist. She received critical acclaim for her role in Flashdance, the third highest-grossing film of 1983, for which she won the NAACP Image Award for Actress and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Jennifer attended Yale University, receiving a B. A. in American Literature in 1987; she deferred a term so she could film Flashdance. Jennifer has appeared in several notable films and is also well known for her support of women’ s and gay rights.