A bet difficult to keep if you are a star on the little screen, but she took it and got plenty of satisfaction. After 'Under Siege' with Steven Seagal, the beautiful blonde starred in numerous movies (Beverly Hill Billies, Chasers, ...), which were bringing her between the new stars in Hollywood. But in movie studios: when adventure is in the movie, love is also! When she played Shauni McClain in David Hasselhoff's Baywatch, she fell in love with Billy Warlock, her T.V. partner and ex-husband of Marcy Walker. A real idyll which didn't last once they quit the series. One thing you have to admit she went a long way after kissing Eliot in E.T. (1982).

Glenn: After playing a lifeguard for a long time, wasn't it dangerous to leave everything and give your career a complete other direction?
Erika: I was very happy with the decision I made at that time. Finally I could myself turn into a complete actress. In "Girl in the Cadillac", one of my last movies, I played a character which gets involved in a Bonnie and Clyde situation. I play a 17-year old girl, who wants to quit an Texan town, where she lived with her mother. One day she meets at the local bus stop a cowboy, single and sexy, who takes her visiting her uncle. During the ride she gets involved in a hold-up and has to run for her life. You see it was a really different character then I played on Baywatch.

Glenn: Except, that once again you fell in love with your movie partner, William McNamara. Don't you fear the complications, when you get involved with an actor, who is less known than you?
Erika: No, not exactly. I quit Baywatch so I wouldn't be known only as Shauni McClain, the lifeguard. That's why I want to play several different parts in my further career. After a while, I hope that people won't associate me automatically with Shauni. Our couple doesn't fear the jealousy of others. Also when we met, William knew how popular I was!

Glenn: Don't you remember the same happened to Harry Hamlin and Nicolette Sheridan?
Erika: I don't think you can compare our situation to theirs. William and I are equal, after 'Chasers' the movie were our love was born, we recently turned 'Girl in the Cadillac', the movie which should be his break-through. I would say his performances can be compared to Brad Pitt, so maybe I should getting worried (laugh).

Glenn: What is it that attracts you in William?
Erika: The man which I discovered in him.

Glenn: Wasn't that the case with your ex-partner, Billy Warlock?
Erika: Billy is really a great guy, with whom I passed some wonderful years. We did even buy a house in Telluride (Colorado) and very often we were walking in the nature with our dogs. I will never forget those romantic moments. The problem he had was his childishness. He looks so young that girls want to threat him like a mother. Nevertheless, thanks to Billy I was able to forget my first broken heart.

Glenn: What happened?
Erika: I had to cancel my marriage to Steve Ferguson, a former swim champion. We were together for 3 years, but the last months we were together, we had some problems. We visited a marriage consultant, but that didn't help. In the beginning of our relationship, I was getting very famous and I received a lot of party invitations, which I couldn't turn down. I already had a relationship with some guy which dragged me in a world of alcohol and drugs. It was Steve who helped me quit this life and who took me to an AA-meeting.

Glenn: You don't see him anymore?
Erika: Oh no, I see him regularly. At the time we were together, Steve organized a party in honour of his father and my mother. That evening they also announced they were getting married. So Steve is my half-brother now, a crazy situation.

Glenn: Do you remember your first kiss?
Erika: Of course, but I am not going to tell you my age at that time. I was very young and I watched very often 'The Brady Bunch'. In one of the episodes Bobby, my favorite character, does the thing and feels really great afterwards. I didn't take me long to try it on my current boyfriend, so the next time I saw him, I forced him to give me very long kiss. I was delighted, while he had troubles recovering. (laughing)

Glenn: Did you have a great enfance?
Erika: No, I was born in Glendale, near Los Angeles, and I went to college where lots of rich people sent their kids. I was often humiliated, because of my poor origin. The girls were all good looking and I didn't have any confidence. I was a little shy at that time, I wasn't very popular in school and the boys were not looking at me. Thanks to Baywatch, I got my revenge on men!

Glenn: Did you parents support your career?
Erika: No, I was only 10 years old when my father started in showbizz. He left for Hollywood. He didn't have a lot of success, but got involved in some studios. From that moment our family was falling apart.

Glenn: Will you leave the choice to your kids?
Erika: I will try to keep them away from Hollywood. I want to raise them far away from stress and showbizz.

Glenn: How do you stay in shape?
Erika: I do a lot of sports. I do some training every day and like to jogging. When it is possible, I also try to do some skiing.