Michelle Meyrink
Encyclopedia
Michelle Meyrink is a Canadian actress; she performed roles during the 1980s in both television and in feature films, mostly playing roles as offbeat
teen girls. She is best remembered as the female nerd
Judy in the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds
and as the hyperactive whiz-kid Jordan Cochran in Martha Coolidge
's 1985 film Real Genius
.
Meyrink was born in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. She appeared in many comedy
films, including 1983s Valley Girl
as Suzi Brent, 1983's The Outsiders
as Cherry Valance's best friend Marcia. In 1984 she guest-starred on the television show Family Ties
as Mallory's friend (and Skippy's latest infatuation). Her last Hollywood role was in the 1988 film Permanent Record.
Thereafter, Meyrink gave up acting as a career, deciding she wanted more out of life than the profession was offering. During this transition period, she became interested in the practice of Zen Buddhism
. Toward her goal of reshaping her life, Meyrink moved for a time to the Dominican Republic
to be near family members living there. She later returned to her hometown of Vancouver, where in 1996 she met her future husband, John, at the Zen Centre of Vancouver.
As of 2010, Meyrink and John lived with their three children (ages 17, 15, and 11 in 2010) on Bowen Island
, just off the coast of Vancouver. She and her family were the subjects of a 2004 episode of the Canadian television series Quiet Mind, which focused on their embrace and practice of Zen Buddhism.
In 2010, Wired.com named Jordan Cochran, Meyrink's Real Genius character, as #6 on their "Top 10 Greatest Minor Characters in Geek Fiction" list. Writer Matt Blum noted "Michelle Meyrink deserves most of the credit for Jordan’s appearance on this list".
Offbeat
Offbeat may refer to:*Off Beat, a 2005 manga-influenced comic series by Jennifer Lee Quick*Off Beat, a 1986 comedy film*Offbeat, a 1961 film*Off Beat , a large German label for electronic underground music...
teen girls. She is best remembered as the female nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
Judy in the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
and as the hyperactive whiz-kid Jordan Cochran in Martha Coolidge
Martha Coolidge
Martha Coolidge is an American film director and former President of the Directors Guild of America. -Career:Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Ms. Coolidge first made her reputation by directing many award winning documentaries in New York before moving out to Hollywood in 1976. She spent several...
's 1985 film Real Genius
Real Genius
Real Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
.
Meyrink was born in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She appeared in many comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
films, including 1983s Valley Girl
Valley Girl (film)
Valley Girl is a 1983 romantic comedy film, starring Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Elizabeth Daily, Cameron Dye, and Joyce Heiser. The film was the directorial debut of Martha Coolidge, and was the first film in which Nicolas Coppola was billed as Nicolas Cage.The American release of Valley Girl...
as Suzi Brent, 1983's The Outsiders
The Outsiders (film)
The Outsiders is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, an adaptation of the novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. The film was released in March 1983...
as Cherry Valance's best friend Marcia. In 1984 she guest-starred on the television show Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
as Mallory's friend (and Skippy's latest infatuation). Her last Hollywood role was in the 1988 film Permanent Record.
Thereafter, Meyrink gave up acting as a career, deciding she wanted more out of life than the profession was offering. During this transition period, she became interested in the practice of Zen Buddhism
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
. Toward her goal of reshaping her life, Meyrink moved for a time to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
to be near family members living there. She later returned to her hometown of Vancouver, where in 1996 she met her future husband, John, at the Zen Centre of Vancouver.
As of 2010, Meyrink and John lived with their three children (ages 17, 15, and 11 in 2010) on Bowen Island
Bowen Island
Bowen Island, British Columbia, is an island municipality in Howe Sound, is part of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and is an island included within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust . Approximately 6 km wide by 12 km long, the island at its closest point is about 2 km...
, just off the coast of Vancouver. She and her family were the subjects of a 2004 episode of the Canadian television series Quiet Mind, which focused on their embrace and practice of Zen Buddhism.
In 2010, Wired.com named Jordan Cochran, Meyrink's Real Genius character, as #6 on their "Top 10 Greatest Minor Characters in Geek Fiction" list. Writer Matt Blum noted "Michelle Meyrink deserves most of the credit for Jordan’s appearance on this list".
Filmography
- Permanent Record (1988)
- Nice Girls Don't ExplodeNice Girls Don't ExplodeNice Girls Don't Explode is a 1987 comedy film in which April Flowers is kept away from boys by her overprotective mother because flames have a tendency to spontaneously erupt whenever her hormones are aroused. For April, "protection" on a dinner date is carrying a fire extinguisher...
(1987) - Tonight's the Night (1987 TV movie)
- One Magic ChristmasOne Magic ChristmasOne Magic Christmas is a 1985 Canadian-American holiday film from Walt Disney Pictures directed by Phillip Borsos and starring Mary Steenburgen and Harry Dean Stanton.-Synopsis:...
(1985) - Real GeniusReal GeniusReal Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. The film's screenplay was written by Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Peter Torokvei. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret....
(1985) - Family TiesFamily TiesFamily Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
(1984, TV series) - Don't Kiss Me, I'm Only the Messenger (1984)
- National Lampoon's Joy of SexNational Lampoon's Joy of SexNational Lampoon's Joy of Sex is a 1984 film directed by Martha Coolidge. It was written by Kathleen Rowell and J.J...
(1984) - Revenge of the NerdsRevenge of the NerdsRevenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
(1984) - Valley GirlValley Girl (film)Valley Girl is a 1983 romantic comedy film, starring Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Elizabeth Daily, Cameron Dye, and Joyce Heiser. The film was the directorial debut of Martha Coolidge, and was the first film in which Nicolas Coppola was billed as Nicolas Cage.The American release of Valley Girl...
(1983) - The OutsidersThe Outsiders (film)The Outsiders is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, an adaptation of the novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. The film was released in March 1983...
(1983)
External links
- Quiet Mind documentary from Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation Web site (note: Michelle Meyrink sightings at 16:30, 25:00 and 28:00)