Bio: Phoebe Belle Cates was born on July 16, 1963 in New York City, New York, and raised there. She is the daughter of Lily and Joseph Cates, who was a Broadway producer and television pioneer. Her uncle was director/producer Gilbert Cates. Phoebe is of Russian Jewish, and one quarter Chinese, descent. She studied at Miss Hewitt's school and at the Professional Children's School in New York City. She took classes at Juilliard when she was ten-years-old for three and a half years until a knee injury forced her to stop. Phoebe had been a busy New York model starting at the age of fourteen. She's since been featured on the covers of four Seventeens, two Elle covers, a British Vogue, and Andy Warhol's Interview, as well as in numerous layouts in other magazines. She actively pursued her modeling career, until she met her film agent at a party at New York's Studio 54. She trains with Robert Ravan, founder of The Actors' Circle in New York. Previously she studied with Alice Spivack of the H.B. Studios. Cates made her motion picture debut as Sarah in Paradise (1982) in the same year she starred as Jennifer Jason Leigh's "experienced" confidante in Amy Heckerling's acclaimed Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Cates then landed the role of "Christine Ramsey" in Private School (1983), then co-starred in the innovative Gremlins (1984) for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, directed by Joe Dante. Cates has remained active in theatre, as well. After making her New York debut in Joseph Papp's Off-Broadway production of "The Nest of the Wood Grouse" in 1984, she followed with David Henry Hwang's "Rich Relations" at The Second Stage and a one-act festival at the Manhattan Punchline. On the West Coast, Cates played "Nina" in the La Jolla Playhouse production of Anton Chekhov's "The Sea Gull" and has since appeared in "Much Ado About Nothing" at New York's Public Theatre, and as "Juliet" in Chicago's Goodman Theatre production of "Romeo and Juliet".Since 1989, Cates has been married to actor Kevin Kline, with whom she has two children.
Tivia: Met her future husband, Kevin Kline, when she auditioned for the role of Chloe in The Big Chill (1983), that eventually went to Meg Tilly.Cates was originally going to play the role of Annie Banks in the remake of Father of the Bride (1991), but became pregnant so she had to drop out. The role then went to Kimberly Williams-Paisley.Although retired from making films, she has put her son Owen Kline into the movies, often showing up on the set to make sure he is behaving. He has appeared in The Anniversary Party (2001) and as a lead role in The Squid and the Whale (2005).Phoebe sings the "theme song" for the adventure romance movie Paradise (1982), which is heard during the ending credits.Has a daughter, Greta Kline (born 1994), and a son, Owen Kline (born 1991).She is good friends with actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. They met while filming Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) together.One of her first jobs at age 15 was being a plainclothes security person at Gallery Drug Store. She was given a basket and walked up and down the aisles pretending to shop whilst patrolling for shoplifters. She only ever caught one old woman stealing Band-Aids, but didn't turn her in.She appeared on the cover of Seventeen Magazine at age 15 with braces. It was her first big modeling job, so she told the magazine that she would have her braces taken off before she shot her cover, but they insisted that she keep them.Phoebe's paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Podolia, Ukraine. Phoebe's mother was born in Shanghai, China, of Russian Jewish and Chinese descent.Before turning to acting, she worked as a teen model in the pages of "Seventeen", etc.Opened a New York City boutique called Blue Tree. (October 2005)In the comedy movie Private School (1983), Cates sings two of the soundtrack songs: "Just One Touch" and "How Do I Let You Know".Both she and her husband Kevin Kline studied at Julliard School in New York City.The punk band "Fenix TX" wrote a song about her entitled "Phoebe Cates".Named on Harper's Bazaar's list of America's 10 Most Beautiful Women (1984)According to Izumi Matsumoto, the creator of Kimagure Orange Road (1985) a popular manga series (Japanese comic) and animated series. Ms. Cates was the inspiration behind the beautiful character Ayukawa Madoka.She has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982).Daughter of producer/director Joseph Cates and Lily Cates.Since her 'retirement' from films, she and her movie star husband, Kevin Kline, divide their time between their country estate in upstate New York and their luxury penthouse in Manhattan's tony upper east side. When not supporting her husband's continuing fine stage and film work, she fills her time attending openings and benefits and her favorite activity, hosting dinner parties and 'dishing the dirt' with her celebrity friends.Godmother was Jacqueline Susann.Has an older sister, Valerie Cates, and a younger sister, Alexandra Cates.Niece of producer/director Gilbert Cates.She is good friends with celebrity stylist / television personality David Evangelista.Sister-in-law of producer Kate Kline May.Cousin of Gil Cates Jr..