Julie Ann Strain (February 18, 1962 – January 10, 2021) was an American actress[1] and model. She was chosen by Penthouse as Pet of the Month in June 1991 and Pet of the Year in 1993. Her biggest mainstream acting role was Julie, the protagonist in Heavy Metal 2000.

Julie Strain
Born
Julie Ann Strain

(1962-02-18)February 18, 1962
DiedJanuary 10, 2021(2021-01-10) (aged 58)
EducationDiablo Valley College
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Spouse
(m. 1995; div. 2006)
PartnerDave Gram

Early life

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Strain was born in Concord, California.[1] A graduate of Diablo Valley College,[citation needed] she had an extensive athletic background. She later moved to Las Vegas and later Hollywood, California.[citation needed]

Career

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Julie Strain was Penthouse Pet of the Month for June 1991 and Penthouse Pet of the Year for 1993.[2]

With over 100 films to her credit,[citation needed] Strain was nicknamed the "Queen of B-movies". She modelled for many comic book artists, including Simon Bisley, Milo Manara, and Kevin Eastman, whom she would later marry. Her likeness was also used in animation. She provided the voice for the main character in the animated film Heavy Metal 2000, and was the basis for the third-person shooter video game Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2. She was a frequent guest panelist at comic book conventions like San Diego Comic-Con.[3]

Strain was one of the main subjects and was interviewed for the documentaries Some Nudity Required (1998) and Something to Scream About (2004). Her sister, Lizzy Strain, was interviewed for the latter as well, but did not make the final cut. As a favor to Julie, Lizzy's interview was included as a Bonus Feature on the DVD release.

In 1997, Heavy Metal published Strain's autobiography, Six Foot One and Worth the Climb. It was heavily illustrated with stills from her film and modelling career, plus paintings by Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell and Olivia De Berardinis.[4]

Personal life and death

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Strain was 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall.[1] From 1995 to 2006, she was married to Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eastman co-starred in several of Strain's films such as Day of the Warrior and L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach.

Strain suffered a head injury in her 20s. As such, she suffered from retrograde amnesia.[3][5]

In November 2018, her boyfriend Dave Gram announced that she was in the late stages of dementia, believed to be a result of her fall, and was receiving hospice care at home.[6]

In January 2020, Malibu Bay Films, a studio which Strain worked with frequently, incorrectly reported that she had died, but then quickly retracted their statement after it established the news had been an error.[7] Strain actually died on January 10, 2021, at age 58.[8][9]

Partial filmography

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Year Film Role Other notes
1990 Repossessed Aerobics / Locker Room Nude Girl (uncredited)
1991 Midnight Heat Carl's Breakfast Girl / Silver Statuette a.k.a. Sunset Heat
Out for Justice Roxanne Ford
Double Impact Student
1992 Soulmates Pretty Woman a.k.a. Blood Love (UK video title) / a.k.a. Evil Lives (USA video title)
Kuffs Kane's Girl
Mirror Images Gina Kaye
Witchcraft IV: The Virgin Heart Belladonna
Night Rhythms Linda
1993 Love Bites Female Jogger a.k.a. Love Bites: The Reluctant Vampire (USA)
Psycho Cop Returns Stephanie a.k.a. Psycho Cop 2 (USA video box title)
Enemy Gold Jewel Panther
The Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph Carter Creature a.k.a. H.P. Lovecraft's The Unnamable Returns / a.k.a. The Unnamable Returns
Love Is Like That Amber a.k.a. Bad Love / a.k.a. Wild Angel
Fit to Kill Blu Steele
Teasers Diva
1994 Play Time Sheraton
The Devil's Pet Queen of Lost Island
Naked Gun 33+13: The Final Insult Dominatrix
Beverly Hills Cop III Annihilator Girl #2
Infernal Soldiers Tess a.k.a. The Mosaic Project (video title)
The Dallas Connection Black Widow
Baywatch Windsurfer (uncredited); Episode: Red Wind / a.k.a. Baywatch Hawaii (USA new title)
1995 Takin' It Off Out West Mary 'Mad Mary'
Big Sister 2000 Interrogator
Starstruck Johanna
Blonde Heaven Illyana a.k.a. Morgana (USA DVD title) / a.k.a. Morganna (USA video title)
Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie Pretty
Temptress II Erica Barnes a.k.a. Sorceress
Dark Secrets Mauri
Victim of Desire Linda Hammond a.k.a. Implicated
Midnight Confessions Mariana a.k.a. Voices of Seduction (UK video title)
Virtual Desire Sascha
1996 Squanderers Jill a.k.a. Money to Burn
Day of the Warrior Willow Black a.k.a. L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Day of the Warrior
Hollywood: The Movie Dora
Red Line Crystal
1997 The Last Road Maggie a.k.a. SpeedWay (USA video title)
Hollywood Cops Madam Fortune Stella
Busted Annette
Bikini Hotel Raquel
Guns of El Chupacabra Queen B
Lethal Seduction Holly a.k.a. Lethal Betrayal
Sorceress II: The Temptress Tara Coventry a.k.a. Legion of Evil: Sorceress II (UK DVD title) / a.k.a. Sorceress 2 (USA short title)
1998 Masseuse 3 Sascha a.k.a. Indiscretions (USA)
L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach Willow Black
Armageddon Boulevard Queen Bee
Sex Court (TV series) Judge Julie
1999 Ride with the Devil The Temptress
Wasteland Justice Raven
Desirable Liaisons (TV series) Colonel Fedorova
Bloodthirsty New Roommate / Narrator a.k.a. Blood Thirsty (USA video box title)
Captain Jackson (TV series) Robot Mommy
2000 The Independent Ms. Kevorkian
Heavy Metal 2000 Julie (voice) Heavy Metal F.A.K.K.2 (Germany)
The Rowdy Girls Mick
The Bare Wench Project The Bare Wench
Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2 Julie (voice) Video game
Centerfold Coeds: Girlfriends Miss Hardy
2001 Sex Court: The Movie Judge Julie
The Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless The Bare Wench Bare Wench 2: Book of Babes (USA) / a.k.a. Book of Babes: Bare Wench 2 (USA video box title)
BattleQueen 2020 Gayle a.k.a. Battle Queen 2020 (USA)
The Man Show (TV series) Stripper Episode: Sperm Bank
How to Make a Monster Herself
2002 God Squad! Julie
Thirteen Erotic Ghosts[1] Baroness Lucrezia
.com for Murder Exotic dancer
Planet of the Erotic Ape Unknown a.k.a. Babes in Kongland or World of the Erotic Ape (USA DVD titles)
The Bare Wench Project 3: Nymphs of Mystery Mountain The Bare Wench a.k.a. Bare Wench III: The Path of the Wicked (USA) / a.k.a. Bare Wench: The Path of the Wicked (USA DVD title)
Bleed Linda
2003 HorrorTales.666 Unknown
Baberellas Coochinota
Birth Rite Ms. Carlson
Zombiegeddon Dispatcher
Delta Delta Die! Marilyn Fitch
Rock n' Roll Cops 2: The Adventure Begins Stella a.k.a. The Rock n' Roll Cops (USA DVD title)
Bare Wench Project: Uncensored The Bare Wench
2004 Tales from the Crapper Ivanna Dance / Samantha
2005 Bare Wench: The Final Chapter Bare Wench
Azira: Blood from the Sand Azira
No Pain, No Gain Amazon Beach Goddess
Exterminator City Unknown
2007 Chantal Sinister Model
Hollywood Scream Queens Herself
2008 Magus Madame Zelda
2009 Space Girls in Beverly Hills Queen Ziba Final film role

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Julie Strain". Internet Adult Film Database. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  2. ^ Victoria Zdrok (January 8, 2008), Dr. Z on Scoring: How to Pick Up, Seduce and Hook Up with Hot Women, Touchstone, p. 10, ISBN 978-1-4165-6463-8, retrieved May 2, 2013
  3. ^ a b Johnston, Rich (January 13, 2021). "Julie Strain, Heavy Metal Queen of B-Movies, Has Died". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Strain, Julie; Eastman, Kevin B. (2001). Julie Strain: Six Foot One and Worth the Climb. Rockville Centre, NY: Heavy Metal. ISBN 1-8829-3133-5.
  5. ^ Lemons, Stephen (May 11, 2000). "Julie Strain: Ultravixen". Salon.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016. Then a freak horse-riding accident almost snapped her neck, leaving her with a broken arm and ankle and a severe case of amnesia.
  6. ^ Johnston, Rich (November 27, 2018). "Julie Strain's Health Worsens, Tributes Paid". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  7. ^ Boucher, Geoff (January 13, 2020). "Julie Strain Update: Actress Is Not Dead, Film Company Now Says". Deadline. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Hamman, Cody (January 11, 2021). "R.I.P.: Julie Strain, B-Movie Legend and Penthouse Pet, Has Died At Age 58". joblo.com. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "'Heavy Metal Magazine' Model Julie Strain Dead at 58". wearethepit.com. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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