Jane Badler, the American and Australian actress best known for her
role as the evil reptilian Visitor leader "Diana" in the NBC
mini-series V: Die außerirdischen Besucher kommen (1983), its sequel V: Die außerirdischen Besucher kommen (1984),
the subsequent TV series V: Die außerirdischen Besucher kommen zurück (1984), and the last season of the
latest series V: Die Besucher (2009), was born on the last day of 1953 in
Brooklyn, New York. She spent her teen years in Manchester,
New Hampshire, where she attended Central High School.
Jane won the Miss New Hampshire title and competed at the 1972
Miss America Pageant before going on to study drama at Northwestern
University in Evanston, Illinois.
In 1977, Jane gained her first major role on the TV soap opera
Liebe, Lüge, Leidenschaft (1968),
where she played "Melinda Cramer Janssen" until 1981, returning briefly
to reprise the role in 1983. She also starred on the venerable soap
opera The Doctors (1963). Jane's
other TV roles included a stint on
Falcon Crest (1981) as "Meredith
Braxton" from 1986 to 1987 and as "Agent Shannon Reed" for the revival
of the series
In geheimer Mission (1988),
which was shot in Australia. She also guest-starred on many TV series.
Jane relocated to Australia after filming
In geheimer Mission (1988)
Down Under, marrying businessman
Stephen Haines. They have two
sons, Sam and Harry. Her Australian TV roles include
Cluedo (1992) (the British and
Australian name of the board game known as "Clue" in the United
States). She also had a guest-starring role in
Snowy River (1994).
In the 1990s, she launched a stage career and cabaret act, including
the one-woman show "The Love Goddess: Rita Hayworth".
