Jane Wiedlin: Movies & Box Office

Born on May 20, 1958 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Jane Wiedlin grew up in a culturally diverse family—her father of German‑Swiss descent and her mother of Lebanese heritage—before moving to Los Angeles at age six when her father took a job with the Veterans Administration. She attended William Howard Taft High School from 1972 to 1976 and later studied fashion design, a background that would inform her early involvement in the Los Angeles punk scene where she sold punk‑style clothing under the moniker Jane Drano. In 1978 she co‑founded the pioneering new‑wave band the Go‑Go’s, initially a punk outfit that evolved into one of the most successful American groups of the 1980s, delivering hits like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “Vacation.” As the band’s rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, her songwriting contributions—including co‑writing “Our Lips Are Sealed” with Terry Hall—earned her a place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 2021, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After the Go‑Go’s first breakup, Wiedlin launched a solo career that produced four albums and a top‑ten Billboard hit with “Rush Hour,” while also exploring acting with roles in Clue (1985) and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) and later voice work as Dusk for the Hex Girls. Her artistic pursuits extend to collaborations such as the psychedelic duo Elettrodomestico and contributions to Broadway’s Head Over Heels, showcasing her versatility across music, film, and theater. Beyond entertainment, she has been a committed animal‑rights activist with PETA since 1989, an ordained Universal Life Church minister known as “Reverend Sister Go‑Go,” and an outspoken advocate for mental‑health awareness, sharing openly about her experiences with depression and a past suicide attempt. Throughout her career she has navigated personal relationships, including marriages to Ged Malone, David Trotter, and a brief union with Terence Lundy, while remaining child‑free and continuing to influence popular culture through her resilient spirit and creative legacy.