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Marina Anderson is a noted actress, voice-over artist, writer, producer, makeup artist, acting coach, personal manager and career consultant. Marina has ventured in practically every facet of the entertainment industry in front of and behind the camera.
She was singly responsible via her efforts as personal manager and publicist, for resurrecting the career of actor David Carradine (her now, ex-husband), which culminated with his being cast in Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. It was Marina who befriended and introduced Tarantino to Carradine, which ultimately led to his being cast in the film. During their six years together, her life and career with Carradine has been highly publicized worldwide. It was publicly acknowledged that Marina was the sole motivating factor of his sobriety after many years of alcohol abuse (E! True Hollywood Stories and E! Hollywood Wives Tales). Marina combined her skills to rebuild his career as well as pursuing her own. All is recounted in her memoir, David Carradine, The Eye Of My Tornado, which is being developed as a film. Originally published 2010, the book takes readers through Anderson's very private journey and beyond her publicized marriage and divorce to Carradine. Endorsed by Dr. Drew Pinsky, a new, updated version is selling worldwide.
During this time and throughout her career, Marina has been cast in unique and diverse starring, recurring, and supporting roles in many independent feature films. Her talents as a skilled, versatile character actress were showcased in many comedic and dramatic films and television shows where she displayed chameleon like qualities in roles from murderers to moms, attorneys to bimbos. She has achieved notoriety and recognition in her own right within the indie movie circuit as well as prime-time mainstream distribution. Her talents have lent themselves to hosting, reporting and other journalistic ventures as well.
Marina was voted YouTube's #1 TV Executive from the four-million viewership web series Pure Pwnage, and co-lead in Sophie Chase, (which was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award -- the first in the history of the TV Academy) Outstanding Achievement In Video Content For Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms (New Media - iPod, Broadband), Canada's four Genie Award (Canada's Oscars) winning film (including Best Picture and director) 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, directed by Francois Girard and co-lead in The Motion Picture Academy Award and The Carl E. David Award winning film short Legacy.
She has also been cast as the co-lead in an episode of Unsolved for NBC Universal as well as appearances on: Bones (opposite Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz), The Mentalist (opposite Robin Tunney), Dexter (opposite Jennifer Carpenter), Law & Order LA, Desperate Housewives, supporting and guest star roles: Sex & Mrs. X (for Hearst/Lifetime opposite Linda Hamilton), Forever Knight, Dracula: The Series, and recurring guest on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (opposite David Carradine), Largo Winch, and CBC's highly rated series Scales of Justice.
Many other television appearances include: Seinfeld, Big Time Rush, Jane By Design, Parenthood, Ghost Whisperer, Side Order of Life (Becca's mom), 12 Miles of Bad Road, and Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip and many national on camera and voice-over commercials including Federal Express, Pillsbury crescent rolls, Jell-O pudding, Home Depot, Safeway markets, Thicker Fuller Hair, Pacific Horizon furniture and Alburtus Magnus College.
Film credits include starring and supporting roles: Natural Selection (stars Breaking Bad's Uncle Jack - Michael Bowen), co lead role in Dangerous Curves (opposite David and Robert Carradine), Macon County Jail (opposite Ally Sheedy), Licensed To Wed, Wild Hogs, Rendition, Kiss Of A Stranger (opposite Mariel Hemmingway), My Little Hollywood (Sylvester and Frank Stallone, Dennis Hopper), Naked Movie (Christian Slater, Tori Spelling), Shepherd (opposite Roddy Piper), co-lead in The Donor/La Donneuse, American Reel, three films for famed director Walter Hill, AOF award winning film, The Red Maple Leaf (stars Michael Pare, Kris Kristofferson, Mia Sorvino, James Caan and a long list of other luminaries).
To add to her schedule, Marina has her own jewelry line -- The Flying Goddess(TM) which has been covered in the media and is in the possession of celebrities such as: Shirley MacLaine, Fran Drescher, Dr. Maya Angelou, Jillie Mack (Mrs. Tom Selleck) and Jan (Mrs. Mickey) Rooney. She is also a columnist for Headlines & Global News (HNGN) and freelance writer for other publications.
2012, Marina opened her own publicity company, The Media Hound PR specializing in the entertainment industry, publishing, book launch campaigns and various events (for celebs such as Dick Van Dyke and Gary U.S. Bonds) and branding (Morgan Brown Designs). Clients have included actor-environmentalists Ed Begley Jr, and Rachelle Carson-Begley, actor-author Robby Benson, music icons Alan Parsons, Scott Harris (Building Construction Group), Blanche Garcia (expert Interior designer/consultant Travel Channel), Cari Cucksey (star of Cash & Cari HGTV), Mark Breslin (owner/founder Yuk Yuks Canada), Malibu Playhouse, just to name a few.
Marina is also developing film, TV, reality projects, paints, sculpts, enjoys playing guitar, singing, dancing, horseback riding, jet skiing, golf and bowling! Previous owner of Lulu The Collie (who was Lassie IX's sister and a Ralph Lauren Model) and three cats, Marina actively supports animal and children's rights groups (American Oceans, World Wildlife Foundation, PETA. MADD, ASPCA, Children Uniting Nations, LA Family Housing, to name a few). She is also writing a series of inspirational children's books.
Marina began her acting and modeling career in the San Fernando Valley at age 13, appearing in various commercials and television shows. An Art major at Ulysses S. Grant High School, she later attended Los Angeles Valley College where she became their first female DJ (KLAV). After attaining her Associate Arts degree in Theatre/Cinema, Coco received the ASO scholarship, which allowed her to pursue Journalism and Broadcasting at California State University Northridge and UCLA. Originally trained in theatre, Marina has performed leads in over twenty productions and touring companies including Taming Of The Shrew, Twelfth Night, Butterflies Are Free, My Fair Lady and Company. Marina has also hosted her own roving reporter on-the-town interview show for WCCO radio Minneapolis.
As an artist, she sold her Grandma Moses style primitive paintings (as Nina Penn) to various galleries in Southern California and also ran her own basket decorating company (The Basket Lady), which sold worldwide high-end, one-of-a-kind creations she crafted herself, to famous Hollywood clientele.
Entertainment runs in Marina's family. Her mother (Mariana Dottore, the Sicilian side) was a contract singer for Warner Bros. in the 40's, also Pasadena Civic Light Opera as well as appearing in various noted nightclubs. She is related to famed Cardinal d'Este (Villa d'Este in Italy) and Lucrezia Borgia. Coco's father (Joseph Benjamin, Lithuanian descent) was a professional musician, inventor, aerospace engineer and Imagineer for EPCOT/Disney. Her father's uncle was film and TV producer, Harry Joe Brown (Randolph Scott westerns, classic films such as Cpt. Blood starring Errol Flynn). Via Brown, Marina is related to acclaimed actor Peter O'Toole and Academy Award winning lyricist, Ray Evans (Mona Lisa, Que Sera Sera, Silver Bells, Mr. Ed and Bonanza themes). Marina has one older brother, Daniel who is also a professional musician as well as a computer programmer and analyst. He is happily married to Maggie Lew (Benjamin), a real estate investor born in Hong Kong).
In 1990, Marina returned to acting and moved to Toronto, Canada, wrote and developed comedy projects as well as guest starred in many Canadian-American TV and film projects (as Marina Anderson). It was there in Toronto, where Marina had recurring guest star roles on the show Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, where she met Carradine (1992). They did not start their relationship until 1995.
On February 20, 1998, Marina and David were married in a highly publicized ceremony on Laramie Street of the Warner Bros. Studio's Western street back lot where they first met in the 70s. David was filming the original series Kung Fu and Marina was taking acting classes located on the lot. Marina divorced David December 12, 2001 and changed her name to Coco d'Este for a time.
Marina enjoys working on the other side of the camera "at practically every studio in town in just about every capacity from production assistant to Executive Assistant of company's CEO's to producing". Marina co-owned American Biograph Productions, where she held the position VP of Publicity and was the youngest producer at that time to join the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The company produced commercials and live-action promotions for record companies such as Motown and Warner Bros.
Freelancing in other areas over the years, Marina has held the positions of: Script Analyst for ShowTime/Viacom, makeup artist (specializing in glamour makeovers, personal makeup artist to Yoko Ono), Director of Publicity for various companies, and freelance journalist and screenwriter. She has worked as Director of Publicity for various companies and publications and as a modeling, makeup and acting teacher (John Casablancas/Elite, John Robert Powers, Sutherland Models (Canada), Film Actors Lab, and others).
Appearances (as herself) include: Marilu Henner, Larry King (subbing host Joy Behar) Inside Edition, Insider, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, AM LA Hard Copy, Celebrity Justice, CNN, Radaronline.com, various news networks and Internet worldwide, Date My House, No Love In LA (Documentary), Your SCV TV, Global Village Television.com, Home Shopping Petwork (HSP), LA San Fernando Valley International Film Festival Gala Awards Presenter, Paris Hilton Documentary Warner Bros., Howard Stern, E! Hollywood Wives Tales, E! True Hollywood Story, E! Fashion Emergency, Q Television Brunch, Music +, 2001 Oscars pre show, Celebrity Justice, Crossing Over With John Edward, Home and Family Show (2), DogCatRadio.com, First Miss Dog Beauty Pageant, Telegado Awards, Woof! Woof! Mathew Margolis' Guide to Dog Training, American Oceans Celebrity Sports Invitational (jet ski competition), Dream Foundation Celebrity Sports Invitational (jet ski competition), Night of 101 Stars Academy Awards, Hollywood Santa Clause Lane Parade Starring (6 productions) KLAV Los Angeles DJ/radio talk show, WCCO radio (Twin Cities/MN) Roving Reporter/LA Laison, SUN TV - Host/roving reporter, Balance Bracelets infomercial, SCVTV The Beauty Spot (her own show).
