What Happened to Alex Mack?

What happened to actress Larisa Oleynik aka Alex Mack from TV show "The Secret World of Alex Mack?" If you're from a certain age group, you already know why this is so important. To tons of adolescent boys, she was the dream girl. There were definitely way too many junior high conversations concerning Oleynik that involved the cracking voices of adolescent boys.


Hell even I'll admit that at one point I believed that I'd date her. Thankfully by high school I realized that this wasn't going to happen and moved on instead of becoming some crazy stalker Hey I know what you're thinking, but this is strictly a blog subject. I don't have a bizarre shrine to her like this girl I lived next to in college did to Angelina Jolie. I went in her room once, and every inch of her walls and ceiling were covered in pictures of Jolie. Needless to say, I was so creeped out that I never went in there again.

When "The Secret World of Alex Mack" ended in 1998, she seemed poised for success. Oleynik had a couple of guest spots on "Boy Meets World" as Shawn Hunter's girlfriend, and then in 1999 appeared in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You," which is probably her most known role besides playing Alex Mack. Especially since it seems to be on television every other day, and somehow I can't help watching it almost every time.

It was pretty strange that she kind of dropped off the map following that movie because it was a launching pad for just about everybody in it including Julia Styles, Heath Ledger and even Joseph Gordon Levitt. Who is to say that Oleynik couldn't have saved the last dance instead of Styles? Although Ray, her best friend on "The Secret World of Alex Mack" was black so maybe she already had her dance saved. The last recognizable role she had after that was a 21-episode stint on "3rd Rock From the Sun" as the girlfriend of the Tommy character who was played Levitt.

Maybe the reason for her disappearance can be attributed to "Alicia Silverstoning" herself or otherwise known as ruining a promising career with terrible career choices. There must have been better options available than a stint on "3rd Rock From the Sun." It was in the midst of the teen movie craze, and she could have done crappy movies like "Bring it On" and "Crazy/Beautiful." Instead those movies were done Kirsten Dunst who seemed like had the potential to be hot, but instead became at best a notorious two-facer that rarely looks attractive unless she's in some really good, photoshopped light. Come on, if Dunst could get that popular then Oleynik would have been ten times better her.

I mean Brittney Murphy was even considered an "it' actress at one time. Really, Brittney Murphy? She's responsible for one of the most awkward sex scenes (it's so mature you must sign into You Tube to view it) in movie history with Eminem in "8 Mile." I don't know if I've ever felt more uncomfortable in a theater, and it didn't help that the guy in front of me felt the need to say, "yeah, that's what I'm talking about" during it.

The more likely explanation could be Oleynik's decision to take a break from acting to be a normal teenager and go to college. Usually celebrities don't realize how much it sucks to be a normal teenager. The whole point of being one is to try to be as cool as you can and to get people to like you. Why would you ever give that up? Because once you do, it's hard to get back. Oleynik has probably discovered this because since 2003 she's only appeared in a couple of little-known indie movies and had a few guest spots on TV shows , which isn't anything near the success she once had.

For all we know, one of us could have randomly walked past Oleynik at a mall, movie theater, or coffee shop last week without even noticing her. Something that would have seem impossible in the mid to late 90s. Is it too late for her to make a career comeback? I don't know, but if Molly Ringwald can get a steady job on TV, then anything possible.