Carmen Electra, born Tara Leigh Patrick on April 20, 1972, in Sharonville, Ohio, is an American actress, model, singer, and media personality. She is the daughter of Patricia, a singer, and Harry, a guitarist and entertainer. Carmen attended Ann Weigel Elementary School and studied dance at Dance Artists dance studio under Gloria J. Simpson.

She later enrolled in the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati and graduated from Princeton High School in 1990. Carmen is of Cherokee, German, and Irish descent and was very close to her family.

Carmen Electra began her professional career in 1990 as a dancer at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. In 1991, she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she met singer and songwriter Prince. Prince produced her self-titled debut studio album, released in 1993.

She later relocated to Los Angeles and gained widespread recognition for her role as Lani McKenzie in the television series Baywatch from 1997 to 1998. She also hosted the MTV dating show Singled Out in 1997 and made her film debut in the comedy horror American Vampire.

Carmen Electra has appeared in several parody films, including Scary Movie, Scary Movie 4, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, and Disaster Movie. Her other film credits include Get Over It, Starsky & Hutch, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Dirty Love, Hot Tamale, and I Want Candy.

She has also occasionally worked as a dancer, most notably with The Pussycat Dolls, as a featured guest of the group on VH1 Divas 2004.

Carmen Electra has been married twice. She was married to basketball player Dennis Rodman from 1998 to 1999 and to musician Dave Navarro from 2003 to 2007. She was also in a relationship with musician Rob Patterson from 2008 to 2012.

Her mother passed away from a brain tumor in 1998, and her older sister Debbie died of a heart attack in the same year.