Actress In 'Austin Powers' Has Ties To Local Family

In a game called, "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," a person tries to connect any movie star past or present to actor Kevin Bacon, star of such movies as "A Few Good Men," "Footloose" and "Murder in the First."

Warsaw residents may want to play a slightly different game called, "Six Degrees of Mindy Sterling," to connect themselves to the stars.

Sterling played the role of Frau Farbissina in the movie "Austin Powers" and will reprise the role in the sequel "The Spy Who Shagged Me," when the film is released June 11. Farbissina is a sidekick of Austin Power's nemesis "Dr. Evil." Both Dr. Evil and Austin Powers are played by comedian and actor Mike Myers.

Sterling also will appear as an acting coach in the movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous," to be released April 30.

While the name Sterling may not be a local name, her husband's name may be familiar to some Warsaw residents. Her husband, Brian Gadson, is a 1974 Warsaw graduate and the son of retired pharmacist Paul Gadson.

Brian and Mindy married in 1987, live in California and have an adopted son. Brian is a general contractor and proprietor of his own business.

When not making a movie or appearing in a sitcom, Mindy is a teacher at Groundling Theatre, where she has worked with celebrities such as the late Phil Hartman, Julia Sweeney and "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow.

Paul Gadson said the Groundling Theatre "is a proving ground for a lot of (celebrities)."

And as for the "Austin Powers" movie, Gadson said, "I thought it was hilarious."

A native of Miami, Fla., Sterling has also appeared in the 1990 movie "Working Trash" with George Carlin, a couple of episodes of the television show "Evening Shade" with Burt Reynolds and an episode of the television comedy "Perfect Strangers."