Biography of Petra Verkaik (a.k.a.: Petra Central)

Petra Verkaik was born in Southern California to a Dutch father and Indonesian mother. Verkaik began developing in high school at the age of 14. With acting and modeling aspirations, Verkaik left for the East Coast in 1985. A year later, she came back to California and began taking acting lessons. While trying to get a headshot photo for her portfolio, a photographer noticed her beautiful features and forwarded her pictures to Playboy magazine. Playboy came calling back and offered her a chance to pose for the legendary magazine.

Her first Playboy appearance was in Playboy’s Great Playmate Hunt in February 1989. She eventually was crowned Playmate of the Month for December 1989. Verkaik’s time at Playboy dominated her career during the 1990s. She represented Playboy at media shows and conventions, especially at Glamourcon, which she attended from 1996 to 2010. At the peak of her popularity, Verkaik was chosen Playboy Lingerie Readers’ Choice Model of the Year for 1997. Verkaik continued to pose for various editions and issues until November 2003. In 2010, Verkaik returned to pose for three photosets and three videos for Playboy’s Playmate Xtra series.

During her Playboy career, Verkaik pursued an acting career in Los Angeles. In 1990, Verkaik had an uncredited role in a television crime film Rainbow Drive, which starred actor Peter Weller. The next year, she starred as Basia in the romantic comedy Pyrates with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. In 1992, Verkaik had an uncredited role in Love Potion No. 9, in which she appeared in a scene with actor Tate Donovan. In May 1996, Verkaik appeared in an episode of Married with Children alongside fellow Playmate Victoria Fuller and sports stars Bo Jackson and Roy Jones Jr. In August 1997, Verkaik appeared on an episode of The Howard Stern Show. In 1999, Verkaik starred in an uncredited role of a photo model in the science fiction comedy film Galaxy Quest; however her role was cut from the theatrical version after the film initially received an R rating. In 2000, Verkaik starred in a minor role in the low-budget horror flick Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.

Verkaik is one of the few naturally large-breasted Playboy Playmates. According to the commentary of her Playmate profile, Verkaik credited her breasts with saving her life. In 1989, while working underneath her 1976 Volkswagen van, her breasts absorbed the impact from crushing her when the van fell off its jack. This occurred coincidentally in the parking lot of Playboy’s offices. She was later saved by paramedics and Playboy security guards.

In 2001, after the release of Angelina Jolie’s “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”, Verkaik dressed as the character Lara Croft for a photoset and video. In the video and photos, Verkaik strips first topless then nude. The video became a cult classic and was sought out on the Internet. In 2010, Verkaik reprised the role for a series of nude videos titled as “Petra Croft Returns”.

In late January 2002, Verkaik made national headlines when she attended a mid-winter high school prom at Foothill High School in Tustin, California; with 17-year old Toby Hocking, the son of a friend. Verkaik accompanied him to the prom, after reading his college entrance essay, in which she found things relatable to her own experiences.

Full name: Petra Verkaik

Born: November 4, 1966

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA