Fast- Forward: Jennifer Beals

(CBS)  Nineteen years ago, Jennifer Beals was a freshman at Yale, studying American literature, when her debut movie "Flashdance" was released. The film became a blockbuster and almost overnight the college freshman became a movie star.

Her starring role as a Pittsburg welder turned dancer, brought her instant fame. But Beals decided against moving to Hollywood and capitalizing on her celebrity. Instead, she chose to finish her degree at Yale before pursuing a career as an actress.

"I was really happy to go back to school. I was in love with learning, and it made sense for me, said Beals on The Early Show. Now she is back in the limelight with a small part in "Roger Dodger."

"Roger Dodger" is about a cynical, egotistical New York advertising copywriter (Campbell Scott) who tries to show his nephew how pick up women, so to speak.

"I play Sophie, one of the women that they meet along their travels, in Manhattan. And she's this world-weary woman who when she comes across Nick, a young 16-year-old, it's like she encounters her own innocence again. And so she's very taken with him," explained Beals.

The independent, low-budget film took only 20 days to shoot. Beals said she was very happy to get to work with costar Campbell Scott, who is also one of the film's executive producers. And she was also very much attracted to the script and the location as well.

"I just love working with him so much that I jumped at the chance to work with him, and when I read the script and found it was so insightful and funny, I just thought that was a bonus," she said. "We were also in an interesting position to be shooting in Manhattan. You know, a year ago, and it was incredible time to be shooting this movie, because so much of it is about how do you regain your innocence after that's been taken away from you," Beals said.

The film also stars Campbell Scott, Isabella Rossellini, Jesse Eisenberg, and Elizabeth Berkley.

Beals is currently working with Gene Hackman and John Cusack on "Runaway Jury," a film based on a John Grisham novel.