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Rachael Leigh Cook Profile |
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Birth Date: October 4, 1979
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Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Birth Name: Rachael Leigh Cook
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 4, 1979, Rachael
Leigh Cook was shy as a child. She knew early on that she
wanted to become an actress, to use acting as a means of
expressing herself. Before jumping on to the big screen,
Rachael began acting in commercials and school musicals by
the time she was 7, and modeling at age 10.
Rather than being a fashion model (probably difficult,
standing at 5'2"), Rachael used her beautiful face and
talent in more beneficial ways: in public service
announcements. She appeared in a non-speaking part in a PSA
about adopting foster children, while her most notable work
was in the famous anti-drug PSA that simulated how the brain
is affected by drugs, by smashing eggs with a frying pan and
then destroying the kitchen.
Although Rachael was receiving work as a print model during
her 4-year modeling stint (her face appears in a Milk-Bone
ad and on the Milk-Bone box), Minnesota was not the hub of
acting. So Rachael headed to the West Coast, to pursue an
acting career.
Once in Los Angeles, Rachael didn't have much trouble
landing roles. In 1995, she made her feature film debut in
the film adaptation of the popular children's book series,
The Baby-Sitters Club. Remaining true to her younger fans,
she followed up that performance with a role in the film Tom
and Huck, co-starring Home Improvement's Jonathan Taylor
Thomas.
The rest of the '90s were marked by independent films such
as Carpool (1996), the short feature 26 Summer Street
(1996), The House of Yes (1997), which earned recognition at
the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, and The Eighteenth Angel
(1998).
After a couple more films, including Living Out Loud and
Strike! (both in 1998), Rachael bounced onto the big-screen
in the sleeper hit She's All That (1999), and landed in the
hearts of many a young man. As the nerd-turned-high school
sweetheart in the modern day adaptation of Pygmalion,
Rachael gave a credible performance, although she couldn't
fool audiences into believing that she was really the
scrawny, awkward girl she portrayed.
The success of She's All That gave Rachael the recognition
she needed to become the in-demand star that she is today.
She appeared in Six-Pence None the Richer's video for "Kiss
Me" (off the She's All That soundtrack) with co-star,
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Television audiences must have been accustomed to seeing
Rachael on the television screen by then, as she also made
an appearance on The Outer Limits, had a guest-starring
recurring role in the high school series Dawson's Creek
(1998), as well as roles in made-for-TV movies such as True
Women, Country Justice and The Defenders: Payback (all in
1997)).
After starring in Get Carter with Sylvester Stallone, it
seems the new millennium hasn't been incredibly kind to
Rachael, as she has been starring in movies that don't do
very well at the box office. In 2001, Rachael appeared
alongside Ashton Kutcher in film Texas Rangers, and with
Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson in the film adaptation of the
popular cartoon Josie and the Pussycats, which tanked at the
box office; in 2002, she starred in two more box-office
bombs entitled Scorched and 29 Palms.
2003 saw Rachael starring in four more films, including The
Big Empty with Jon Favreau, and Tempo. In 2004, Rachael
continued to star in little heard of films including
American Crime and Fearless.
Besides acting, Rachael is passionate about art, especially
drawing. She would like to eventually try screenwriting and
she will get her chance to co-produce an independent film
entitled Tangled.
Currently engaged to actor Daniel Gillies, Rachael lives
mostly in her L.A. apartment, and she has a boxer dog and
two cats. She's a vegetarian and has a tattoo on her left
arm. |
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Other
Information |
Was a print model for 5 years before becoming an actress.
Is a vegetarian.
Was a student of the Laurel Springs School, a school for
young actors who can't attend a more regular school due to
time commitments.
Was in a memorable anti-drug commercial where she smashes an
egg with a frying pan ("this is your brain on heroin") and
proceeds to trash the room with the frying pan ("this is
your family, friends, career, etc."). Arguably one of the
few effective anti-drug spots ever made.
Owns her own production company called Ben's Sister
Productions.
Attended Minneapolis South High School, the same school as
actor Josh Hartnett.
Dated "Boy Meets World" (1993) star Rider Strong.
Played the younger version of Parker Posey's character in
The House of Yes (1997). Posey plays the villain in Josie
and the Pussycats (2001).
Noisy underground British artist 'Firexit' has created two
songs especially for Rachael Leigh Cook. The two songs are
called 'This is for Rachael Leigh Cook' and a rare acoustic
track called 'Dear Rachael'. In a interview, Gareth Gerrard
(aka Firexit) was asked about the songs, he replied “Rachael
is everything, I love her very much”.
Was recommended to the producers of "Dawson's Creek" (1998)
by Texas Rangers (2001) co-star James Van Der Beek. She
guest starred with him in 3 episodes.
In early 2001, she met actor Ryan Reynolds and the two
immediately hit it off. However, she had to fly to England
shortly after to film Blow Dry (2001). Ryan ended up
suprising her, pulling out of his filming schedule and
following her all the way to London. It was a success and
they ended up dating for a year.
Engaged to actor Daniel Gillies. [December 2003]
Her mother was a cooking instructor and is currently a
weaver.
There is a Minneapolis rock and blues band called "Budding
Hollywood Starlet" that is named in honor of her and other
budding Hollywood starlets.
Shares a birthday with Alicia Silverstone and Liev
Schreiber.
Ranked #26 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the
World" (2002).
"She's All That" was the second time she had worked in a
film with Freddie Prinze, Jr., although in their first
project together, "The House of Yes," they shared no scenes
together.
Her mother is of Italian ancestry |
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