Rachael Leigh Cook

Rachael Leigh Cook Actress - Date of Birth 4 October 1979, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Nicknames The Indie Queen, Cook

Height 5' 2" (1.57 m)

Mini Bio (1) Minneapolis native Rachael Leigh Cook began her career as a model at the tender age of 10, gracing Milk-Bone(R) boxes and Target(R) ads nationwide in the USA. She also appeared in a now-famous (in the USA) anti-drug TV spot in which, armed with a frying pan, she bashed her way through a kitchen to show the disastrous effects of heroin. At 14, her modeling agency sent her to read for a short film (26 Summer Street (1996)) and changed the course of her young life--from that moment on, Cook was hooked on acting. When she reached L.A. later that year, Cook bypassed the wannabe stage and nailed her first audition (for the part of a budding entrepreneur in The Baby-Sitters Club (1995)). She returned to theaters three months later in the Jonathan Taylor Thomas vehicle Tom and Huck (1995), then filled her calendar with appearances in independent and made-for-TV movies. She divided her time between Minneapolis and Tinseltown, shuttling from school events to movie shoots with her mother in tow. Cook's starlet status crystallized in 1999, when she starred opposite Freddie Prinze Jr. in the Pygmalion retelling She's All That (1999). Her on-screen transformation from ugly duckling to ravishing beauty scored several teen-oriented awards and made Cook a hot commodity in Hollywood. She signed for a handful of plum follow-up roles, including a troubled adolescent in Sylvester Stallone's Get Carter (2000), a frontier gal in Texas Rangers (2001), and the caterwauling lead in the live-action version of Josie and the Pussycats (2001). Cook now lives primarily in Los Angeles, but she returns home frequently to visit with friends and family. Her father, Tom (a former stand-up comic), is a social worker in the public school system, and her younger brother, Ben, is an aspiring filmmaker.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: IMDb Editors

Spouse (1) Daniel Gillies (14 August 2004 - present) (2 children)

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 and Genevieve Gorder.

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.

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.

Ranked #26 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).

She's All That (1999) was the second time she had worked in a film with Freddie Prinze Jr., although in their first project together, The House of Yes (1997), they shared no scenes together.

Her mother is of Italian ancestry.

After reading 'R. Lee Fleming Jr''s script for She's All That (1999) Rachael began to like the storyline more and more, soon after she was asked to play the role of Laney Boggs. She decided to take the lead role.

Was considered for the role of Rogue in the X-Men movies but turned the part down due to having work with CGI costumes and effects. The role then went to Anna Paquin, Rachael's fellow co-star from She's All That (1999).

Her guitar teachers were Fast Freddie & Phil X.

Owns a Sports utility vehicle.

Had little interest in modeling by the time she was 15 and tried to focus more on school of which she became fonder.

Has two cats at home in Minnesota named Beau and Skippy.

Has a toothbrush collection at her parents' home in Minneapolis.

Did a school senior paper entitled "Politics, Shmolotics, and 10 other reasons I'll never be President".

Her dream role is Kate Nolan from "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".

Stephenie Meyer wrote the Twilight character of Alice Cullen with her in mind.

Was 6 months pregnant with her daughter Charlotte when she completed filming the 2nd season of Perception (2012).

On the set of The Final Season (2007). [July 2006]

Filming Nancy Drew (2007) starring alongside Emma Roberts. [January 2006]

With Kal Penn, appeared at Keene State College on November 3rd to campaign for Barack Obama. [November 2008]

(August 14, 2004) Married her boyfriend Daniel Gillies after less than a year of dating.

Gave birth to her 1st child at age 33, a daughter named Charlotte Easton Gillis on September 28, 2013. Child's father is her husband, Daniel Gillies.

Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 35, a son named Theodore Vigo Sullivan Gillies on April 4, 2015 in Los Angeles at 5 am weighed in at 8 lbs., 14 oz., and measured 20.5 inches. Child's father is her husband, Daniel Gillies.

Personal Quotes (14)

I'm not small, I'm space-efficient.

I'd love to do a sequel. Even if it was 'Ernest Goes to Mars 3'- if these girls were in it, I'd do it in a minute". [Referring to Josie and the Pussycats (2001) in an interview she gave to TV Guide (Issue #2505, 31 March 2001; article title "What's new, Pussycats? by Josh Rottenberg)]

I would love to work with Rosario Dawson & Tara Reid again. We were a team on the set of Josie and the Pussycats (2001), our chemistry was great from the first day of filming & you don't really expect that when you work with new people. I still call them everyday, like sisters to me!

My height was never a factor.

When I came into the business, things changed a lot, and my life was in a real state of flux.

Hours fly by while I'll just be in my apartment, and somehow it will be messy later. I'll clean it up and eat cereal and watch Ricki Lake and call friends I haven't talked to.

Sometimes I'm just a disaster! Other times it seems like I'm one of the most normal people I know.

Acting just sort of happened and I found that I loved it. It was such a challenge.

You wouldn't recognize me from one project to the next.

On Josie and the Pussycats (2001); I guess I've done one other movie with a group of girls (All I Wanna Do (1998)), but we weren't as close.

On Josie and the Pussycats (2001); I'm learning to play guitar. It's very difficult, but I'm determined to do it right so I don't make anybody mad.

I always say that even if this were the worst movie in the world, I'd do it again because it was such a good time.

Once I tried highlighting my brother's hair, but I think I mixed it wrong. It was as if someone poured kerosene on his head.

You know, we have to take these characters who, granted, have their separate personalities but, on a lot of levels, are pretty two-dimensional and make them into people with flaws, with insecurities.

Josie and the Pussycats (2001) $1,500,000

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000337/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress, best known for her role in the hit romantic comedy She`s All That.

Biography Early life Cook was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Thomas H. Cook, a social worker and former stand-up comic, and JoAnn, a cooking instructor and weaver.

Cook attended school at Clara Barton Open, Laurel Springs School and Minneapolis South High School. She began working as a print model at the age of 10, most notably in nationwide advertisements for Target and appearing on the boxes of Milk-Bone dog biscuits for medium sized dogs.

Career At the age of 14, Cook began auditioning for acting work. Her modeling agency sent her to read for a short film, 26 Summer Street (1996). She first gained national attention when she was featured in a This Is Your Brain on Drugs public-service television advertisement, in which she proceeds to destroy a kitchen with a frying pan as she lists the things that heroin harms (in 1998). Cook began her feature film career some years earlier, debuting in The Baby-Sitters Club (1995) as shy 13-year-old babysitter Mary Anne Spier. The movie was based on Ann M. Martin`s book series of the same name. Her second movie role was in Tom and Huck as Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher.

In 1997, Cook appeared in a leading role in the film Country Justice as Emma, a 15 year old who gets raped.

Cook`s two highest-profile lead roles to date have been in the films She`s All That (1999) and Josie and the Pussycats (2001). Cook has also appeared in a number of independent films and in the 2005 television miniseries Into the West.

In 2000, she was the cover girl for the premier issue of FHM US (March/April issue). Cook also provided the voice for Chelsea Cunningham on the Kids` WB animated series Batman Beyond in the episode "Last Resort" and in the animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. In 2002, she was ranked #26 in Stuff magazine`s "102 Sexiest Women in the World".

Cook has provided the voice of Tifa Lockhart in the video games Kingdom Hearts II and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, as well as the CG movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. She also starred in the video for New Found Glory`s 2002 single "Dressed to Kill". Cook`s latest voice-over role is for the video game Yakuza where she voices the role of Reina, a beautiful barkeep. She has also appeared in Daniel Powter`s "Love You Lately". The band Red Car Wire has also made a song called Rachael Leigh Cook because the lead singer and guitarist "used to be madly in love with her." The song is a metaphor for not being able to be with the girl you want.

Cook owns her own production company, Ben`s Sister Productions (in reference to her younger brother, an aspiring filmmaker). Cook eventually stepped away from the spotlight to focus on spending time with friends and family. She later returned to mainstream films when she signed on to a new casting agency. Cook was later cast in a role in the big screen adaptation of Nancy Drew, the female lead in the independent sports drama The Final Season, and playing a small supporting lead in Blonde Ambition.

Lately Rachael was considered as Alice Cullen in the movie Twilight - she was the one that author Stephenie Meyer had in mind as Alice, but the part was giving to Ashley Greene instead.

Philanthropy According to her firm, Contact Music, Rachel Cook is strongly thinking about adopting a child from a poor country.

Personal life Cook at Drexel University for the Barack Obama campaign. Cook has dated actors Ben Foster, Thomas Montgomery, Vincent Kartheiser, Ryan Reynolds, Shane West, Rider Strong, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Colin Hanks. She is now married to actor Daniel Gillies. Cook, a vegetarian, lives mostly in Los Angeles with her three dogs, but frequently goes back to visit her family in Minnesota.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachael_Leigh_Cook