Rachael Leigh Cook

Rachael Leigh Cook

Born: October 4, 1979
Age: 44
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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Biography

Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress, model, voice artist, and producer, who is best known for her starring role in films She's All That (1999), Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and the television series Into the West and Perception, as well as being the voice behind various characters in Robot Chicken and Tifa Lockhart in the English version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

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Early life

Cook was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of JoAnn, a cooking instructor and weaver, and Thomas H. Cook, a social worker and former stand-up comedian. She is of Italian descent. Cook first appeared in a public service announcement for foster care at seven years of age, and began working as a child print model at the age of 10, most notably in nationwide advertisements for Target and appearing on the boxes of Milk-Bone dog biscuits. She attended Clara Barton Open School, Laurel Springs School, and Minneapolis South High School.

Career

Cook began auditioning for acting work at the age of 14. She made her debut as an actress in the 1995 film The Baby-Sitters Club, based on Ann M. Martin's book series of the same name. Her second movie role was in Tom and Huck, in which she portrayed Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher. In 1996, her modeling agency sent her to star in a short film, 26 Summer Street. In 1997, Cook appeared in a leading role in the film Country Justice as a 15-year-old rape victim who is impregnated by her rapist. She gained national attention in 1998, when she was featured in the famous This Is Your Brain on Drugs PSA television advertisement, in which she proceeds to destroy a kitchen with a frying pan as she lists the important things in life that heroin harms.

In 1999, Cook starred her breakout role in the sleeper hit film She's All That, a romantic comedy that adapted George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and so far the most financially successful film in her career. In 2000 she starred opposite Elijah Wood in the well-received The Bumblebee Flies Anyway. She took the lead role in 2001's Josie and the Pussycats, which turned out to be a box office failure. After that Cook mainly focused her work in independent films, resulting in some nicknaming her the next "Indie Queen" after Parker Posey. She also appeared as a main cast member in the 2005 television miniseries Into the West produced by Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks.

In 2000, she was the cover girl for the premiere US issue of FHM, the March/April issue. She also starred in the music video for New Found Glory's 2000 single "Dressed to Kill" and singer Daniel Powter's "Love You Lately". In 2002, she was ranked #26 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World". In 2003,she starred in the film 11:14 as Cheri.

Cook 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. Cook voiced Tifa Lockhart in the video games Kingdom Hearts II, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, as well as the CG movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Cook's latest voice-over role is for the video game Yakuza in which she voices the role of Reina.

Cook owns her own production company, Ben's Sister Productions (in reference to her younger brother Ben Cook, 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. In 2007 Cook was in the big screen adaptation of Nancy Drew, played the female lead in the independent sports drama The Final Season, and played a supporting role in Blonde Ambition starring Jessica Simpson and Luke Wilson.

She has appeared in numerous episodes of the Seth Green comedies Titan Maximum and Robot Chicken. On the latter she parodied the "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" role she made famous, by destroying everything she encounters with her frying pan.

In 2008, she guest-starred in an episode of the USA Network series Psych as Abigail Lytar, an old flame of Shawn Spencer. She returned in the season finale in which Abigail and Shawn start dating and appeared in many more episodes the following season.

In February 2010, Cook signed on to play the female lead role in Fox TV's comedy pilot Nirvana. She will star in the Western horror film Vampire, which is the English-language feature debut of Japanese director Iwai Shunji.

In 2011, she voiced the character of Jaesa Willsaam in the MMO game, Star Wars: The Old Republic.

In 2012, Cook signed on to play the female lead role in the TNT crime drama series Perception opposite Eric McCormack. She starred in the independent film Broken Kingdom, which was directed by her husband Daniel Gillies and premiered on October 2, 2012. She also appeared in a Funny or Die sketch with Chad Michael Murray.

Public service

In 2011, she was selected by the Obama administration as a Champion of Change for Arts Education. In June 2012, she began to award a small scholarship to those between ages 14 and 19. The scholarship helps pay for career classes, mentoring programs, and other school fees.

Personal life

Cook married actor Daniel Gillies in August 2004, after less than a year of dating. They have two children: daughter Charlotte Easton Gillies (born September 2013) and son Theodore Vigo Sullivan Gillies (born April 2015).

Cook is a vegetarian. She lives mostly in Los Angeles, but frequently goes back to visit her family in Minnesota.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Baby-Sitters Club, TheThe Baby-Sitters Club Mary Anne Spier
1995 Tom and Huck Becky Thatcher
1996 26 Summer Street The Girl Short film
1996 Carpool Kayla
1997 House of Yes, TheThe House of Yes Young 'Jackie-O'
1997 Eighteenth Angel, TheThe Eighteenth Angel Lucy Stanton
1998 Hairy Bird, TheThe Hairy Bird Abigail 'Abby' Sawyer
1998 Naked Man, TheThe Naked Man Dolores
1998 Living Out Loud Teenage Judith Moore
1999 Hi-Line, TheThe Hi-Line Vera Johnson
1999 She's All That Laney Boggs
1999 Bumblebee Flies Anyway, TheThe Bumblebee Flies Anyway Cassie
2000 Sally Beth
2000 Get Carter Doreen Carter
2000 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Chelsea Cunningham (voice) Direct-to-DVD
2001 Antitrust Lisa Calighan
2001 Blow Dry Christina Robertson
2001 Texas Rangers Caroline Dukes
2001 Josie and the Pussycats Josie McCoy
2001 Tangled Jenny Kelley
2002 29 Palms The Waitress
2003 Bookies Hunter
2003 Scorched Shmally
2003 Big Empty, TheThe Big Empty Ruthie
2003 11:14 Cheri
2003 Tempo Jenny Travile
2004 Stateside Dori Lawrence
2004 American Crime Jesse St. Claire Direct-to-DVD
2005 Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Tifa Lockhart (voice)
2006 My First Wedding Vanessa Direct-to-VOD
2007 Descent Allison Direct-to-VOD
2007 All Hat Chrissie Nugent Direct-to-VOD
2007 Nancy Drew Jane Brighton
2007 Matters of Life and Death Emily Jennings Short film
2007 Final Season, TheThe Final Season Polly Hudson Direct-to-VOD
2007 Blonde Ambition Haley Direct-to-VOD
2008 Fairy Tale Police Officer Duffy Short film
2009 Lodger, TheThe Lodger Amanda Manning Direct-to-VOD
2009 Bob Funk Ms. Thorne Direct-to-DVD
2009 Falling Up Caitlin O'Shea Direct-to-DVD
2011 Vampire Laura King Direct-to-VOD
2011 The Family Tree Rachel Levy Direct-to-VOD
2012 Broken Kingdom Marilyn Direct-to-DVD
2012 First Kiss Samantha Short film
2014 Red Sky Direct-to-DVD

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Country Justice Emma Baker TV film
1997 True Women Young Georgia Lawshe TV film
1997 Defenders: Payback, TheThe Defenders: Payback Tracey Lane TV film
1998 Outer Limits, TheThe Outer Limits Cassie Boussard Episode: "Glyphic"
1999 Dawson's Creek Devon Episodes: "His Leading Lady", "Psychic Friends", "A Perfect Wedding"
2000 Batman Beyond Chelsea Cunningham (voice) Episodes: "The Last Resort", "Plague"
2004 Fearless Gaia Moore Unsold TV pilot
2005 Into the West Clara Wheeler TV miniseries
2005 Las Vegas Penny Posin Recurring role (5 episodes)
2006-2014 Robot Chicken Various (voice) Recurring (11 episodes)
2008 Ghost Whisperer Grace Adams Episode: "Big Chills"
2008-2010 Psych Abigail Lytar Recurring role (6 episodes)
2009 Titan Maximum Lt. Jodi Yanarella (voice) Main role (9 episodes)
2010 Nevermind Nirvana Elizabeth TV film
2011 Stealing Paradise Amanda Collier TV film
2012 Left to Die Tammi Chase TV film
2012-2015 Perception Kate Moretti Main role (39 episodes)
2013 Team Unicorn Rachel Leigh Cook Episode: "The UniCorps Wants You!"
2014 Christmas Tail, AA Christmas Tail TV film

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Yakuza Reina
2005 Kingdom Hearts II Tifa Lockhart
2006 Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Tifa Lockhart
2007 Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ Tifa Lockhart
2011 Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy Tifa Lockhart
2011 Star Wars: The Old Republic Jaesa Willsaam
2013 Star Wars: The Old Republic - Rise of the Hutt Cartel Jaesa Willsaam
2014 Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shadow of Revan Jaesa Willsaam

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1997 YoungStar Award Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film Tom and Huck Nominated
1999 YoungStar Awards She's All That Won
MTV Movie Awards Best Breakthrough Female Performance Nominated
Best On-Screen Duo
Teen Choice Awards Film - Sexiest Love Scene Won
TV - Breakout Performance Dawson's Creek Nominated
2000 Santa Monica Film Festival Best Actress The Hi-Line Won
Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Movie Couple She's All That
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actress - Newcomer (Internet Only)
New York International Independent Film & Video Festival Best Actress Sally
2001 Young Hollywood Awards Superstar of Tomorrow - Female
Teen Choice Awards Film - Choice Actress Josie and the Pussycats Nominated
2006 Western Heritage Awards Television Feature Film Into the West Won

[ Source: Wikipedia ]


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