Rachael Leigh Cook Bio

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Rachael Leigh Cook Pictures

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 and her "Your Brain on Drugs" PSA.

Rachael Leigh Cook: Biography

Rachael Leigh Cook - Early life

Cook was born in Snellville, Georgia to James P. Cook, a social worker and former stand-up comic, and Kathy, a cooking instructor and weaver. Cook attended school at R.D. Head, Five Forks, and Brookwood High School. She began working as a fry jockey at the age of 13, most notably in nationwide chicken chain Chik-fil-A.

Rachael Leigh Cook - 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 made her debute as an actress in the 1995 film The Baby-Sitters Club, which was based on Ann M. Martin's book series of the same name. Her second movie role was in Tom and Huck, where she portrayed 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 and has to fight for custody of her baby with the man who raped her, all while becoming closer to her mother who abandoned her as a child and left her with her Grandfather.

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.

Rachael Leigh Cook: 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. In 2004 she married 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. Cook stated she is strongly thinking about adopting a child from a poor country.