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 "
This is Your Brain on Drugs"
PSA.
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.
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 in 1998, 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. Cook made her debut 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 a 15-year-old
rape victim who is impregnated by her rapist.
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 2000 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.
In 2008 she guest-starred in a episode of the
USA Network series
Psych as Abigail Lytar, an old flame of
Shawn Spencer. She returned in the season finale where Abigail and Shawn start dating and has since appeared in many more episodes in the following season.
Personal life
[
leigh cook.jpg|thumb|right|Cook at [[Drexel University] for the
Barack Obama]] campaign
Cook has dated actors
Ben Foster,
Vincent Kartheiser,
Ryan Reynolds,
Shane West,
Rider Strong,
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and
Colin Hanks. In 2004 she married actor
Daniel Gillies. Cook, a
vegetarian,
[Fandango Summer Movies - Movie Tickets and Theatre Showtimes] 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.
Filmography
Robot Chicken
Cook has appeared in numerous episodes of the
Seth Green-created comedies,
Titan Maximum and
Robot Chicken. Although
Robot Chicken featured
an episode that
parodied Final Fantasy VII which involved
Tifa Lockhart (a character Cook voiced in
Advent Children), in this parody there were no voices, but simply text like in the original game. She has, however, parodied the "
This Is Your Brain on Drugs" role she made famous, by proceeding to attack her neighborhood with her frying pan.
