Jessica Biel

Jessica Claire Biel (born March 3, 1982),[2] is an American actress and former model, who has appeared in several Hollywood films, including Summer Catch, the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Illusionist, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and is also well known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven.

After auditioning for several television pilots, at 14 she was cast as the oldest daughter in a new family drama, 7th Heaven, the show was originally scheduled to air on FOX, but was picked up by The WB Network instead. 7th Heaven would go on to last for 11 seasons, making it the longest-running family drama in television history, and also became the highest-rated show on The WB.

That same year she also landed her first feature film role, playing Peter Fonda's granddaughter in the critically acclaimed drama Ulee's Gold, released in 1997. Her performance as the gothic, rebellious teenager earned her a Young Artist Award.

During a break from filming 7th Heaven, in spring 1998, she shot the holiday movie I'll Be Home for Christmas, playing opposite Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

In 2000, during the 4th season of 7th Heaven, Biel commented that she grew tired of playing the wholesome preacher's kid, and blamed the show for giving her a squeaky-clean image, which caused her to lose out on a role in American Beauty, the part later went to Thora Birch. In a last ditch attempt to be let out of her contract, she posed semi-nude for the cover of Gear magazine. Fans and the producers were outraged, and the shoot also sparked a lot of controversy, as Biel was still a minor at the time, but Aaron Spelling made it clear that Biel would be staying with the show until her contract was due to expire (although, she appeared in minimal episodes in season 5, due to her attending college out of state). She has now claimed that she regrets the Gear shoot, but considers it a learning experience.

In 2001 she played the love interest of Freddie Prinze Jr in the baseball themed movie, Summer Catch. The next year she starred as promiscuous college student Lara in the ensemble, The Rules of Attraction, a film adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name.