Jessica Claire Biel was born on March 3, 1982, in Ely, Minnesota, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado with her brother Justin, after her family relocated to the rocky state.

A regular girl who loved to sing, dance, in-line skate, and mountain bike, Jessica was first discovered while competing at the International Modeling and Talent Association's Los Angeles Convention in 1994. Her participation in the conference led to her being awarded a scholarship to the Young Actors Space, an acting society in Los Angeles. article continued below...

• Stealth (2005) .... Lt. Kara Wade
• Blade: Trinity (2004) .... Abigail Whistler
• Cellular (2004) .... Chloe
• It's a Digital World (2004) (voice) .... Regrettal

Jessica has taken her acting abilities to the stage ever since she was 9 years old, starring in regional theater productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Invisible People, Annie, and The Sound of Music, while her beauty led her to model for Limited Too for two years.

The hazel-eyed beauty hit it big in 1996 when she was cast as Mary Camden in the WB's successful family drama, 7th Heaven. While playing one of seven siblings on the Aaron Spelling-produced show, Jessica also proved to moviegoers that she could steal the spotlight on the silver screen. In 1997, she starred with Peter Fonda in Ulee's Gold -- which garnered attention at the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals -- and her role as the rebellious teen made critics take notice.

One year later, she starred opposite teen Jonathan Taylor Thomas in I'll Be Home for Christmas.

Voted one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1999, Jessica did a 180-degree turn with her career when she posed semi-nude for Gear magazine, while underage. In an attempt to break free from both her wholesome television image and her contract with Spelling, Jessica was ready to show men worldwide what she had, no holds barred.

But Spelling and the rest of 7th Heaven's production team were unhappy to say the least, and filed a lawsuit against the men's magazine.

Apparently, Jessica was trying to prove to Spelling that he did not own her (as opposed to her strict contract clauses), and that she could take on whatever projects she chose. This was also in response to the alleged feeling that she was missing out on plum parts in Hollywood movies.

Despite the fact that she lost the role in American Beauty to Mena Suvari, the girl-next-door beauty still had great roles ahead of her.

The summer of 2001 saw Jessica starring opposite Freddie Prinze Jr. in Summer Catch, and the following year, she appeared in Rules of Attraction. A string of successful movies followed: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Cellular (2004) with Kim Basinger, and Blade: Trinity (2004) with Wesley Snipes and Ryan Reynolds.

2005 will also be a busy year for Jessica, as she will be appearing in Elizabethtown with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst, London and Stealth. In 2006, she can add The Illusionist to her resume.

Jessica completed a year and a half of studies at Tufts University in Boston and plans to finish college in California. She is also an amateur photographer and collects vintage glasses in her spare time. She has recently been romantically linked to actor Chris Evans.

• Has a brother named Justin.
• Discovered at the 1994 IMTA Los Angeles convention.
• Has hazel eyes and brown hair.
• Collects vintage glasses with no lenses.
• Audtioned for a role in American Beauty (1999).
• Amateur photographer.
• Is of German, French, English and Native American (Choctaw) heritage.
• Attended Tufts University for three semesters.
• Was voted in at #30 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition, up from #82 the previous year. [June 2002]
• Is actually 14 months younger than Beverley Mitchell, but still plays her big sister on "7th Heaven" (1996).
• Formerly a vegetarian.
• Was the first choice to play Abbey Chase in the television adaptaion of the comic book "Danger Girl". Unfortunately, the project fell through.
• Ranked #98 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties
• Ranked #99 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002).
• Born on the same day as model/actress Kim Smith.
• Her last name rhymes with "Deal."