Rebecca was born in Hazard, Kentucky, on August 12, 1972 although she was raised in Pinetop, Kentucky where the population is just over 800 people. Rebecca comes from a long line of diverse nationalities including those of Italian, Irish, German, and Cherokee descent. article continued below...

Rebecca moved to New York at age 15 to pursue a career in modeling and acting and finished her high school education after having initially spent a summer there modeling.

She completed the rest of her high school years at New York's Professional Children's School, and then moved on to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

Midway through her second term at the school, Rebecca became a cast regular on the daytime soap opera Loving in which she played a student who was obsessed with her professor.

Her career started in advertisements in which Rebecca began modeling underwear in Sears and JCPenneys catalogs, but it was her turn as the Noxema girl that merited her national recognition.

For the next few years after that, Rebecca worked steadily in television. Her credits include Beverly Hills 90210, the NBC miniseries Invasion, and the alien-esque series Earth 2. The latter show placed Rebecca in the hearts of many fans in Germany where the show was a huge hit.

Suddenly, in quick succession, the 5'8" beauty appeared with renowned stars Gabriel Byrne and Nastassja Kinski in Somebody is Waiting, directed by Martin Donovan.

Soon after that followed Rebecca landed another big movie role -- this time an adventure comedy entitled Nothing To Lose starring Tim Robbins and the emotionally unstable Martin Lawrence.

Rebecca gained international fame after she appeared in the cult film and soon to be classic hit Scream 2 alongside Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette in which she played a sorority sister named Lois. Although her part in the film was short-lived, Rebecca has moved on to bigger and better things.

She recently wrapped up filming for the prequel to From Dusk Till Dawn, which starred Quentin Tarantino (who by the way produced it) and George Clooney, entitled Hangman's Daughter, directed by P.J. Pesce and produced by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.

In 1999, Rebecca starred in the short-lived television drama entitled Wasteland, but unfortunately the show was cancelled soon after it aired.

Rebecca's most recent film include Hairshirt, co-produced by and starring Neve Campbell, and Darren Stein's horrendous Jawbreaker, starring Rose McGowan and Pam Grier. Rebecca will also be seen in Shadow Hours, set for screening at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.

Rebecca's favorite things include rollerblading, listening to rap music and spending time with long time beau Brett Ratner. The happy couple have been together for nine years and have plans to marry in the works.

• Engaged to director Brett Ratner whom she has dated since 1991.
• Attended Knott County Central High School, Hindman, Kentucky.
• Former model.
• Studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
• Was raised in Pinetop, Kentucky, USA.
• Moved to New York when she was 15.