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Short Biography

Jessica Claire Biel (born March 3, 1982) 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 and Larry. She is also known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven.

Early life

Born Jessica Claire Biel in Ely, Minnesota, to Kimberly Biel (n?e Conroe), a homemaker, and Jon Biel, an entrepreneur. She has a younger brother, Justin, born in 1985. Biel has German, English, French, Irish, and Choctaw lineage.

Biel`s family moved frequently during her childhood, living in Texas, Connecticut and Woodstock, Illinois, before finally settling in Boulder, Colorado.

Career

Early career

Jessica Biel on board the USS Abraham Lincoln on 18 June 2004Biel initially trained to be a vocalist, and appeared in several musical productions in her hometown, playing lead roles in productions such as Annie, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast.

At 12 years old, Biel attended The International Modeling and Talent Association Conference in Los Angeles, where she was discovered and signed on by a talent agency. She began doing modeling work in print ads, as well as appearing in commercials for products such as Deluxe Paint and Pringles.

Biel also played a lead role in a low-budget musical short titled It`s a Digital World, but the film was never released.

Rise to fame (1996-2002)

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

Biel 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.

In spring 1998, during a break from filming 7th Heaven, Biel starred in the holiday movie I`ll Be Home for Christmas, playing opposite Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

In 2000, during the fourth 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 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 producers of 7th Heaven 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 five, 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, Biel 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.

Film stardom (2003-2005)