Jessica Biel — More Than Meets the Eye

Known as one of the sexiest women in the world, Jessica Biel was just 14-years-old when she starred in the television series 7th Heaven. Today, Biel is looking forward to a career that shines with endless possibilities.

Voted as the No.1 pin-up girl by the soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the poised and physically fit Jessica Biel has evolved from a child actor appearing in Pringles commercials to a talented Hollywood starlet.

Born in Ely, Minnesota, Jessica Claire Felicity Biel is of German, English, French and Native American heritage. As early as age nine, she had her sights set on a career in show business – yet her first love was musical theatre. After winning a karaoke contest as a kid, she then set about to audition for as many amateur musical shows she could. She appeared in Annie, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast, before landing a Pringles commercial. After that she thought of acting as a real career that she could pursue. She got her break just a few short years later, when she starred opposite Peter Fonda in Ulee’s Gold (1997). In the acclaimed indie hit Biel was just fourteen. From there, she bounced from genre to genre, playing roles in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), and huge films such as Stealth (2005), with Jamie Foxx. She also found time to star in the hit TV series 7th Heaven – a role that led her to appear in magazines such as FHM and Maxim as one of the hottest women on Earth. For Biel, this is actually something she shies away from. “I like to be fit,” says Biel. “There is so much pressure in this town for women to look a certain way, but I prefer to have some meat on my bones, some muscle on my calves.” And because of that insistence on looking healthy and fit over thin, Biel believes it has actually limited her in the kinds of roles she is being offered. “People seem to think that if you look fit that means you cannot be funny,” remarks Biel. “I never get offered romantic comedy roles, and I think that is because people see me as physical and tough – but those two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive, do they?”

Excelling in The Illusionist (2006), a turn-of-the-century film about a magician, and Home of the Brave (2006), a daring film about men fighting in Iraq, Biel is making her mark in Hollywood. Biel pursued other types of film roles because she was worried that appearing in films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Blade: Trinity (2004) might become typecast as a scream queen. “I love doing horror movies,” says Biel. “But I never had any intention on making them all that I would do.”

Throughout the years, Biel’s commitment to music remained very strong, and she was offered roles in the Broadway shows Rent and Beauty and the Beast, only to have to turn the roles down because of scheduling conflicts with film roles she had signed on for.

The hazel-eyed, brown-haired beauty is also known for the company she keeps. She cleared her schedule in 2007 to accompany Justin Timberlake on his world tour. She has also been romantically linked to Manchester United soccer star Alan Smith. But on her personal life, she will rarely comment.

There is also another side to Jessica Biel, the side that is actively supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama. As well, when Biel heard about the plight of an injured girl, she offered herself up to a charity event to support the young girl. The prize was a date with Biel to the highest bidder – a bidder paid over $30,000 for that privilege.

Currently, Biel is excited for the upcoming releases of four films she has appeared in. The short film Hole in a Paper Sky is probably one of the most important to her. Not only does Biel star in this film, she also executively produced it – which is something that she is planning to do more of. “Once you gain a bit of notoriety in this business, you then have to decide how you are going to use it,” says Biel. “You can coast, and there is a big temptation to do that, or you can use your muscle to get things done that are really important to you. I am at the point now where I think I have to try that out.”

As for how Biel lives la dolce vita, she says: “I love animals and am a big supporter of PETA. So when I have a break in my schedule, I love to just spend it quietly with my animals.”