Born March 3, 1982, in Ely, Minn., Jessica Biel caught the acting bug at age 8 when she understudied for the title role in "Annie," her favorite musical. After signing with a talent agent at age 11, Biel won a scholarship to study at the Young Actors Space in Los Angeles.
At age 16, Biel was cast in her breakthrough role as minister's daughter Mary Camden in the long-running TV series "7th Heaven" and made her big-screen debut the following year in Ulee's Gold. Eager to shed her good girl image, Biel left "7th Heaven" after six seasons to star in racier films such as Blade: Trinity and the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
In 2006, Biel received widespread critical acclaim for her performance opposite Edward Norton in The Illusionist. A proven box-office draw, she starred with Adam Sandler and Kevin James in the 2007 blockbuster comedy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.