Rebecca Gayheart

Rebecca Gayheart (born August 12, 1971) is an American actress and model.

Gayheart was born August 12, 1971 in Hazard, Kentucky, the third of four children born to Floneva "Flo" Gayheart (née Slone), who worked as a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant, and Curtis Gayheart, a miner and coal-truck driver.

She has two sisters, Elizabeth and Rachel, and one brother, Curtis Wayne Gayheart.

She is of German, English, Scottish and Scots-Irish descent.

Gayheart spent her early life in Pine Top, Kentucky.

In her first year of high school, she starred in a stage play chronicling the life of Lizzie Borden, in which she played the titular Borden.

At age 15, Gayheart won a local modeling contest, after which she relocated to New York City.

There, she completed her high school education at the Professional Children's School and went on to attend the actors' conservatory of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.

Meanwhile, Gayheart earned a living appearing in commercials for Campbell's soup and Burger King, and also modeled for J. C. Penney catalogues.

She began her career as a teen model in the 1980s and subsequently appeared in a student short film by Brett Ratner, with whom she had an extensive relationship.

In the early 1990s, Gayheart signed a contract with Noxzema and became a spokesperson for the company.

In her first film role, Gayheart appeared in Brett Ratner's New York University short film Whatever Happened to Mason Reese? (1990) starring Mason Reese.

She also appeared in the Ratner-directed music video Nuttin' But Love performed by Heavy D and the Boyz.

Gayheart's break into the television industry was a series of television commercials for Noxzema in the early 1990s, earning her the moniker "The Noxzema Girl".

The commercials began airing in 1991 and brought her national recognition.

In 1992, Gayheart was cast in her first major role on the soap opera Loving as Hannah Mayberry.

In 1993 and 1994, she had a recurring role in the Vanishing Son action series as cellist Clair Rutledge, the love interest of Russell Wong's main character, Jian-Wa Chang.

On television, she had a starring role on the series Earth 2 (1994–1995) and was a recurring guest star on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1995).

In 1994 and 1995, Gayheart played Bess Martin in the science-fiction series Earth 2.

In 1995, she played Antonia Marchette, a recurring character in the series Beverly Hills, 90210, and Luke Perry's character's love interest; the character was killed off after a 10-episode storyline.

She made her feature film debut in the comedy Nothing to Lose (1997) and then had a lead role in the slasher film Urban Legend (1998).

She was subsequently cast in her feature film debut in the comedy Nothing to Lose (1997) opposite Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence, portraying a flower shop employee who nearly woos an advertising executive (Robbins).

The same year, she had a minor role as a sorority sister in Wes Craven's horror film Scream 2 (1997).

After completing Scream 2, Gayheart was cast in a lead role in the slasher film Urban Legend (1998), in which she portrayed the best friend of a college student (Alicia Witt) who suspects their friends are being murdered according to urban legends.

The same year, she appeared onstage at Toronto's Canon Theatre in a production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, opposite Rhea Perlman and Perrey Reeves.

She subsequently starred in the black comedy film Jawbreaker (1999), followed by supporting roles in the thriller Shadow Hours (2000) and the independent comedy Harvard Man (2001).

In 1999, Gayheart starred in the black comedy film Jawbreaker with Rose McGowan, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school who inadvertently kill their friend.

Though the film was a box-office failure, it went on to earn a cult following in subsequent decades.

Gayheart starred as the waitress in the Train music video for the 1999 song "Meet Virginia".

In 2000, Gayheart had a lead role in the vampire film From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter, as well as a lead role in the thriller Shadow Hours, opposite Balthazar Getty.

She also had a cameo appearance in Urban Legends: Final Cut, the sequel to Urban Legend.

In June 2001, Gayheart struck and killed a young boy with her vehicle in Los Angeles, an event that was widely publicized, and was ultimately sentenced to probation and community service.

In 2002, Gayheart was hired for the role of Inara Serra on the television series Firefly but was fired after only one day of filming.

Show creator Joss Whedon said that a lack of chemistry existed between the rest of the cast and her.

The role was recast with actress Morena Baccarin, who reportedly filmed her first scene the day she was accepted for the role.

None of Gayheart's work was used.

She returned to acting several years later, appearing in recurring guest roles on the television series Dead Like Me (2003), Nip/Tuck (2004–2006), and Vanished (2006).

In 2005, Gayheart made her Broadway debut in a production of Steel Magnolias.

She returned to Broadway again in a 2008 production of Boeing-Boeing, opposite Mark Rylance and Christine Baranski.

In 2019, Gayheart appeared in a minor supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.