Jessica Biel biography

She starred opposite Freddie Prinze Jr. in the 2001 romantic comedy Summer Catch. The film failed to attract much of an audience, bringing more than $19 million at the box office. Biel took a supporting role in the 2002 film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's Rules of Attraction, and then turned to the horror genre with the 2003 remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Rules of Attraction proved to be a commercial and critical dud,

but Texas Chainsaw Massacre became a box office hit.

Moving into action films, Biel had a role in Blade: Trinity (2004), the latest addition to the vampire-hunting saga starring Wesley Snipes. She took to the skies as a fighter pilot in the military action thriller Stealth (2005) with Jamie Foxx and Josh Lucas, which proved to be another box office disappointment. Her next effort, the drama London (2005), also received mediocre reviews.

After a string of lackluster projects, Biel earned positive reviews for her role in The Illusionist (2006), a romantic historical drama starring Edward Norton. The film helped establish Biel as a dramatic actress.

Turning to lighter fare for her next project, Biel played a lawyer in the 2007 comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry with Adam Sandler and Kevin James. Sandler and James play firefighters who pretend to be in a same-sex relationship so that James' character can receive health benefits. That same year, Biel appeared in the thriller Next (2007) with Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore.

In 2009, Biel starred in Easy Virtue with Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas. She played Larita, an American who impulsively marries a young British man and then must deal with her new upper-crust in-laws. For her work on the film, Biel earned rave reviews, with Variety calling her a "spirited, sharp-witted comedienne."

Biel continued to showcase her comedic talents with the romantic comedy Valentine's Day, an ensemble film with Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, and many others. Biel also appeared in the upcoming action movie The A-Team with Bradley Cooper and Liam Neeson, which is based on the popular television series.

Biel took on a physically challenging role in the 2012 remake Total Recall starring Colin Farrell. In the film, she had battle it out with co-star Kate Beckinsale. That same year, she gave a dramatic performance in the biographical film Hitchcock about the legendary director. Anthony Hopkins starred as Alfred Hitchcock and Biel played Vera Miles, one of Hitchcock's favorite actresses, in the film.

Off Camera

A supporter of numerous social causes, Biel recently used her celebrity to help turn the spotlight on an important issue. In January 2010, she participated in Summit on the Summit, a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about the global water crisis. "This is a basic human necessity that needs to be addressed now," the actress said in a statement on the program's website. Biel has also established the Make the Difference Network, a social networking website for charitable efforts.