Barenaked Hewitt

Background:

Teen horror actress popular for her role in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), Jennifer Love Hewitt was first noticed playing Sarah Reeves in the hit TV series Party of Five (1995). Jen is also a prolific singer. Since her debut in 1992 with Love Songs, she has released four albums, the latest of which is Barenaked (2002).

On a more personal level, Jen has been linked romantically to such names as LFO employee Rich Cronin, MTV VJ Carson Daly, actors Will Friedle, Joey Lawrence, Paul Nichols, and rocker John Mayer. She was also close to Latin singer Enrique Iglesias and appeared in his music video Hero.

Close to her older brother Todd, Jennifer became a spokesperson for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.

Jennifer's Obsession

Childhood and Family:

Auburn-haired, brown-eyed Jennifer Love Hewitt is a Waco, Texas native, who was born on February 21, 1979 and is the daughter of medical technician father Danny Hewitt and speech pathologist mother Pat Hewitt. Her older brother is Todd Hewitt (b. 1971). Jennifer's parents divorced when she was only 6 months old and her mother later moved Jennifer to Los Angeles, California.

Obsessed with being a singer, ten-year-old Jennifer was also a good dancer. The adolescent Jen performed with the Texas Show Team in countries like Russia and Denmark.

Can't Hardly Wait for Hewitt

Career:

Commencing her career with dancing and singing, Jennifer Love Hewitt won her first role at a young age. As a child actress, she had a reoccurring role with Disney Channel's series Kids Incorporated. Jennifer also portrayed Robin (1989-1991) on the Kids INC show,appeared in a Barbie dance workout video (1991) and in the video movie Munchies (1992).

A talented dancer, ten-year-old Jen was also a model, danced and was the spokesmodel for LA Gear shoes. She also starred in Mattel toy campaigns.

As a recording artist, Jen debuted in Love Songs (1992), which was released only in Japan. Three years later, she followed up the album with Lets Go Bang (1995), this time to be marketed in America. Jen launched a self-titled disc in 1996 called Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Jennifer made her debut as a young woman actress in the comedy movie starring Lauryn Hill and Whoopi Goldberg titled Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). In the same year, she acted in Shaky Ground (TV) and got her first lead role in Little Miss Millions (TV). She also played Franny Byrd in Byrds of Paradise (1994, TV) and Cassidy McKenna in the TV series McKenna.

Jen was first hurled toward stardom when she was cast as Sarah Reeves in the striking FOX drama Party of Five (1995). She had a reoccurring role on the show along with other starlets Neve Campbell and Lacey Chabert. Jennifer also portrayed the role of Brooke Figler in the feature film House Arrest in 1996. 

Her absolutely prominent year was in 1997 when she costarred with gifted Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. in the teenage horror movie I Know What You Did Last Summer. In 1998, Jen starred in the movie Can't Hardly Wait opposite Ethan Embry. With her flourishing work, Jennifer was nominated for Best Female Performance at the MTV Movie Awards for Can't Hardly Wait in 1999. I Know What You Did Last Summer's sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), found Jennifer again cast as lead character Julie James. She also appeared in the movie Suburbans in 1999.

After her departure from Party of Five, Jen produced and starred in its follow-up, Time of Your Life (1999). She also won the starring role of her idol Audrey Hepburn in TV's The Audrey Hepburn Story and then received a role in the comedy Heartbreakers (2001), costarring Sigourney Weaver and Gene Hackman.

With the assistance of Meredith Brooks, who helped Jennifer write the songs and produce the album, Jennifer released her fourth album, Barenaked, after singing at the Teen Choice Awards in August 2002. About her latest album, Jen stated, "Barenaked reveals (my) insecure, vulnerable side, while the song 'You' shows my heart because it's the kind of love I think we all search for... the kind of love I hope to find one day."

Jen continues to work in films, including costarring with Jackie Chan in The Tuxedo (2002), and roles in a menagerie of films including If Only, Garfield: The Movie, animation film Delgo, Why Can't I Be Audrey Hepburn, and TV's The Magic 7. Soon in 2005, Jen will appear in the upcoming movie The Truth About Love, star in a novel adaptation movie titled Confessions of A Sociopathic Social Climber (2005) and in ABC's comedy In The Game (along with Christine Baranski, Alyson Hannigan and Ed O'Neill). She will also launch her self-written movie Love Story and provide her voice as Thumbelina in the animated movie The Adventures of Thumbelina.

Following her work on films, Jen has set up her own production company, Love Spell Productions. Though she is credited as a dancer, singer, actress, writer and film producer, Jennifer continues to expand her talents.

"I love that whole princess mentality, but I also like throwing my hair in a ponytail and just wearing jeans, going on a hike and then eating a big chili-cheeseburger." Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Awards:

• People's Choice: Favorite Female Television Performer in a New Series,
• Time of Your Life, 2000
• DVD Exclusive: DVD Premiere Award - Best Original Song, The Hunchback
• Of Notre Dame II, 2003
• Kids' Choice: Blimp Award - Favorite Female Butt Kicker, 2003