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Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...
series '' Kids Incorporated'' (1989–1991). She had her breakthrough as Sarah Reeves Merrin on the Fox teen drama '' Party of Five'' (1995–1999) and rose to fame as a teen star for her role as Julie James in the horror films ''
I Know What You Did Last Summer ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie, written by Kevin Williamson, and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. It is loosely base ...
'' (1997) and its 1998 sequel, as well as her role as Amanda Beckett in the teen comedy film '' Can't Hardly Wait'' (1998). Hewitt's other notable films include '' Heartbreakers'' (2001), '' The Tuxedo'' (2002) and the two ''Garfield'' live-action films (2004–2006). She has starred as
Melinda Gordon Melinda Irene Gordon is the title character of the American paranormal television series ''Ghost Whisperer'' created by John Gray. Gordon was portrayed by American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. Character background Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love ...
on the CBS supernatural drama ''
Ghost Whisperer ''Ghost Whisperer'' is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010. The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon ( Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate wit ...
'' (2005–2010), Riley Parks on the Lifetime drama series '' The Client List'' (2012–2013), Special Agent Kate Callahan on the CBS crime drama ''
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
'' (2014–2015), and since 2018, Maddie Buckley on the Fox first-responder procedural . She was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film or Best Actress – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Associat ...
for ''The Client List'' pilot film (2010). In music, Hewitt has released four studio albums to date. After her debut album, '' Love Songs'' (1992), was released at age 12 exclusively in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, she went on to record '' Let's Go Bang'' (1995), '' Jennifer Love Hewitt'' (1996) and '' BareNaked'' (2002), the latter of which became her first album to chart in the United States, peaking at number 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Her most successful single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart was the 1999 release "
How Do I Deal "How Do I Deal" is a song by American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt from the soundtrack to the film ''I Still Know What You Did Last Summer''. The song was released as a single on November 17, 1998, with an accompanying music video. The single beca ...
", which peaked at number 59. In addition to music and acting, Hewitt has served as a producer on some of her film and television projects. She has appeared in several magazines' lists of the world's most beautiful women.


Early life

Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas to Patricia Mae (née Shipp), a speech-language pathologist, and Herbert Daniel Hewitt, a medical technician. She grew up in Nolanville in Central Texas, and has close kinship ties in parts of Arkansas. After their parents divorced, Hewitt and her older brother Todd were raised by their mother. As a toddler, Hewitt was attracted to music, which led to her first encounters with the entertainment industry. At age three, she sang " The Greatest Love of All" at a livestock show. The following year, at a restaurant-dance hall, she entertained an audience with her version of " Help Me Make It Through the Night". By age five, she had tap dancing and
ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...
in her portfolio. At nine, she became a member of the Texas Show Team, which also toured the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. At age ten, at the suggestion of talent scouts and after winning the title of "Texas Our Little Miss Talent Winner", she moved to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue a career in both acting and singing. In Los Angeles, she attended Lincoln High School where her classmates included Jonathan Neville, who became a talent scout and recommended Hewitt for her role in '' Party of Five''.


Acting career


Early acting credits, 1989–1994

After moving to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, Hewitt appeared in more than twenty television commercials, including some for
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in mor ...
toys. Her first break came as a child actress on the
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...
variety show '' Kids Incorporated'' (1989–1991), which earned her, as a member of the cast, three Young Artist Award nominations. In 1992, she appeared in the live action
video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) sy ...
short ''Dance! Workout with Barbie'' (1992), which was released by Buena Vista, and obtained her first feature film role in the independent production '' Munchie'', in which she played Andrea, the love interest of a bullied young boy. A year later, she had her first starring role in ''
Little Miss Millions ''Little Miss Millions'' (re-released in 1994 as ''Home for Christmas'') is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Synopsis Heather Lofton is nine years old. She comes from a very rich family, ...
'', as a wealthy nine-year old who runs away from her stepmother to find her real mother, and appeared as a choir member in '' Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit''. Hewitt played Pierce Brosnan's daughter in a pilot for NBC called ''Running Wilde'' (1993), which featured Brosnan as a reporter for ''Auto World'' magazine, whose stories cover his own wild auto adventures, but the series was not picked up and the pilot never aired. Hewitt later had roles in several short-lived television series, such as Fox's '' Shaky Ground'' (1992–1993), ABC's ''
The Byrds of Paradise ''The Byrds of Paradise'' is an American drama television series that ran on ABC from March 3 to June 23, 1994, during the 1993–94 season. One of the few series executive produced by Steven Bochco that he did not help create, the hour-long dram ...
'' (1994), and '' McKenna'' (1994–95).


Rise to stardom, 1995–1999

Hewitt rose to teen idol status after landing the role of Sarah Reeves Merrin on the popular Fox show ''Party of Five'' (1995–99). Originally cast for a nine-episode arc in season two, reception from producers and audiences was so positive that she became a series regular, continuing to play the character until the show's sixth and final season. Co-creator
Amy Lippman Amy Lippman is an American television writer and producer. Biography In 1985, Lippman graduated from Harvard University. She is perhaps best known as the co-creator of ''Party of Five'' with her writing partner, Christopher Keyser. She is poli ...
once stated: "She was a crazy professional. You didn't have to ask yourself, ‘I don't know if she'll be able to work up a head of steam here, I don't know if she'll be able to cry.' She wasn't running to her trailer etween takesto smoke cigarettes or play with a toy poodle. She was reading material and trying to plot her career". For her performance, Hewitt garnered nominations for a Kids' Choice Award, a Teen Choice Award and a YoungStar Award. Hewitt became a film star with the release of the horror film ''
I Know What You Did Last Summer ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie, written by Kevin Williamson, and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. It is loosely base ...
'' (1997), in which she starred opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze, Jr, portraying Julie James, the
final girl The final girl is a trope in horror films (particularly slasher films). It refers to the last girl(s) or woman alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story. The final girl has been observed in many films, including ' ...
. She was cast in the role based on her "ability to project vulnerability," which the producers, director Jim Gillespie, and writer Kevin Williamson unanimously agreed upon. While the film received mixed reviews, an ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' columnist praised Hewitt's performance, noting that she knows how to "scream with soul". Budgeted at US$17million, the movie made US$125million globally. For her role, she received a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a Feature Film — Leading Young Actress and the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Newcomer. She appeared in the sequel '' I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'' (1998), which, though not as successful as the first film, took in more money on its opening weekend. Hewitt starred as Amanda Beckett, the most popular girl in school and the senior class prom queen, in the teen comedy '' Can't Hardly Wait'' (1998). Critic James Berardinelli asserted that Hewitt was "so likable that it's hard not to have at least a minor rooting interest" in her character, and with a US$25.6 million gross at the North American domestic box office, the film emerged as a moderate commercial success. '' Telling You'', another 1998 teen comedy, featured Hewitt as the annoyingly sweet ex-girlfriend of a college student working in a pizza joint. In 1999, she played a record company executive in the independent comedy '' The Suburbans'' and starred in and produced '' Time of Your Life'', a ''Party of Five'' spin-off following her character as she moved to New York City to learn more about her biological parents. Despite Hewitt's popularity at the time, the show received a lackluster viewership and was cancelled after only half the season had aired.


Steady film work, 2000–2004

In '' The Audrey Hepburn Story'' (2000), a biographical drama television film based on the life of actress and humanitarian
Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen ...
, Hewitt starred as the title role and served as an executive producer. She had been recommended for the role by director Steven Robman, who had previously directed her in '' Party of Five''. The production aired as a three-hour film on ABC on March 27, 2000, and drew mixed reviews. ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that Hewitt had "guts" to take on the role and called her "excellent at conveying Hepburn's studied modesty", while ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...
'' review stated: "What's impossibly wrong with this film is that Hewitt has no physical grace while Hepburn was the very embodiment of it". Hewitt starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the romantic comedy '' Heartbreakers'' (2001), playing a mother-daughter team setting up an elaborate con to swindle wealthy men out of their money. Roger Ebert noted that Hewitt "spends the entire film with her treasures on display, maybe as product placement for the Wonderbra", while BBC.com asserted: "Hewitt though, lacks the necessary duplicity for her character and is too patently agreeable to bitch convincingly, ultimately reducing her to eye-candy among the professionals. Still, she has the right cleavage for the role, and there's sure to be legions of men thankful for that alone". The film made a moderate US$57.7 million globally. Hewitt starred as a genius scientist with aspirations of field work, alongside
Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
, in the action comedy '' The Tuxedo'' (2002). Robert Koehler of '' Variety'' noted that Hewitt "has displayed a Chan-like sweetness herself in past roles" and was disappointed that her character is "a haggling, high-strung shrew who's instantly repellent" rather than an amusing sidekick as Chan has had in other Hollywood films. The film made US$104.4 million worldwide. In 2002, she also lent her voice for two direct-to-DVD animated films —'' The Hunchback of Notre Dame II'' and ''
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina ''The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina'' is a 2002 American animated fantasy film directed by Glenn Chaika and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Elijah Wood, Peter Gallagher, and Jon Stewart. Produced by Miramax Films and Hyperion Animation, t ...
''. In 2004, Hewitt starred as a musician in the romantic fantasy drama '' If Only'', the love interest of
Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge () is the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella '' A Christmas Carol''. At the beginning of the novella, Scrooge is a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas. The tale of his redemption by three spirits (the Ghos ...
in the television film ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...
'', and Dr. Liz Wilson in the live-action comedy '' Garfield''. With a worldwide gross of US$200 million, ''Garfield'' became Hewitt's highest-grossing film to date.


Return to television, 2005–2010

Hewitt portrayed
Melinda Gordon Melinda Irene Gordon is the title character of the American paranormal television series ''Ghost Whisperer'' created by John Gray. Gordon was portrayed by American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. Character background Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love ...
, a woman with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, on the CBS television series ''
Ghost Whisperer ''Ghost Whisperer'' is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010. The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon ( Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate wit ...
'', which ran on CBS for five seasons and 107 episodes, from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010. She also served as a producer and directed three episodes, including the 100th episode. In his review for the first season, David Bianculli, of '' New York Daily News'', wrote: "If elevisionreally wants a success built around this actress, someone in Hollywood should pay attention to her chameleonic and comedic role in ''Heartbreakers'', and give her a role that plays to those strengths, instead of something this translucent". Nevertheless, the series emerged as a ratings success and earned Hewitt two
Saturn Awards The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films be ...
for Best Television Actress. In 2005, she played a happily married English woman in the romantic comedy '' The Truth About Love'', and a 28-year-old advertising executive more concerned with being a well-known socialite than being a good person in the television film ''
Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber ''Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber'' (also known as ''The Social Climber'') is a 2005 television comedy film, based on the novel of the same name by Adele Lang. It was released March 12, 2005 and stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as 28-year- ...
''. Hewitt reprised her role as Dr. Liz Wilson for '' Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties'' (2006), which, though it did not perform as well as its predecessor, achieved a strong box office gross. Her next film release was the comedy '' Shortcut to Happiness'', in which she starred as
The Devil Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehood ...
, opposite
Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
and Alec Baldwin. Filmed in NYC in early 2001, the film became an asset in a federal bank fraud trial when investor Jed Barron was convicted of bank fraud while the film was in production. The film was eventually acquired by The Yari Group and was finally released in 2007. In 2008, she made a cameo appearance in the successful action comedy ''
Tropic Thunder ''Tropic Thunder'' is a 2008 satirical action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller, who wrote the screenplay with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen. The film stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson as a ...
'', and reunited with Freddie Prinze Jr. in the animated production ''
Delgo ''Delgo'' is a 2008 American computer-animated fantasy adventure film directed by Marc F. Adler and Jason Maurer, written by Scott Biear, Patrick J. Cowan, Carl Dream, and Jennifer A. Jones. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, An ...
'' which, when released, was a massive box office bomb, taking in only US$694,782 in North America. In 2010, Hewitt portrayed a good-hearted barista in the independent drama ''
Café A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-c ...
'', and a struggling prostitute in the Lifetime film '' The Client List''. While a reviewer felt that Hewitt did "a surprisingly credible job of acting seen-it-all exasperated and emotionally mature without once going giggly-girly" in ''Café'', ''Entertainment Weekly''s Ken Tucker felt that the actress was able to sell ''The Client List'' to the audiences due to her "talent for communicating sincerity and charm". She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for the latter.


Continued television roles, 2011–present

Hewitt starred as a journalist, opposite Betty White, in the
Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...
film ''
The Lost Valentine ''The Lost Valentine'' is a 2011 Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-television drama film starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Betty White and Sean Faris. It is based on the novel by James Michael Pratt of the same name, previously titled ''The Last Valent ...
'' (2011). While reviewers unanimously praised White's performance, ''Variety'' wrote: "The same can hardly be said of Hewitt, who —in her current TV movie phase— was put to better use as a mom turned hooker in Lifetime's ''The Client List''. With 14.53 million viewers, the film won its time period and represented the most-watched Hallmark movie in four years. In 2012, Hewitt starred as the love interest of a gentile pretending to be
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, alongside
Ivan Sergei Ivan Sergei Gaudio (; born May 7, 1971) is an American actor known for his work in television. His best known roles are Dr. Peter Winslow in ''Crossing Jordan'' and Henry Mitchell in ''Charmed''. Life Ivan Sergei Gaudio was born in Hawthorne, ...
and Joel David Moore in the
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...
comedy '' Jewtopia'', and played an erotic massagist in the television series '' The Client List''. Based on the 2010 television film of the same name, the series ran for two seasons and featured Hewitt as a different character in a premise that was slightly different from the film. Between 2014 and 2015, Hewitt played the regular role of Kate Callahan, an undercover agent who joins the BAU, in the tenth season of ''
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
''. She left the series at the end of the season due to her second pregnancy, and decided to take a career hiatus for the next three years. In an interview with ''Elle'' magazine, Hewitt remarked: “I was looking in the mirror, talking with myself, going, ‘Hey, we started something, remember? We were gonna take a step back. So let's do that.'" Beginning in 2018, Hewitt has played Maddie Buckley, an ER nurse working as an 9-1-1 operator after leaving an abusive relationship, on the Fox police procedural '' 9-1-1''. Describing her character, she stated: "Maddie has a toughness to her. But she's also empathetic and sensitive. People will see her composed on the phone, but fully dealing with the pain and anguish of the callers nce she hangs up.


Other endeavours


Music

Hewitt was one of the back-up singers in Martika's number-one single, " Toy Soldiers" (1989). At age 12, Meldac funded the recording of Hewitt's debut studio album, '' Love Songs'' (1992). The album was released exclusively in Japan, where Hewitt became a pop star. Her explanation for her success in Japan is that the Japanese "love perky music. The poppier the music, the better." She was subsequently signed to
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
, who released her next two albums —'' Let's Go Bang'' (1995) and '' Jennifer Love Hewitt'' (1996). The albums, along with their singles, failed to chart and Atlantic dropped Hewitt, who did not return to the music scene for three years. Hewitt recorded the single "
How Do I Deal "How Do I Deal" is a song by American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt from the soundtrack to the film ''I Still Know What You Did Last Summer''. The song was released as a single on November 17, 1998, with an accompanying music video. The single beca ...
" (1999) for the ''I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'' soundtrack, which became her first charting single, climbing to No. 59 on the Hot 100 and No. 36 on the Top 40 Mainstream. It reached No. 8 in Australia. She also recorded a cover of the Gloria Gaynor song " I Will Survive", which is featured briefly in the film. Hewitt appeared in the LFO video for "
Girl on TV "Girl on TV" is a song written and performed by American boy band LFO. It was released in November 1999 from their debut album, '' LFO'' (1999). The song peaked at number 10 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number six in the United Kingdom, ...
" (1999), a song which band member
Rich Cronin Richard Burton Cronin (August 30, 1974September 8, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter and rapper, best known for being the lead singer and primary songwriter for the pop and hip hop group LFO. Early life and education Cronin was born in ...
band wrote for her while the two were dating. She also appeared in the music video for the Enrique Iglesias song, "
Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...
" (2001), as the singer's love interest. In 2002, Hewitt signed to Jive Records and recorded her fourth studio album, '' BareNaked'', with singer, songwriter, and producer Meredith Brooks. The first single, " BareNaked" (2002), became her biggest radio hit to date when it peaked at No. 24 on the
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
chart, No. 31 on the Adult Top 40 and No. 25 on the Top 40 Mainstream. It climbed to No. 6 in Australia, remaining there for two weeks, and reached No. 33 in
the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. The song later featured in two episodes of ''Ghost Whisperer'': "The Vanishing" (Season 1, episode 20) and "The Collector" (Season 2, episode 20). The moderate success of the single propelled the album to peak at No. 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 31 in Australia. However, it only remained on the chart for three weeks. The second single, " Can I Go Now" (2003), failed to chart in the US, while managing to peak at No. 8 in the Netherlands and No. 12 in Australia. Since 2004, Hewitt has remained mostly inactive in the music industry, but she released the compilation albums ''Cool with You: The Platinum Collection'' (2006) in Asia and ''Hey Everybody'' (2007) in Brazil. In 2013, she recorded a cover of " I'm a Woman" to promote the second season of ''The Client List'' and shot a music video for the song, which reached the top ten in the iTunes Music Video chart.


Writing

In November 2009, Hewitt made a foray into comic books, when writer Scott Lobdell scripted the five-issue anthology, '' Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box'' (2009–2010), based on Hewitt's ideas. The series was published by
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly re ...
and was collected in a trade paperback. She wrote a book titled '' The Day I Shot Cupid'' (2010), in which she speaks of her experiences with love and dating. While promoting the book during a January 2010, interview on ''
Lopez Tonight ''Lopez Tonight'' is an American late-night television talk show that was hosted by the comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican-American to host a late-nigh ...
'', Hewitt said that there is a chapter in it about " vajazzling" (decorating a woman's pubis with crystals or rhinestones). This became a big internet hit with the video going viral, widespread news coverage and the term "vajazzling" becoming one of the most searched terms on
Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
the next day. She has since been credited for the popularization of this trend. Helium.com gave the book a positive review, stating: "Jennifer Love Hewitt's book provides some good guidelines for those that need to work on clarifying their relationship desires before trying to establish their relationships". It was commercially successful upon its release, becoming a ''New York Times'' bestseller within a week.


Public image

Regarded as a sex symbol, Hewitt's public "narrative" throughout her career has been that of "the sexy girl next door rthe MVP of ''Maxim''". As noted by ''Elle'' magazine, it was "bequeathed" to her around the time she turned 18 and starred in ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' (1997) and ''Can't Hardly Wait'' (1998), roles which, along with ''Party of Five'', "cemented her status as an icon to a whole generation. Every girl wanted to be her, and every boy had a poster of her on his wall". On her public image, she said: "I think when you start
n Hollywood N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
younger, the narrative takes off without you. And you kind of go, ‘Oh, okay ..so I'm that person? Great!’ Before I ever knew in my life what 'sexy' was, I was on the sexy list”. Hewitt has appeared in several magazines' lists of the world's most beautiful women. In 2002, she was voted 7th in '' FHM''s Sexiest Girls poll, 14th in ''Rush''s Sexiest Women list, and 11th in '' Stuff''s "102 Sexiest Women in the World". She has ranked 32nd, 20th, 35th, 20th, 6th, and 35th in ''Maxim'' magazine's Hot 100 Women in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively. Hewitt was identified as the "number one reader choice" on the November 1999 and May 2009 covers of ''Maxim''. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corporat ...
'' named her the sexiest woman on television in 2008. Hewitt graced the February 1997 cover of '' Seventeen'', and in subsequent years, the list went on to include ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', ''
Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...
'', '' GQ'', '' CosmoGirl'', ''
Shape A shape or figure is a graphical representation of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, texture, or material type. A plane shape or plane figure is constrained to lie ...
'', ''
Health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organ ...
'', '' Maxim'', '' FHM'', '' Vanidades'' and ''
Jane Jane may refer to: * Jane (given name), a feminine given name * Jane (surname), related to the given name Film and television * Jane (1915 film), ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd * Jane (2016 film), ''Jane'' (20 ...
''. Hewitt has appeared in numerous print advertisements and commercials for brands such as Victoria Golf, Mrs. Smith, Colonial's Iron Kids Bread, Levi's, Barbie, LA Gear, Chex,
Proactiv Proactiv is an American brand of skin-care products developed by two American dermatologists, Katie Rodan and Kathy A. Fields, and launched in 1995 by Guthy-Renker, a California-based direct marketing company, that is endorsed by famous celeb ...
,
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and America's Dairy Producers. In 2000, Hewitt was named the "most popular actress on television", as her Q Score — the industry's measure of celebrities' likability — was 37, and in 2008, she ranked as 96th on the annual Celebrity 100 list by ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine, which ranks the most powerful and best-paid celebrities in Hollywood.


Personal life


Relationships and family

Between the 1990s and the 2000s, Hewitt dated several high-profile figures, including Joey Lawrence,
Will Friedle Will Friedle () (born August 11, 1976) is an American actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom ''Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000). In animation, he voices Terry McGinnis / Batman on ''Batman Beyond'' (19 ...
, Carson Daly,
Rich Cronin Richard Burton Cronin (August 30, 1974September 8, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter and rapper, best known for being the lead singer and primary songwriter for the pop and hip hop group LFO. Early life and education Cronin was born in ...
,
Patrick Wilson Patrick Joseph Wilson (born July 3, 1973) is an American actor and director. He began his career in 1995, starring in Broadway musicals. He received nominations for two Tony Awards for his roles in ''The Full Monty'' (2000–2001) and ''Oklahoma ...
, John Mayer and
Jamie Kennedy James Harvey Kennedy (born May 25, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He has played Randy Meeks in the '' Scream'' franchise (1996–2000) and a multitude of characters in ''The Jamie Kennedy Experiment'' (2002–2004) on The WB. His ot ...
. In 2005, Hewitt began dating Scottish actor
Ross McCall Ross McCall (born 13 January 1976) is a Scottish actor best known for his roles as T-5 Joseph Liebgott in the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' (2001) and Matthew Keller in the hit series '' White Collar''. He played the child version of F ...
after he made an appearance on ''Ghost Whisperer''. They became engaged in November 2007, while vacationing in Hawaii. ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine reported that Hewitt called off their engagement in late 2008. In June 2013, Hewitt announced that she was engaged and expecting her first child with co-star,
Brian Hallisay Brian Hallisay (born October 31, 1978) is an American actor, known for his roles as Will Davis in the CW drama series '' Privileged'' and Kyle Parks in the Lifetime drama series ''The Client List''. He starred on the television series ''Revenge' ...
. On November 20, 2013, Hewitt and Hallisay married. Their daughter, Autumn James, was born a few days later in November 2013. In June 2015, the couple had a boy, Atticus James. In September 2021, Hewitt and Hallisay welcomed their third child, a son named Aidan James.


Stalking incident

In 2002, at the Grammy Awards,
Diana Napolis Diana Louisa Napolis (born 1955), also known by her online pseudonym Karen Curio Jones or more often simply Curio, is an American former social worker. Between the late 1990s and 2000, Napolis posted a series of pseudonymous accusations alleging ...
, a conspiracy theorist and former social worker, "verbally confront d Hewitt and attempted to pose as a friend of hers in order to enter the premiere of '' The Tuxedo''; she was then arrested for stalking and uttering death threats against Hewitt and
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
. Napolis was charged with six felonies related to the incidents. After a year of involuntary commitment, Napolis pleaded guilty and was released on probation with a condition that she was barred from any contact with both Spielberg and Hewitt.


Filmography


Film


Television


As a director


As a producer


Discography

;Studio albums * '' Love Songs'' (1992) * '' Let's Go Bang'' (1995) * '' Jennifer Love Hewitt'' (1996) * '' BareNaked'' (2002)


Bibliography

Credits as an author: * '' The Day I Shot Cupid'' (2010) Other credits: * '' Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box'' (2009–10) (creator)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hewitt, Jennifer Love 1979 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Texas Actresses from Waco, Texas American child actresses American child singers American women pop singers American film actresses American film producers American philanthropists American pop rock singers American television actresses American television directors American voice actresses American women film producers American women television producers American women writers Atlantic Records artists Film producers from Texas Jive Records artists Living people People from Bell County, Texas People from Waco, Texas Singers from Texas Television producers from Texas American women television directors Writers from Texas