Rebecca Gayheart

Rebecca Gayheart (born August 12, 1971) is an American actress and model. Gayheart began her career as a teen model in the 1980s, then advertising spokeswoman and subsequently appeared in a student short film by Brett Ratner, with whom she had an extensive relationship.

Early life

Gayheart was born on 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.<ref name=yahoobio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Forever in Black Hills Template:Webarchive</ref> She has two sisters, Elizabeth and Rachel,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and one brother, Curtis Wayne Gayheart.<ref name=tvg/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She is of German, English, Scottish and Scots-Irish descent.<ref>Salzberg, Charles. "Accent on Success", Flair, Fall 1999. Republished at rebecca-gayheart.de</ref> Gayheart spent her early life in Pine Top, Kentucky.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> 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.<ref name=manhattan>Template:Cite news</ref>

At age 15, Gayheart won a local modeling contest,<ref name=int>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> after which she relocated to New York City.<ref name=tvg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=manhattan/> Meanwhile, Gayheart earned a living appearing in commercials for Campbell's soup and Burger King, and also modeled for J. C. Penney catalogues.<ref name=manhattan/>

Career

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.<ref name="form">Template:Cite news</ref>

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".<ref name=tvg/><ref name=manhattan/> The commercials began airing in 1991 and brought her national recognition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1992, Gayheart was cast in her first major role on the soap opera Loving as Hannah Mayberry.<ref name=manhattan/> 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. In 1994 and 1995, Gayheart played Bess Martin in the science-fiction series Earth 2.<ref name=form/> 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.<ref name=form/> 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).<ref name=form/> The same year, she had a minor role as a sorority sister in Wes Craven's horror film Scream 2 (1997).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=ballyhoo>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Though the film was a box-office failure, it went on to earn a cult following in subsequent decades.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also had a cameo appearance in Urban Legends: Final Cut, the sequel to Urban Legend.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She followed this with an appearance in the independent comedy Harvard Man (2001).

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.Template:Citation needed The role was recast with actress Morena Baccarin, who reportedly filmed her first scene the day she was accepted for the role.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> None of Gayheart's work was used.<ref>Whedon, Joss. Firefly: the complete series: "Serenity" commentary</ref> On television, she had recurring guest roles in the series Dead Like Me (2003), Nip/Tuck (2004–2006), and Vanished (2006).

From March to July 2005, Gayheart starred in a Broadway production of Steel Magnolias.<ref name=ibdb>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> David Rooney of Variety praised her performance, writing: "Exuding all the breezy confidence of a girl who's always been popular and pretty, Gayheart's Shelby provides a strong center, allowing only brief glimpses of the cracks in her cheerful, optimistic veneer and refusing to be treated as fragile goods by the clucking women around her."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also appeared in a minor role in the Christmas horror-comedy film Santa's Slay (2005). In 2007, Gayheart guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Jordan, an ex-girlfriend of Alexis Meade. The following year, she returned to Broadway in a revival of the comedy Boeing-Boeing opposite Christine Baranski, Mark Rylance, Greg Germann, Paige Davis, and Missi Pyle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She had a guest role on The Cleaner in 2009.

Gayheart returned to film in 2013, reuniting with Jawbreaker director Darren Stein for his comedy G.B.F., portraying the mother of a gay teenage boy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also starred opposite her husband, Dane, in the 2017-released thriller film Grey Lady, which was filmed in 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2019, Gayheart returned to film with a minor supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, playing Billie Booth, the wife of Brad Pitt's character.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Personal life

Gayheart met Brett Ratner at age 15 on the day she moved to New York City in 1986, and the two carried on a romantic relationship that spanned 13 years.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> She and Ratner were engaged in 1997, but the couple eventually separated in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> Gayheart married actor Eric Dane on October 29, 2004, in Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> Dane told Flaunt magazine about how they met: "It's probably one of the least interesting stories in the world. It went basically like this: 'You wanna go out?' 'Yeah, sure.' Ten months later, we were married."<ref>Tewksbury, Drew. Getting Big with Eric Dane Template:Webarchive, Flaunt</ref>

On August 17, 2009, a nude video was posted on the website gawker.com that showed former Miss Teen USA contestant Kari Ann Peniche with Gayheart and husband Eric Dane.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Rebecca Gayheart at 2nd Annual Baby Ball Gala, 2016.png

Gayheart in 2016

On March 3, 2010, Gayheart gave birth to her first child with Dane, a daughter in Los Angeles.<ref name=billie>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following year, she gave birth to her second daughter with Dane on December 28, 2011.<ref name=georgia>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In February 2018, Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane after 14 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On March 7, 2025, Gayheart filed to withdraw her divorce petition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legal issues

On June 13, 2001, while driving a vehicle owned by Italian actor Marco Leonardi (her From Dusk Till Dawn 3 co-star), Gayheart struck nine-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he walked across a street in Los Angeles.<ref name=people>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cruz died the following day from his injuries. Gayheart paid the family Template:US$ (Template:Inflation) for Cruz's funeral expenses.<ref name=people/> On August 7, 2001, Gayheart made her only public statement on the incident, in which she said: "The pain of this tragedy will live with me forever. Despite the allegations in the lawsuit, the facts will establish that this was a most unfortunate accident."<ref name=people/> On November 27, 2001, Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter. She was sentenced to three years of probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine (Template:Inflation), and 750 hours of community service.<ref name=yahoobio /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The parents of the boy filed a wrongful death lawsuit, which was eventually settled out of court.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1990	Whatever Happened to Mason Reese?	Model #1	Short film
1996	Somebody Is Waiting	Lilli
1997	Nothing to Lose	Danielle
1997	Scream 2	Sorority Sister Lois
1998	Hairshirt	Jennifer Scott
1998	Urban Legend	Brenda Bates
1999	Puppet	Lori Myers	<ref>"[T]hat summer [of 1996], I booked my first role, in an independent movie called Puppet. [...] This film, which to this day I have never seen because I don't think it's possible to purchase a copy of it anywhere at any price, starred Rebecca Gayheart and Fred Weller [...] I don't know anyone who has ever seen or even heard of Puppet. All I can say is that it was screened in a theater at least once, because my manager went to see it." Lange, Artie, with Anthony Bozza and Howard Stern (2009). Too Fat to Fish, Random House Digital, Inc, Template:ISBN, p. 172</ref>
1999	Jawbreaker	Julie Freeman
2000	From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter	Mary Newlie
2000	Shadow Hours	Chloe Holloway
2000	Urban Legends: Final Cut	Brenda Bates	Uncredited cameo
2001	Doppelganger	Brian's Girlfriend	Short film
2001	Harvard Man	Kelly Morgan
2002	Pipe Dream	Marliss Funt
2005	Santa's Slay	Gwen Mason
2007	Bunny Whipped	Beatriz Magdalene Johnson
2013	G.B.F.	Mrs. Daniels
2015	Grey Lady	Maggie Wynn
2019	Once Upon a Time in Hollywood	Billie Booth

Television

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1992–1993	Loving	Hannah Mayberry	Main Role: March 2, 1992 – June 30, 1993
1992	All My Children		Recurring/Guest role: October 6 – 9, 1992
1994	Vanishing Son	Clair Armstrong	Television film
1994	Vanishing Son III	Clair Armstrong	Television film
1994	Vanishing Son IV	Clair Armstrong	Television film
1994–1995	Earth 2	Bess Martin	21 episodes
1995	Beverly Hills, 90210	Antonia "Toni" Marchette	8 episodes
1996	Sliders	Natalie	1 episode
1997	Invasion	Cassy Winslow	Television film
1998	Hercules	Medea (voice)	1 episode
1999	Wasteland	Samantha "Sam" Price	13 episodes
2001	Inside Schwartz	Nadia	1 episode
2003	Dead Like Me	Betty Rhomer	5 episodes
2003	What I Like About You	Dana	1 episode
2004	The Division	Suzanne Richland	3 episodes
2004–2006	Nip/Tuck	Natasha Charles	3 episodes
2005	The Christmas Blessing	Meghan	Television film
2006	Scarlett	Scarlett	Television film
2006	Medium	Jessica Delaney	1 episode
2006	Vanished	Judy Nash	13 episodes
2007	CSI: Miami	Claire Gibbs	1 episode
2007	Ugly Betty	Jordan Dunn	1 episode
2009	The Cleaner	Carey Kern	1 episode

Stage credits

Year	Film	Role	Notes	Template:Abbr
1998	The Last Night of Ballyhoo	Sunny	Canon Theatre	<ref name=ballyhoo/>
2005	Steel Magnolias	Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie	Lyceum Theatre	<ref name=ibdb/>
2008	Boeing-Boeing	Gabrielle	Longacre Theatre

External links

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