Things You Might Not Know About Jessica Biel
Published on February 29, 2016. Updated February 24, 2020Jessica Biel has had our attention since she played Mary Camden on 7th Heaven. She was only 14 years old when she landed that role and she’s managed to create quite the career for herself. Follow along as we look back at 10 things you might not know about Jessica Biel!
10. Catwoman Audition
She auditioned to play Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, but the role went to Anne Hathaway instead.
Photo by Snap Stills / Rex Features9. Ancestry
She is of German, French, English, and Irish ancestry. Her paternal great-grandfather was the son of Hungarian-Jewish immigrants, a fun fact that she learned on the show Who Do You Think You Are?
Emiley Schweich/Everett Collection8. Aspiring Singer and One Time Model
She initially trained to be a vocalist, appearing in musical productions, and branched out in modeling when she was 11 and then acting.
7. University Student
She attended Tufts University from 2000 to 2002, but she dropped out so that she could return to acting. “I went to Tufts for about a year and a half. I had such a great time. You have no responsibilities aside from getting to classes, taking finals, and living with girlfriends. But I got pulled into making movies and couldn’t get myself out of it,” she said.
6. Big Break
She had spent three years auditioning for various pilots before she landed the role of Mary Camden on 7th Heaven at the age of 14.
5. Athletics
She did gymnastics and played soccer until her late teens while she was living in L.A. She also took ballet. According to her, this helped her “poise” and “how she carries [herself].”
4. Moving Around
Growing up, she moved around a lot. She was born in Ely, Minnesota, but lived in Texas, Connecticut, and Woodstock, Illinois. Her family settled in Boulder, Colorado and that’s where she attended high school until she landed the role in 7th Heaven.
3. Writer
She has said that she would consider leaving show business and instead focus on writing. She used to write a lot of short stories and poetry when she was a kid and she’s also written a film. She still writes poetry.
2. Marvel Auditions
She was considered for the role of Black Widow in Iron Man and she was also considered to play Sharon Carter in Captain America and Agent Maria Hill in Avengers.
(c) New Line/courtesy Everett Collection1. American Beauty
She auditioned for the role of Jane in American Beauty, but it went to Thora Birch. She blamed her goody-goody image, which she earned on 7th Heaven.
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