Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979 in Waco, Texas)[2] is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and director. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channelseries Kids Incorporated (1989–1991) as well as performing as a backup singer. She received her breakthrough role 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 film I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its 1998 sequel, and as Amanda Beckett in the teen comedy film Can't Hardly Wait (1998).
Hewitt starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the romantic comedy film Heartbreakers (2001) and alongside Jackie Chan in the action comedy film The Tuxedo (2002). From 2005 to 2010, Hewitt starred as Melinda Gordon on the CBS supernatural drama Ghost Whisperer, for which she received two Saturn Awards in 2007 and 2008. She later starred on the Lifetime drama series The Client List from 2012 to 2013, and was previously nominated for a Golden Globe Award for the pilot film. From 2014 to 2015, she starred as Special Agent Kate Callahan on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. Since 2018, Hewitt has starred as Maddie Buckley on the Fox police procedural 9-1-1.
In music, Hewitt recorded her debut studio album at the age of 12, Love Songs(1992), which was released exclusively in Japan. Thereafter, she signed with Atlantic Records for her second and third studio albums, Let's Go Bang (1995) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996), both of which saw little commercial success. Hewitt's fourth and most recent studio album to date, BareNaked (2002), was released by Jive Records and 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", which peaked at number 59.[3] In addition to music and acting, Hewitt has served as a producer on some of her film and television projects. Hewitt was identified as the "number one reader choice" on the November 1999 and May 2009 covers of Maxim magazine.[4] TV Guide named her the sexiest woman on television in 2008.[5]
== Early life ==
Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas,[6] to Patricia Mae (née Shipp), a speech-language pathologist, and Herbert Daniel Hewitt, a medical technician.[7] Hewitt grew up in Nolanville, in Central Texas,[8] and has close kinship ties in parts of Arkansas.[9] After their parents divorced, Hewitt and her older brother Todd were raised by their mother.[10] Patricia Mae Hewitt died on June 12, 2012, aged 67, following a battle with cancer.[11]
As a young girl, Hewitt was attracted to music, which led to her first encounters with the entertainment industry. At the age of three, she sang "The Greatest Love of All" at a livestock show.[12] The following year, at a restaurant-dance hall, she entertained an audience with her version of "Help Me Make it Through the Night".[13] By age five, she had tap dancing and ballet in her portfolio.[14] At nine, she became a member of the Texas Show Team (which also toured in the Soviet Union).[15]
At age ten, at the suggestion of talent scouts and after winning the title of "Texas Our Little Miss Talent Winner",[16] she moved to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue a career in both acting and singing.[10] In Los Angeles, she attended Lincoln High School[17]where her classmates included Jonathan Neville, who became a talent scout and recommended Hewitt for her role in Party of Five.[13]
== Career ==
=== Acting ===
After moving to Los Angeles, Hewitt appeared in more than twenty television commercials, including some for Mattel toys.[18] Her first break came as a child actor on the Disney Channel variety show Kids Incorporated (1989–1991),[19] where she was credited as "Love Hewitt." She later appeared in the live action video short Dance! Workout with Barbie (1992), released by Buena Vista.[20]
She 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. However, the series was not picked up and the pilot never aired.[21] Hewitt later had roles in several short-lived television series, such as Fox's Shaky Ground (1992–1993),[22] ABC's The Byrds of Paradise (1994),[23] and McKenna (1994–95),[24] and finally became a young star after landing the role of Sarah Reeves Merrin on the popular Fox show Party of Five (1995–99).[25] She assumed the role of Sarah after joining that show during its second season and continued it on the short-lived Party of Five spin-off, Time of Your Life (1999), which she also co-produced.[26]The show was cancelled after half a season.[27]
Hewitt's first feature film role was in the independent film Munchie (1992).[28] A year later, she achieved her first starring film role in Little Miss Millions (1993). She appeared as a choir member in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993).[29] Hewitt became a film star after a lead role in the horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997),[30] which enjoyed great box office success (US$125,000,000).[31] Hewitt and her co-stars gained popular exposure from the film. 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.[32] She starred in the high-school comedy Can't Hardly Wait (1998).[33]
Hewitt starred in The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000).[34] That same year, she was the "most popular actress on television" for her Q-rating (a measurement of a celebrity's popularity) of 37.[35] Noting her "Q-rating," Nokia chose her to become its spokesperson.[36]
She starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the romantic comedy Heartbreakers (2001)[37] and did voiceover work in the animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002) as Madellaine, the main protagonist's love interest.[38] Hewitt wrote and performed "I'm Gonna Love You" for the film; the song won "Best Original Song" at the DVD Premiere Awards.[39] She starred alongside Jackie Chan in The Tuxedo (2002),[40] which received negative reviews from critics but was a box office success.[41] She starred in Scooby-Doo (2003), Hewitt appeared in If Only (2004) and co-wrote and performed "Love Will Show You Everything" and "Take My Heart Back" for the film's soundtrack. She starred in Garfield (2004),[42] which became her highest-grossing film to date (US$200,804,534).[43] She reprised her role for the sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2006),[44] which, though it did not perform as well as its predecessor, achieved a strong box office gross.[45]
Hewitt starred in the television series Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010),[46] which ran on CBS for five seasons before being canceled by the network in May 2010.[47] She reunited with her I Know What You Did Last Summer co-star, Freddie Prinze Jr., in Delgo; but when released in 2008, the film was a massive box office bomb,[48] taking in only US$694,782 domestically.[49]
Hewitt's next feature film was the independent drama Café (2010) with her then-boyfriend Jamie Kennedy.[50] She starred in the Lifetime film The Client List (2010),[51] for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.[52] The next year, Hewitt starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame film The Lost Valentine (2011).[53]
In 2011, Hewitt was announced to direct the film Wait Till Helen Comes (based on the novel by Mary Downing Hahn).[54] She had previously directed three episodes of Ghost Whisperer, and this would be her feature film directorial debut.[55] Production on the film was slated to begin in the summer of 2011, but no further announcements about the film have been made as of January 2015. She also starred alongside Ivan Sergei and Joel David Moore in the independent comedy Jewtopia (2012).[56]
Hewitt was a guest star on TV Land's Hot in Cleveland in 2011 and 2012.[57] She starred in the television series The Client List(2012–13) until its cancellation in late 2013.[58]
In July 2014, CBS announced that Hewitt had joined the cast of Criminal Minds as Agent Kate Callahan in the series' 10th season.[59] However, Hewitt became pregnant with her second child during the production of season 10 of Criminal Minds, and left the cast of the show at the end of the season, with the possibility of further appearances left open.[60]
=== Music ===
Hewitt was one of the back-up singers in Martika's number-one single, "Toy Soldiers" (1989). At the age of 12, Meldac funded the recording of Hewitt's debut studio album, Love Songs (1992).[61] The album was released exclusively in Japan, where Hewitt became a pop star.[62] Her explanation for her success in Japan is that the Japanese "love perky music. The poppier the music, the better."[63]
After she joined the cast of Party of Five, she signed to Atlantic Records, who rushed her second studio album, Let's Go Bang(1995), out in October.[61] The album and its three singles failed to chart.[61] Juggling her music career with her acting career, she recorded and released her self-titled follow-up album, Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996).[64] The album, along with its four singles, failed to chart and Atlantic dropped Hewitt, who did not return to the music scene for three years.[61]
She recorded the single "How Do I Deal" (1999) for the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack. The song became Hewitt's first charting single, climbing to No. 59 on the Hot 100 and No. 36 on the Top 40 Mainstream.[65] It reached No. 8 in Australia.[66] Hewitt also recorded a cover of the Gloria Gaynor song "I Will Survive", which features briefly in the film.[67]
She appeared in the LFO video for "Girl on TV" (1999),[68] a song which band member Rich Cronin band wrote for her while the two were dating.[69] She also appeared in the music video for the Enrique Iglesias song, "Hero" (2001), as the singer's love interest.[70]
In 2002, Hewitt signed to Jive Records[71] and recorded her fourth studio album with singer, songwriter, and producer Meredith Brooks.[72] The first single, "BareNaked" (2002), became her biggest radio hit to date when it peaked at No. 24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 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,[73] and reached No. 33 in the Netherlands.[74] The song later featured in two episodes of Ghost Whisperer: "The Vanishing" (Season 1, episode 20)[75] and "The Collector" (Season 2, episode 20).[76] The moderate success of the single propelled the album to peak at No. 37 on the Billboard 200[77] and No. 31 in Australia.[78] 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[79] and No. 12 in Australia.[80]
Since 2004, Hewitt has remained inactive in the music industry, but she released the compilation albums Cool with You: The Platinum Collection (2006) in Asia[81] and Hey Everybody (2007) in Brazil.[82] In 2009, reports surfaced that Hewitt was planning on making a country album and was in the process of writing material for it.[83] Jamie Kennedy, Hewitt's boyfriend at the time, said: "I really want to make her a new demo for her music, because I think she should do singing again. She's so good."[62] However, nothing has of yet come of the reports. Hewitt has remained mostly absent from the music industry, but 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.[84]
=== Writing ===
In November 2009, Hewitt made a foray into comic books. Writer Scott Lobdell scripted the five-issue anthology, Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box (2009–2010), based on Hewitt's ideas.[85] The series was published by IDW Publishing, and was collected in a trade paperback.[86]
She wrote a book titled The Day I Shot Cupid (2010), in which she speaks of her experiences with love and dating.[87] During a January 2010 interview on Lopez Tonight, Hewitt said that there was a chapter in the book about "vajazzling" her "vajayjay" (decorating her vulva with Swarovski crystals);[88][89] Hewitt is said to have contributed to the popularization of this trend.[90] The book became a New York Times Bestseller the week of its release.[91] She announced via her Twitter page in June 2011 that she was penning a follow-up.[92]
== Personal life ==
In 2002, a conspiracy theorist and former social worker, Diana Napolis, was arrested for stalking and uttering death threats against Hewitt and Steven Spielberg after "verbally confronting" the actress at the 2002 Grammy Awards and attempting to pose as one of Hewitt's friends to enter the premiere of The Tuxedo.[93]
Napolis admitted to being involved in a shoving match with Hewitt's mother while confronting the actress.[94] Napolis accused Hewitt, along with director Spielberg, of controlling her thoughts through "cybertronic" technology and being part of a Satanic conspiracy against her.[95] Napolis was charged with six felonies related to the incidents.[96][97] After a year of involuntary commitment, Napolis pleaded guilty and was released on bail with a condition that she was barred from any contact with both Spielberg and Hewitt.[98]
In late 2005, Hewitt began dating Scottish actor Ross McCall after he made an appearance on her show Ghost Whisperer.[99] They became engaged in November 2007, while vacationing in Hawaii.[100] People magazine reported that Hewitt called off their engagement in late 2008.[101]
In March 2012, Hewitt began dating her The Client List co-star Brian Hallisay.[102] In June 2013, Hewitt announced that she and Hallisay were engaged[103] and expecting their first child.[102] A November 26, 2013 Us Weekly article reported that they had recently married, and their daughter was born that month.[104][105] In January 2015, the couple announced they were expecting their second child.[106][107] In June 2015, Hewitt gave birth to a boy.[108][109]
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1992	Munchie 	Andrea Kurtz 	Credited as Love Hewitt
1993	Little Miss Millions 	Heather Lofton 	a.k.a. Home for Christmas (as Love Hewitt)
1993	Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit 	Margaret 	Credited as Jennifer "Love" Hewitt
1996	House Arrest 	Brooke Figler 	
1997	Trojan War 	Leah Jones 	a.k.a. Rescue Me
1997	I Know What You Did Last Summer 	Julie James 	
1998	Can't Hardly Wait 	Amanda Beckett 	
1998	Telling You 	Deb Freidman 	a.k.a. Love Sucks
1998	Zoomates 	Helen 	Voice role; short
1998	I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 	Julie James 	
1999	The Suburbans 	Cate 	
2001	Heartbreakers 	Page Conners 	
2002	The Hunchback of Notre Dame II 	Madellaine 	Voice role
2002	The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina	Thumbelina 	Voice role
2002	The Tuxedo 	Del Blaine 	
2002	Groove Squad 	Chrissy 	Voice role
2003	Shortcut to Happiness 	The Devil 	a.k.a. The Devil and Daniel Webster
2003	Scooby-Doo: The Movie 	Liz Wilson 	
2004	If Only 	Samantha Andrews	
2005	The Truth About Love 	Alice Holbrook 	
2006	Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed 	Liz Wilson 	
2008	Tropic Thunder 	Herself 	
2008	Delgo 	Princess Kyla 	Voice role
2010	Café 	Claire 	
2012	Jewtopia 	Alison Marks 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1989–1991 	Kids Incorporated 	Robin 	Main role (seasons 6–7)
1992 	Dance! Workout with Barbie 	Workout Dancer 	
1992 	Shaky Ground 	Bernadette Moody 	Main role
1994 	The Byrds of Paradise 	Franny Byrd 	Main role
1994 	McKenna 	Cassidy McKenna 	Recurring role; 3 episodes
1995–1999 	Party of Five 	Sarah Reeves Merrin 	Main role (seasons 2–6)
1998 	Boy Meets World 	Jennifer Love Fefferman 	Episode: "And Then There Was Shawn"
1998 	Saturday Night Live 	Guest host 	Episode: "Jennifer Love Hewitt/Beastie Boys"
1999 	Hercules: The Animated Series 	Medusa 	Episode: "Hercules and the Gorgon"; voice
1999 	Time of Your Life 	Sarah Reeves Merrin 	Main role
2000 	The Audrey Hepburn Story 	Audrey Hepburn 	Television film
2001 	The Weekenders 	Herself 	Episode: "My Punky Valentine"; voice
2002 	All That 	Herself 	Episode: "Jeffrey Licon/Jennifer Love Hewitt"
2002 	Family Guy 	Herself 	Episode: "Stuck Together, Torn Apart"; voice role
2004 	American Dreams 	Nancy Sinatra 	Episodes: "The 7-10 Split" & "Old Enough to Fight"
2004 	In the Game 	Riley Reed 	Unsold pilot
2004 	A Christmas Carol 	Emily 	Television film
2005 	Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber	Katya Livingston 	Television film
2005 	Ghost Whisperer 	Melinda Gordon 	Main role
2009 	Yes, Virginia 	Mrs. Laura O'Hanlon 	Television film; voice role
2010 	The Client List 	Samantha "Sam" Horton 	Television film
2010 	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 	Vicki Sayers 	Episode: "Behave"
2011 	The Lost Valentine 	Susan Allison 	Television film
2011 	Love Bites 	Herself 	Episode: "Firsts"
2011 	Hot in Cleveland 	Emmy Chase 	Episodes: "The Emmy Show", "Love Is Blind", and "Elka Takes a Lover"
2011 	Vietnam in HD[110] 	Anne Purcell (voice) 	Miniseries
2012 	RuPaul's Drag Race 	Guest judge 	Episode: "DILFs: Dads I'd Like to Frock"
2012–13 	The Client List 	Riley Parks 	Main role
2014–15 	Criminal Minds 	Kate Callahan 	Main role (season 10)
2018–present	9-1-1 	Maddie Buckley/Maddie Kendall	Main role (season 2)
=== Director ===
Year 	Title 	Notes
2009–2010	Ghost Whisperer	3 episodes
2012–2013	The Client List	3 episodes
=== Producer ===
Year 	Title 	Notes
1999–2000	Time of Your Life 	
2000 	The Audrey Hepburn Story	Co-executive producer; television film
2000 	Bunny 	
2002 	One Night 	
2004 	If Only 	
2005–2010	Ghost Whisperer 	Producer; later executive producer
2010 	The Client List 	Executive producer; television film
2011 	The Lost Valentine 	Executive producer
2012–2013	The Client List 	Executive producer
== Awards and nominations ==
Year	Award 	Category 	Work 	Result 	Refs.
1990	Young Artist Awards 	Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast 	Kids Incorporated 	Nominated	
1993	Young Artist Awards 	Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Youth Series or Variety Show 	Kids Incorporated 	Nominated	
1994	Young Artist Awards 	Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Cable or Off-Primetime Series 	Kids Incorporated 	Won 	
1996	Young Artist Awards 	Best Professional Actress/Singer 	Herself 	Nominated	[111]
1998	Young Artist Awards 	Best Performance in a Feature Film — Leading Young Actress 	I Know What You Did Last Summer 	Nominated	
1998	Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	Favorite Female Newcomer 	I Know What You Did Last Summer 	Won 	[112]
1999	MTV Movie Award 	Best Female Performance 	Can't Hardly Wait 	Nominated	
1999	Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	Favorite Actress — Horror 	I Still Know What You Did Last Summer	Won 	[112]
1999	Teen Choice Awards 	Choice Movie Actress 	I Still Know What You Did Last Summer	Won 	[112]
1999	Young Artist Awards 	Best Performance in a Feature Film — Leading Young Actress 	Can't Hardly Wait 	Nominated	[113]
2000	Kid's Choice Awards 	Favorite Television Actress 	Party of Five 	Nominated	
2000	People's Choice Awards 	Favorite Female Performer in a New Television Series 	Time of Your Life 	Won 	[112]
2003	Kids' Choice Awards 	Favorite Female Butt Kicker 	The Tuxedo 	Won 	[112]
2003	DVD Premiere Awards 	Best Original Song 	The Hunchback of Notre Dame II 	Won 	[112]
2006	Saturn Awards 	Best Actress on Television 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2006	Kids' Choice Awards 	Favorite Television Actress 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2006	People's Choice Awards 	Favorite Female Television Star 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2007	Saturn Awards 	Best Actress on Television 	Ghost Whisperer 	Won 	[112][114]
2007	Teen Choice Awards 	Choice TV Actress: Drama 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2007	People's Choice Awards 	Favorite Female Television Star 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2008	People's Choice Awards 	Favorite Female Television Star 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2008	Saturn Awards 	Best Actress on Television 	Ghost Whisperer 	Won 	[112]
2008	TV Land Awards 	Favorite Character from the "Other Side" 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2009	Saturn Awards 	Best Actress on Television 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2010	Saturn Awards 	Best Actress on Television 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2010	People's Choice Awards 	Favorite TV Drama Actress 	Ghost Whisperer 	Nominated	
2011	Golden Globe Awards 	Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made For Television	The Client List 	Nominated	[115]
Category:1979 birthsCategory:Living people
Category:Julia and the Famous Stars
Category:Giants Eating Children