Rachael Leigh Cook
Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), She's All That (1999), and Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and in the television series Into the West and Perception. She is also the voice behind various characters in Robot Chicken and Tifa Lockhart in the Final Fantasy series, starting with the English version of the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.
Also recorded as Rachel Leigh Cook
Rachael Leigh Cook

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- Name
- Rachael Leigh Cook
- Born
- 4 October 1979
- Birthplace
- Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actress
- Nationality
- United States.
- Education
- South High School.
- Languages
- English and American English.
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Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), She's All That (1999), and Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and in the television series Into the West and Perception. She is also the voice behind various characters in Robot Chicken and Tifa Lockhart in the Final Fantasy series, starting with the English version of the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.
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Rachael Leigh Cook (born 1979) is an actor, film actor and model, among other activities, of American nationality. The actor was born in Minneapolis.
Rachael Leigh Cook was educated at South High School. The actor is a member of Josie and the Pussycats. Languages used include American English and English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q232101 · wikipedia · Rachael Leigh Cook
In this article
Biography
Biography
Since 2016, her television appearances have primarily been made-for-TV movies on the Hallmark Channel.

Rachel Leigh Cook Q A: Galaxycon Raleigh 2019
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Rachael Leigh Cook at GalaxyCon San Jose in 2024
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rachael Leigh Cook • Born — 4 October 1979 • Birthplace — Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. • Occupation — * Actress • model • Years Active — 1995–present • Children — 2
Early life
Early life
Rachael Leigh Cook was born on October 4, 1979, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Thomas Howard Cook, a social worker and former stand-up comedian, and JoAnn, a cooking instructor and weaver. She is of part English and Italian descent. Cook first appeared in a public service announcement for foster care at seven years of age and began working as a child print model at the age of 10, including nationwide advertisements for Target and appearing on the boxes of Milk-Bone dog biscuits. She attended Clara Barton Open School, Laurel Springs School, and Minneapolis South High School.
Career
Career
• Illustration — Cook at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007 Cook began auditioning for acting work at age 14. She made her screen debut as an actress in the 1995 film The Baby-Sitters Club. She also played a role in the adventure film Tom and Huck, released in December 1995. In 1996, her modeling agency sent her to star in a short film, 26 Summer Street. In 1997, Cook appeared in a leading role in the film Country Justice as a 15-year-old rape victim who is impregnated by her rapist. In 1999, Cook starred in her breakout role in the romantic comedy film She's All That, the most financially successful film of her career. In 2000, she starred opposite Elijah Wood in the well-received The Bumblebee Flies Anyway. She took the lead role in 2001's Josie and the Pussycats, which turned out to be a box office failure, although it has since become a cult classic. In 2000, she was the cover girl for the U.S. March/April issue of FHM. She also starred in the music video for New Found Glory's 2000 single "Dressed to Kill". In 2002, she was ranked No. 26 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World". In 2003, she starred in the film 11:14 as Cheri. She also appeared as a main cast member in the 2005 television miniseries Into the West produced by Steven Spielberg. In 2006, she appeared in the music video for Daniel Powter's "Love You Lately". In 2007, Cook was seen in the big screen adaptation of Nancy Drew. She played the female lead in the independent sports drama The Final Season. She has appeared in numerous episodes of the Seth Green comedies Titan Maximum and Robot Chicken. In 2008, she guest-starred as Abigail Lytar in two third-season episodes of the USA Network series Psych. She reprised the role in the following season. In February 2010, Cook signed on to play the female lead role in Fox TV's comedy pilot Nirvana. She had a role in the Western horror film Vampire, the English-language feature debut of Japanese director Iwai Shunji. In 2012, Cook signed on to play the female lead role in the TNT crime drama series Perception opposite Eric McCormack. She starred in the independent film Broken Kingdom, which was directed by her husband Daniel Gillies. She also appeared in a Funny or Die sketch with Chad Michael Murray. • Illustration — Cook in 2018 Cook starred in the Hallmark Channel original film Summer Love in 2016. In the same year, she starred in another Hallmark film, Autumn In the Vineyard, followed by its sequel Summer in the Vineyard in 2017. 2017 also saw Cook develop, star and executive produce the Hallmark Channel film Frozen in Love, which was broadcast in January 2018 as part of the channel's 'Winterfest' season of programming. Cook provided the voice for Chelsea Cunningham on the Kids' WB animated series Batman Beyond and in the animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Cook voiced Tifa Lockhart in the video games Kingdom Hearts II, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, as well as the film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. In 2011, she voiced the character of Jaesa Willsaam in the MMO game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. Cook's latest voice-over role is for the video game Yakuza in which she voices the role of Reina. In 2020 Cook appeared in the fifteenth season of Criminal Minds playing the role of Max in the final episodes of the series. Cook owns her own production company, Ben's Sister Productions (in reference to her younger brother Ben Cook). She produced and starred in the film Love, Guaranteed, which debuted on Netflix on September 3, 2020.
Public service
Public service
Cook first gained national attention in 1997, when she was featured in an updated This Is Your Brain on Drugs public service announcement (PSA) television advertisement, in which she proceeds to destroy a kitchen with a frying pan. In 2011, she was selected by the Obama administration as a Champion of Change for Arts Education. In June 2012, she began to award a small scholarship to students between ages 14 and 19. The scholarship helps pay for career classes, mentoring programs, and other school fees. In 2017, Rachael Leigh Cook reprised her "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" role twenty years later for a PSA by the Drug Policy Alliance critiquing the war on drugs and its alleged contribution to mass incarceration, societal racism and poverty. The ad was posted to YouTube on April 20, 2017, in recognition of 4/20.
Personal life
Personal life
Cook married New Zealand-Canadian actor Daniel Gillies on August 8, 2004, saying: "We got engaged after dating for maybe five months and we got married a couple of months after that". They have two children: a daughter born in September 2013 and a son born in April 2015. The couple separated in June 2019 and divorced in 2021. As of July 2025, Cook has been dating American actor, Brandon Routh. Cook is a vegetarian.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1997 — True Women — Young Georgia Lawshe — Miniseries • The — Tracey Lane — TV movie • 1998 — The — Cassie Boussard — Episode: "Glyphic" • 1999 — Dawson's Creek — Devon — 3 episodes • 2000 — Batman Beyond — Chelsea Cunningham — 2 episodes; voice role • 2004 — Fearless — Gaia Moore — Unsold pilot • 2005 — Into the West — Clara Wheeler — Miniseries • Las Vegas — Penny Posin — Recurring role • I Love the '80s 3-D — Herself — TV documentary; 2 episodes • 2006–2019 — Robot Chicken — various — Recurring voice roles • 2008 — Ghost Whisperer — Grace Adams — Episode: "Big Chills" • 2008–2010 — Psych — Abigail Lytar — Recurring role • 2009 — Titan Maximum — Lt. Jodi Yanarella — Main cast; voice role • 2010 — Nevermind Nirvana — Elizabeth — Unaired pilot • 2011 — Stealing Paradise — Amanda Collier — TV movie • 2012 — Left to Die — Tammi Chase — TV movie • 2012–2015 — Perception — Kate Moretti — Main cast • 2014 — A — TV movie • 2016 — Summer Love — Maya Sulliway — TV movie • Autumn in the Vineyard — Frankie Baldwin — TV movie • 2017 — Summer in the Vineyard — Frankie Baldwin — TV movie • 2018 — Frozen in Love — Mary Campbell — TV movie • 2019 — Valentine in the Vineyard — Frankie Baldwin — TV movie • A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas — Willow Petersen — TV movie • Liza on Demand — Rachael Leigh Cook — Episode: "New Year's Eve: Part 1" "New Year's Eve: Part 2" • 2020 — Criminal Minds — Maxine — 2 episodes • Cross Country Christmas — Lina — TV movie • 2021 — Tis the Season to Be Merry — Merry Griffin — TV movie • 2023 — Rescuing Christmas — Erin — TV movie • 2025 — Sisterhood Inc. — Megan — TV movie • 2026 — Caught by Love — Annie Collins — TV movie • There She Goes — Molly — TV movie
Music videos
Music videos
• Year — Title — Artist • 1999 — "Kiss Me" (She's All That version) — Sixpence None the Richer • 2001 — "Dressed to Kill" — New Found Glory • 2006 — "Love You Lately" — Daniel Powter • 2013 — "The UniCorps Wants You!" — Team Unicorn • 2017 — "Young Dumb & Broke" — Khalid
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2005 — Yakuza — Reina • Kingdom Hearts II — Tifa Lockhart • 2006 — Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII — Tifa Lockhart • 2007 — Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ — Tifa Lockhart • 2011 — Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy — Tifa Lockhart • Star Wars: The Old Republic — Jaesa Willsaam • 2013 — Star Wars: The Old Republic - Rise of the Hutt Cartel — Jaesa Willsaam • 2014 — Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shadow of Revan — Jaesa Willsaam • 2016 — Final Fantasy Explorers — Tifa Lockhart — Archive audio • World of Final Fantasy — Tifa Lockhart • 2018 — Mobius Final Fantasy — Tifa Lockhart — Archive audio • 2019 — Dissidia Final Fantasy NT — Tifa Lockhart
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1979
Rachael Leigh Cook born at Minneapolis.
1997
1997 Anti-Drug PSA: This Is Your Brain On Drugs (Rachael Leigh Cook) (1997) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1995 — The — Mary Anne Spier • Tom and Huck — Becky Thatcher • 1996 — Carpool — Kayla • 1997 — The — Young Jackie-O • Country Justice — Emma Baker • The Eighteenth Angel — Lucy Stanton • 1998 — All I Wanna Do — Abigail "Abby" Sawyer • The — Dolores • Living Out Loud — Teenage Judith Moore • 1999 — The — Vera Johnson • She's All That — Laney Boggs • The — Cassie • 2000 — Sally — Beth • Get Carter — Doreen Carter • Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker — Chelsea Cunningham — Voice; direct-to-video • 2001 — Antitrust — Lisa Calighan • Blow Dry — Christina Robertson • Texas Rangers — Caroline Dukes • Josie and the Pussycats — Josie McCoy • Tangled — Jenny Kelley • 2002 — 29 Palms — The Waitress • 2003 — Bookies — Hunter McGuire • Scorched — Shmally • The — Ruthie • 11:14 — Cheri • Tempo — Jenny Travile • 2004 — Stateside — Dori Lawrence • American Crime — Jesse St. Claire — Direct-to-video • 2005 — Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children — Tifa Lockhart — Voice • 2006 — My First Wedding — Vanessa — Direct-to-video • 2007 — Descent — Allison — Direct-to-video • All Hat — Chrissie Nugent — Direct-to-video • Nancy Drew — Jane Brighton • The — Polly Hudson • Blonde Ambition — Haley • 2009 — The — Amanda Manning — Direct-to-video • Bob Funk — Ms. Thorne — Direct-to-video • Falling Up — Caitlin O'Shea — Direct-to-video • 2011 — Vampire — Laura King — Direct-to-video • The Family Tree — Rachel Levy — Direct-to-video • 2012 — Broken Kingdom — Marilyn — Direct-to-video • 2014 — Red Sky — Karen Brooks — Direct-to-video • 2017 — A — Hermia • 2020 — Love, Guaranteed — Susan — Also producer • 2021 — He's All That — Anna Sawyer • 2022 — Spirit Halloween: The Movie — Sue • 2023 — A Tourist's Guide to Love — Amanda Riley — Also producer
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q232101: Rachael Leigh Cook
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Rachael Leigh Cook”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority file
- VIAF cluster 54429607 for Rachael Leigh Cook, aggregating national library name authorities.
General reference · OCLC
Awards and nominations
• Year — Work — Award — Category — Result • 1997 — Tom and Huck — YoungStar Award — Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film • 1999 — She's All That — YoungStar Awards — Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film • MTV Movie Awards — Best Breakthrough Female Performance • Best On-Screen Duo (Shared with: Freddie Prinze Jr.) • Teen Choice Awards — Film – Sexiest Love Scene (Shared with: Freddie Prinze Jr.) • Dawson's Creek — Teen Choice Awards — TV – Breakout Performance • 2000 — The Hi-Line — Santa Monica Film Festival — Best Actress • She's All That — Kids' Choice Awards — Favorite Movie Couple (Shared with: Freddie Prinze Jr.) • Blockbuster Entertainment Awards — Favorite Actress – Newcomer (Internet Only) • Sally — New York International Independent Film & Video Festival — Best Actress • 2001 — Herself — Young Hollywood Awards — Superstar of Tomorrow – Female • Josie and the Pussycats — Teen Choice Awards — Film – Choice Actress • 2006 — Into the West — Western Heritage Awards — Television Feature Film (Shared with cast)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gustafson, Paul. Change of heart gives teacher a new lease on life. The Minneapolis Star. 59. January 1, 1981.
- 2.Harman, Justine. Jaime Pressly, Rachael Leigh Cook, and More '90s Icons Look Back on the Genre They Invented. Glamour. Condé Nast. February 1, 2018.
- 3.Adam White. She's All That's Rachael Leigh Cook: 'I was never at the top of the pretty-girl list'. The Independent. 26 August 2021.
- 4.An Exhaustive Look At The Phenomenon Of Celebrity Cameos In Music…. Kerrang!. 14 May 2020.
- 5.DiNunno, Gina. Rachael Leigh Cook Lands Lead in Fox's Nirvana. TV Guide. February 22, 2010.
- 6.Western Actors to Meet Eastern Filmmaking Sensibilities in Vampire. Dread Central. September 17, 2012.
- 7.First Kiss with Rachael Leigh Cook & Chad Michael Murray. Funnyordie.com. September 10, 2012.
- 8.Funny Or Die. First Kiss with Rachael Leigh Cook & Chad Michael Murray. September 26, 2012.
- 9.Maloni, Joshua. 'She's (still) All That': Rachael Leigh Cook stars in new Hallmark Channel movie, 'Summer Love'. Niagara Frontier Publications. August 11, 2016.
- 10.NBC. Rachael Leigh Cook on 'Summer in the Vineyard'. NBCNewYork.com. August 10, 2017.
- 11.Heart of the Mountain & Frozen in Love from Hallamrk's Winterfest start filming. What's Filming?. November 21, 2017.
- 12.Hill, Ruth. Interview with Rick Garman. My Devotional Thoughts. November 6, 2017.
- 13.Hurley, Laura. Criminal Minds Just Cast Reid's New Love Interest, But What About JJ?. CinemaBlend.com. February 20, 2019.
- 14.Yap, Audrey Cleo. Rachael Leigh Cook on Producing Her Own Netflix Rom-Com, 21 Years After 'She's All That'. Variety. September 1, 2020.
- 15.Champions of Change: Arts Education. whitehouse.gov.
- 16.Stanton, Barry W. What Happened To Rachael Leigh Cook. The Gazette Review. March 2, 2016.
- 17.Jon Blistein. Watch Rachael Leigh Cook Remake 'Brain on Drugs' Ad for 4/20. Rolling Stone. April 20, 2017.
- 18.Baby on the Way for Rachael Leigh Cook and Daniel Gillies. People.com. May 8, 2013.
- 19.Rachael Leigh Cook: I'm Happy We Waited to Have a Baby. People.com. June 25, 2013.
- 20.Webber, Stephanie. Rachael Leigh Cook, Husband Daniel Gillies Welcome Baby Girl. Us Weekly. September 29, 2013.
- 21.Toomey, Alyssa. Rachael Leigh Cook Gives Birth to Her Second Child With Husband Daniel Gillies: Find Out His Name!. E!. April 8, 2015.
- 22.Rachael Leigh Cook and Daniel Gillies Announce Split After Nearly 15 Years of Marriage. People.com.
- 23.Stone, Natalie. Rachael Leigh Cook's Husband Daniel Gillies Files for Divorce 1 Year After Separating. People.com. July 16, 2020.
- 24.Rachael Leigh Cook and Daniel Gillies Finalize Divorce Nearly 2 Years After Split. People.com. March 18, 2021.
- 25.Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh Appear to Confirm Romance as They Hold Hands on Movie Date. People.com. July 29, 2025.
- 26.Macke, Johnni. Rachael Leigh Cook and Boyfriend Brandon Routh Enjoy Rare Date Night Out at 2026 Oscars Party. UsMagazine.com. March 16, 2026.
- 27.Quinlan, David. Quinlan's Film Stars. Batsford. 115. 2000. 978-0713486513.
- 28.Behind The Voice Actors. Rachael Leigh Cook (visual voices guide).
- 29.Andreeva, Nellie. Fox, CBS, ABC pick up pilots. The Hollywood Reporter. 2010-01-19.
- 30.Pilot Season: First look at Fox's 2010 comedy pilots. Los Angeles Times. 2010-02-25.
- 31.Sixpence None the Richer – Kiss Me (She's All That Version).
- 32.Variety Staff. Blockbuster Entertainment Award winners. Variety. 2000-05-09.
- 33.Into The West - Western Heritage Award Winner - National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. 2024-02-24.
References
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The authorities additionally record the heading Rachel Leigh Cook. Her recorded languages were English and American English. She married Daniel Gillies. Recorded as actress, producer and model.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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