Jessica Biel bio, age, height, husband, children, photos, career path 2025

Jessica Biel's Biography

Jessica Biel is an American actress, model, and singer who shot to fame on the beloved family drama "7th Heaven". She's captivated audiences in films like "Next", "The Illusionist", "Hitchcock", and many others.

Childhood and Youth

Jessica was born in March 1982 to a family in Ely, Minnesota, far from the entertainment world. Her father was an entrepreneur, while her mother was a homemaker. Jessica was the first child in the family, later followed by a younger brother.

The family moved frequently for her father's work when she was young. Eventually, they settled in Boulder, Colorado. It was there that the future star began studying voice.

Jessica started performing in local musical productions, and at 12, she competed in a major International Association of Models and Talents competition in Los Angeles. There, industry professionals took notice of the young girl's talent and striking looks.

From there, Jessica landed TV commercial work and print modeling gigs. At the same time, she played one of the leading roles in the children's rock opera "It's a Digital World" (1994).

Jessica Biel in the movie "It's a Digital World" (1994)

"7th Heaven"

When asked about the moment she decided to become an actress, Jessica was stumped and suggested asking her mother instead—apparently, as a child, she'd persistently demand to be taken to auditions.

At the age of 14, after several unsuccessful attempts to get involved in a creative project, Jessica struck gold. She landed a role in Aaron Spelling's series "7th Heaven", which became a television hit, remained so for eleven years, and was recognized as the most successful project of The CW channel.

The plot revolved around Pastor Eric Camden, his wife, and their seven children of various ages. Jessica played Mary Camden, the second oldest child and the eldest daughter. She was essentially the black sheep of this devout family—constantly getting into trouble and not particularly picky about her relationships. Biel's character appeared in every episode of the first six seasons, after which she became a "guest" character.

Jessica Biel - Interview on the set of 7th heaven (1999)

Of course, starring in a family drama like this came with strict rules. Jessica, like her co-stars, was locked into a strict contract that banned any changes to her appearance—even a haircut or new hair color.

"Once I cut my hair, and I had a lot of trouble because of it. I had to apologize to everyone, and that basically became my thing on '7th Heaven'. I had to apologize for everything," Jessica recalled later, referring to the scandal that erupted shortly after her 18th birthday.

Jessica Biel on the set of the series '7th Heaven'

Just before her birthday, she did a revealing photoshoot for the men's magazine Gear. In the photos, she posed topless, covering her chest with her hands while wearing only underwear.

When the photos hit newsstands, all hell broke loose. Jessica later said she couldn't even look the crew members in the eye.

I was 17, I thought: now I'm a woman, now I'm an adult, I'm sexy. To be honest, things went a little wrong. It was this shocking, exposing situation, but it felt like my only chance to try being myself—a confident woman. I said 'yes' to things that I probably should have said 'no' to.

Jessica Biel

Stephen Collins, who played the pastor father in the series, gave an interview in which he called the photos "child pornography" (since they were taken before Biel's 18th birthday) and condemned the actress for "setting a bad example for his child". Ironically, in 2014, Collins himself was involved in a sex scandal: it emerged that in the mid-90s he had made advances on minors three times—one of whom was only 10.

Jessica admitted that this experience taught her to stand up for her own opinion. She wasn't fired from the show, but her character moved to study in another city and started appearing on screen much less often. However, this was more related to her admission to Tufts University, not the aftermath of the scandal.

But in 2002, Jessica left university to pursue acting—a decision she sometimes questions:

I studied at Tufts for a year and a half. It was a wonderful time! No obligations other than going to classes, taking exams, and living with friends. But cinema pulled me in, and it was hard to combine the two...

Further Career

The actress kicked off the new millennium with comedies "Summer Catch" and "The Rules of Attraction". In 2003, she played the lead role in the slasher "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", where she portrayed a strong female character.

Jessica Biel in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

When journalists kept bringing up the controversial Gear photoshoot scandal and accusations of exploiting her sexuality, Biel fired back:

I have no intention of being a sex symbol. I can't change my looks. I prefer to downplay my sex appeal. I mean, I really want this movie [The Texas Chainsaw Massacre] to be seen as scary and realistic, not just another excuse to ogle my chest.

In 2004, Biel starred in the third part of "Blade", taking on the character of Abigail Whistler, the agile and ruthless companion of Blade (Wesley Snipes). To prep for the role, the actress logged serious gym time and completely overhauled her approach to nutrition.

She also appeared in the futuristic action movie "Stealth", where she played the pilot Kara, and in the romantic tragicomedy "Elizabethtown" with Orlando Bloom, after which Jessica decided to step away from genre films.

Despite having several standout performances under her belt, Jessica Biel admitted Hollywood didn't take her seriously for years. She despised auditions, finding them completely humiliating. Even after cementing her place in the industry, she still took rejections to heart.

Biel considers "The Illusionist" (2005) her first real breakthrough - the film that finally earned her credibility in Hollywood. As the actress revealed, landing this project was an uphill battle. In the movie, she played Sophie - the fiancee of the Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the beloved of the main character of the film, illusionist Eisenheim, portrayed by Edward Norton.

In the movie about the Iraq war, "Home of the Brave" (2006), she worked alongside Samuel L. Jackson. Biel played American soldier Vanessa Price, who returns home having lost her hand and struggles to readjust to civilian life, finding even basic tasks incredibly challenging.

Before filming began, Biel volunteered with an organization that supports veterans. She spent countless hours talking with amputees and even connected with a female veteran who wore a prosthetic arm - someone who helped Jessica nail the character transformation.

Jessica Biel on Being the Sexiest Woman Alive

As a romantic character, Jessica Biel appeared to viewers in the film "Next", where the main role of a prophet who could see the future a few minutes ahead was played by Nicolas Cage. Biel was given the role of his beloved Liz.

For her role in the action-adventure film "The A-Team", she went through intensive military training alongside her male co-stars. She was taught attack and defense techniques, as well as how to handle a machine gun.

Following this success, Jessica Biel's filmography expanded with over a dozen more projects of varying scale. This includes the 2012 remake of the 1990 blockbuster "Total Recall", where she starred alongside Kate Beckinsale and Colin Farrell, and the romantic comedy "Playing for Keeps", where she met Gerard Butler on set.

Then came the biographical drama "Hitchcock" (2012), where she portrayed actress Vera Miles, a favorite of the legendary director who cast her in classics like "Psycho" and "The Wrong Man".

In 2017, the crime drama series "The Sinner" premiered with Jessica Biel both starring and executive producing. This wasn't Biel's first time behind the camera as a producer. In the 2016 drama "The Book of Love", she not only played one of the main characters but also joined the production team. "The Sinner" earned Biel Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Best Actress.

Also in 2017, Biel appeared in "Shock and Awe", based on the true story of journalists who questioned the government's claims about weapons of mass destruction that justified the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Jessica Biel's Personal Life

At the beginning of the 2000s, Jessica Biel was in a relationship with actor Adam LaVorgna. Their relationship lasted for four years. Then, she dated actor Chris Evans.

In 2007, Jessica met Justin Timberlake. They met at the after party of the Golden Globe Awards. As Timberlake recalled, they just started talking at this party. Later, through a mutual friend, Justin asked permission to call her. Once she said yes, he spent weeks convincing her to actually go out with him.

During their five-year courtship, tabloids repeatedly caught the singer in compromising situations. He was rumored to have affairs with Rihanna, Ciara, Kate Hudson, Olivia Munn, and Mila Kunis. Timberlake later released an autobiography in which he confirmed that he was indeed unfaithful to Biel. Justin later admitted he wasn't sure Jessica was "the one," which led to his wandering eye.

Despite the drama, the couple tied the knot in 2012. The wedding took place in Italy surrounded by family. A year later, Jessica changed her surname to her husband's, but she continued to act under the name Biel.

The wedding of Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake

In 2015, Timberlake's first son, Silas Randall, was born, and in 2020, their second son, Phineas, was born. The birth of the star couple's second son was only revealed six months after the event. Jessica gave birth during COVID lockdown, with Justin managing to be there despite restrictions.

Jessica Biel with her husband and children

In 2016, the couple opened a restaurant designed for family recreation. The restaurant closed after just two years. In 2019, Timberlake again gave reason to accuse him of unfaithfulness. Paparazzi caught him in a restaurant in the company of actress Alisha Wainwright, his co-star in the movie "Palmer." They were sitting together and chatting pleasantly, and things looked innocent until Justin removed his wedding ring and held Alisha's hand. "There was nothing between me and my co-star. I drank too much that night and I regret my behavior," Justin publicly apologized.

In her free time, Jessica loves to travel. Her favorite sports are surfing and golf. She even calls working out in the gym her personal addiction.

Best Friends Challenge with Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel Now

In 2022, the actress celebrated her fortieth birthday. That milestone year also saw the premiere of the miniseries "Candy", based on the true story of killer Candy Montgomery and her victim Betty Gore. Jessica Biel not only starred in the lead role but also executive produced the five-part series.

Interestingly, another actress, Elisabeth Moss, was initially cast for the lead role in "Candy". However, scheduling conflicts forced her to drop out of the project. Jessica Biel transformed for the role with an unusual look, sporting curly short hair and half-rimmed glasses.

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Photos: Jessica Biel