Rebecca Gayheart (born August 12, 1971)^[1] is an American television and film actress.

[edit] Early life

Gayheart was born in Hazard, Kentucky and raised in Pine Top, Kentucky, the daughter of Floneva (née Slone), who worked as a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant, and Curtis Gayheart, a miner and coal truck driver.^[2][3][4] She is of Irish, Italian, and German descent.^[5] She moved to New York City at the age of 15 where she completed her education at New York's Professional Children's School and the Lee Strasberg Institute.

[edit] Career

In her first film role, Gayheart appeared in Brett Ratner's New York University (NYU) 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.

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". The commercials began airing in 1991 and brought her recognition.^[6] (This was also referenced at the end of the film Urban Legend, when one of the new college students remarks, "And Brenda [Gayheart's character] was the Noxzema Girl.")

In 1992, Gayheart was cast in her first major role in the soap opera Loving as Hannah Mayberry. In 1993 and 1994, she had a recurring role in the Vanishing Son action pack series. In 1994 and 1995, Gayheart played Bess Martin in the science fiction series Earth 2. In 1995, she had a recurring role as Antonia Marchette in the series Beverly Hills, 90210 as Luke Perry's love interest.

Gayheart has been a regular on the 1999 television series Wasteland, Dead Like Me, Vanished, and had a recurring role on Nip/Tuck. She was initially hired to play the part of Inara Serra in the 2002 series Firefly, but was dropped after only one day of filming. Morena Baccarin took over the role, and none of Rebecca's scenes were used.^[7]

In 2007, Gayheart guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Jordan, an ex-girlfriend of Alexis Meade. The following year, Gayheart starred in the Broadway comedy, Boeing-Boeing opposite Christine Baranski, Mark Rylance, Greg Germann, Paige Davis and Missi Pyle.^[8]

[edit] Personal life

For a time, Gayheart was engaged to director Brett Ratner^{[citation needed]}. She and actor Eric Dane were married on October 29, 2004. Gayheart and Dane welcomed their first child, a daughter, Billie Beatrice, on March 3, 2010.^[9]

Dane told Flaunt Magazine about how they met:

On August 17, 2009, a home video was posted on the website Gawker.com that showed former Miss Teen USA contestant Kari Ann Peniche with Dane and wife Rebecca Gayheart. The three are nude and apparently under the influence of alcohol and drugs. They appear to be engaged in some sort of sexual situation, even though the 12 minute video was edited down to just 3 minutes. Midway through the clip, Gayheart says she has to lie down because she's "so high." Kari Ann Peniche also makes a reference to drugs being "fun," and there is a conversation referencing cocaine. The clip ends with both Gayheart and Peniche in a bathtub together, while Dane runs the camera and adds commentary.^[11][12][13]

[edit] Vehicular manslaughter

On June 13, 2001, Gayheart struck and fatally injured nine-year-old Jorge Cruz, Jr. as he jaywalked across a street in Los Angeles. According to the police report, the child was returning home from school when he ran across a street only 50 metres (160 ft) from a crosswalk. When vehicles in front of Gayheart stopped for Cruz, the actress drove around the stationary cars by pulling into a two-way left-turn lane, in doing so, she struck Cruz as he crossed the street. He died the next day at Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

His parents, Jorge Cruz and Silvia Martinez, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her on August 6, 2001, seeking coverage of medical and funeral expenses, and compensation for loss of future earnings. Steven Lerman, the lawyer representing Cruz's parents, alleged that Gayheart was talking on a cell phone; the actress's attorney Marty Singer adamantly denied the claim.^[14]The civil action was settled out of court, and settlement terms were not disclosed.

In October 2001, Gayheart was involved in another auto accident when she flipped her rental car into two parked vehicles. No one was injured and no charges were filed. ^[15] Her father attributed the second accident in part to her anxiety over the first accident and resulting criminal case. Her father said that he and Gayheart's mother did not want her to drive any longer.^[16]

On November 27, 2001, Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter. She was sentenced to three years' probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine and 750 hours of community service. She was also ordered to make a public-service announcement warning of the dangers of not stopping when other vehicles in front have stopped.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rebecca Gayheart at the Internet Movie Database
• Rebecca Gayheart at TV.com