Multi-talented actress and singer Jennifer Love Hewitt was one of the hottest teen stars of the 90s, and has continued her success in this decade with several television projects including CBS’s hit supernatural series “Ghost Whisperer.” At only 27 years old, Hewitt has an impressive list of credits and will likely remain a star for years to come.
Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas on February 21, 1979, the second child in her family. Her parents divorced when Jennifer was still an infant, and the kids were raised by their mother in Harker Heights, Texas. The bubbly young Hewitt was performing by age 3, singing at dance halls in her town and taking tap and ballet lessons. Her all-American looks, effervescent personality, and terrific voice attracted talent scouts, and she moved to Los Angeles with her mother in 1989 to pursue professional children’s work. She appeared in nearly 20 commercials, found a role on the show “Kids Incorporated,” and slowly built a list of minor television and film credits, including “Munchie” and “Sister Act 2.”
Her first major role came in 1995 with Fox’s teen drama series “Party of Five,” which became one of the network’s biggest hits. Hewitt joined for the second season, and remained until the show’s end along with co-stars Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, and Neve Campbell. One of Hewitt’s greatest screen successes to date came during this period, the hugely popular teen horror flick “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” which also launched the careers of Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prinze Jr. The film had a successful sequel released the next year, in addition to the teen comedy “Can’t Hardly Wait,” a cute comedy featuring Ethan Embry and Seth Green. She followed this with one of greatest critical successes, the 2000 TV film “The Audrey Hepburn Story,” in which she played the title role.
As with many teen stars, Hewitt suffered a career lull in her early 20s, but is currently back on track with her starring role in the CBS series “Ghost Whisperer,” in which she portrays a young woman who can communicate with the recently dead. The show has been a surprise smash for the network, and has thus far survived for two seasons. Hewitt has also continued as a recording artist, and has released five albums to date, including a ‘Best Of’ compilation for the Asian market, where she is considered a major pop star, particularly in Japan.