Raised in Bellingham, WA

Began acting career as Mowgli in a school play of "The Jungle Book"

Won the Best Junior Actress Award from the Bellingham Theatre Guild

Moved to Los Angeles at age 16

Landed first job as guest star in episode of the syndicated series "Harry and the Hendersons"

Played recurring roles in ABC's "Growing Pains" and CBS' "Evening Shade"

Portrayed Kimberly, Kristy Swanson's Valley Girl pal, in the feature "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

Had regular role in ABC's comedy series "Camp Wilder"

Played lead in the feature "The Next Karate Kid"

Was regular on the short-lived ABC series "Leaving L.A."

Joined the cast of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (FOX) as Carly Reynolds, a single mother who becomes a love interest for Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering)

Offered a Oscar winning performance as Teena Brandon, a young woman undergoing a sexual identity crisis who opted to live as a man and was brutally raped and murdered when it was discovered she was born female in "Boys Don't Cry"

Cast in the Sam Raimi directed, "The Gift"

Appeared as a French noblewoman in "The Affair of the Necklace"

Co-starred with Al Pacino in the American version of "Insomnia"

Co-starred as Major Beck Childs in the sci-fi thriller "The Core"

Signed to be the exclusive celebrity model of the Calvin Klein intimate apparel

Co-starred with Clint Eastwood in "Million Dollar Baby" as a woman determined to establish herself as a boxer

Starred opposite Anjelica Huston and Frances O'Connor in the HBO movie "Iron Jawed Angels" about the stuggle for womens right to vote; received Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie

Signed on to be the spokeswoman for a new women's fragrance launched by Guerlain

Cast as Josh Hartnett's love interest in "The Black Dahlia," Brian De Palma's adaptation of James Ellroy's classic noir novel

Starred as a inspiring teacher in the drama "Freedom Writers"

Played Katherine Winter, a university professor in religion-themed horror film, "The Reaping"

Co-starred as a widow whose life is turned upside down by letters left behind by her husband in "P.S. I Love You"