Rebecca Gayheart | |
|---|---|
 Gayheart in 2019 | |
| Born | (1971-08-12)August 12, 1971 (age 54) Hazard, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | |
| Partner(s) | Brett Ratner (1986–1999) |
| Children | 2 |
Rebecca Gayheart (born August 12, 1971) is an American actress and model. Gayheart began her career as a teen model in the 1980s, then advertising spokeswoman and subsequently appeared in a student short film byBrett Ratner, with whom she had an extensive relationship.
Gayheart was born on August 12, 1971, inHazard, Kentucky, the third of four children born to Floneva "Flo" Gayheart (née Slone), who worked as aMary Kay independent beauty consultant, and Curtis Gayheart, aminer and coal-truck driver.[1][2] She has two sisters, Elizabeth and Rachel,[3] and one brother, Curtis Wayne Gayheart.[4][5] She is of German, English, Scottish and Scots-Irish descent.[6] Gayheart spent her early life inPine Top, Kentucky.[7] In her first year of high school, she starred in a stage play chronicling the life ofLizzie Borden, in which she played the eponymous Borden.[8]
At age 15, Gayheart won a localmodeling contest,[9] after which she relocated toNew York City.[4] There, she completed her high school education at theProfessional Children's School and went on to attend the actors' conservatory of theLee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[8] Meanwhile, Gayheart earned a living appearing in commercials forCampbell's soup andBurger King, and also modeled forJ. C. Penney catalogues.[8]
In her first film role, Gayheart appeared inBrett Ratner'sNew York University short filmWhatever Happened to Mason Reese? (1990) starringMason Reese. She also appeared in the Ratner-directed music video "Nuttin' But Love" performed byHeavy D and the Boyz.[10]
Gayheart's break into the television industry was a series of television commercials forNoxzema in the early 1990s, earning her the moniker "The Noxzema Girl".[4][8] The commercials began airing in 1991 and brought her national recognition.[11] In 1992, Gayheart was cast in her first major role on the soap operaLoving as Hannah Mayberry.[8] In 1993 and 1994, she had a recurring role in theVanishing Son action series as cellist Clair Rutledge, the love interest ofRussell Wong's main character, Jian-Wa Chang. In 1994 and 1995, Gayheart played Bess Martin in the science-fiction seriesEarth 2.[10] In 1995, she playedAntonia Marchette, a recurring character in the seriesBeverly Hills, 90210, andLuke Perry's character's love interest; the character was killed off after a 10-episode storyline.[10] She was subsequently cast in her feature film debut in the comedyNothing to Lose (1997) oppositeTim Robbins andMartin Lawrence, portraying a flower shop employee who nearly woos an advertising executive (Robbins).[10] The same year, she had a minor role as asorority sister inWes Craven's horror filmScream 2 (1997).[12]
After completingScream 2, Gayheart was cast in a lead role in theslasher filmUrban Legend (1998), in which she portrayed the best friend of a college student (Alicia Witt) who suspects their friends are being murdered according tourban legends.[13] The same year, she appeared onstage at Toronto'sCanon Theatre in a production ofThe Last Night of Ballyhoo, oppositeRhea Perlman andPerrey Reeves.[14] In 1999, Gayheart starred in theblack comedy filmJawbreaker withRose McGowan,Julie Benz, andJudy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school who inadvertently kill their friend.[15] Though the film was abox-office failure, it went on to earn acult following in subsequent decades.[16]
Gayheart starred as the waitress in theTrain music video for the 1999 song "Meet Virginia".
In 2000, Gayheart had a lead role in the vampire filmFrom Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter, as well as a lead role in the thrillerShadow Hours, oppositeBalthazar Getty.[17] She also had acameo appearance inUrban Legends: Final Cut, the sequel toUrban Legend.[18] She followed this with an appearance in the independent comedyHarvard Man (2001).
In 2002, Gayheart was hired for the role ofInara Serra on the television seriesFirefly but was fired after only one day of filming. Show creatorJoss Whedon said that a lack of chemistry existed between the rest of the cast and her.[citation needed] The role was recast with actressMorena Baccarin, who reportedly filmed her first scene the day she was accepted for the role.[19] None of Gayheart's work was used.[20] On television, she had recurring guest roles in the seriesDead Like Me (2003),Nip/Tuck (2004–2006), andVanished (2006).
From March to July 2005, Gayheart starred in aBroadway production ofSteel Magnolias.[21] David Rooney ofVariety praised her performance, writing: "Exuding all the breezy confidence of a girl who's always been popular and pretty, Gayheart's Shelby provides a strong center, allowing only brief glimpses of the cracks in her cheerful, optimistic veneer and refusing to be treated as fragile goods by the clucking women around her."[22] She also appeared in a minor role in theChristmas horror-comedy filmSanta's Slay (2005). In 2007, Gayheart guest-starred onUgly Betty as Jordan, an ex-girlfriend ofAlexis Meade. The following year, she returned to Broadway in a revival of the comedyBoeing-Boeing oppositeChristine Baranski,Mark Rylance,Greg Germann,Paige Davis, andMissi Pyle.[23] She had a guest role onThe Cleaner in 2009.
Gayheart returned to film in 2013, reuniting withJawbreaker directorDarren Stein for his comedyG.B.F., portraying the mother of a gay teenage boy.[24] She also starred opposite her husband, Dane, in the 2017-released thriller filmGrey Lady, which was filmed in 2014.[25]
In 2019, Gayheart returned to film with a minor supporting role inQuentin Tarantino'sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, playing Billie Booth, the ill-fated wife ofBrad Pitt's character.[26]
Gayheart metBrett Ratner the day she moved to New York City in 1986, when she was 15 and he was 18. The two carried on a romantic relationship that spanned 13 years.[27] She and Ratner were engaged in 1997, but the couple eventually separated in 1999.[28] Gayheart married actorEric Dane on October 29, 2004, inLas Vegas.[29] Dane toldFlaunt magazine about how they met: "It's probably one of the least interesting stories in the world. It went basically like this: 'You wanna go out?' 'Yeah, sure.' Ten months later, we were married."[30]
On August 17, 2009, a nude video was posted on the websitegawker.com that showed formerMiss Teen USA contestantKari Ann Peniche with Gayheart and husband Eric Dane.[31][32][33]
On March 3, 2010, Gayheart gave birth to her first child with Dane, a daughter in Los Angeles.[34] The following year, she gave birth to her second daughter with Dane on December 28, 2011.[35]
In February 2018, Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane after 14 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences".[36] On March 7, 2025, Gayheart filed to withdraw her divorce petition.[37] In November 2025, Gayheart spoke publicly about how she and their daughters were supporting Dane amid hisamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis, noting that although she and Dane have been separated for years, she remains engaged in their family's life.[38][39]
On June 13, 2001, while driving a vehicle owned byItalian actorMarco Leonardi (herFrom Dusk Till Dawn 3 co-star), Gayheart struck nine-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he walked across a street in Los Angeles.[40] Cruz died the following day from his injuries. Gayheart paid the familyUS$10,000 (equivalent to $17,800 in 2024) for Cruz's funeral expenses.[40] On August 7, 2001, Gayheart made her only public statement on the incident, in which she said: "The pain of this tragedy will live with me forever. Despite the allegations in the lawsuit, the facts will establish that this was a most unfortunate accident."[40]
On November 27, 2001, Gayheart pleadedno contest tovehicular manslaughter. She was sentenced to three years ofprobation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine (equivalent to $5,000 in 2024), and 750 hours of community service.[1][41] The parents of the boy filed awrongful death lawsuit, which was eventually settled out of court.[42]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Whatever Happened to Mason Reese? | Model #1 | Short film |
| 1996 | Somebody Is Waiting | Lilli | |
| 1997 | Nothing to Lose | Danielle | |
| 1997 | Scream 2 | Sorority Sister Lois | |
| 1998 | Hairshirt | Jennifer Scott | |
| 1998 | Urban Legend | Brenda Bates | |
| 1999 | Puppet | Lori Myers | [43] |
| 1999 | Jawbreaker | Julie Freeman | |
| 2000 | From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter | Mary Newlie | |
| 2000 | Shadow Hours | Chloe Holloway | |
| 2000 | Urban Legends: Final Cut | Brenda Bates | Uncredited cameo |
| 2001 | Doppelganger | Brian's Girlfriend | Short film |
| 2001 | Harvard Man | Kelly Morgan | |
| 2002 | Pipe Dream | Marliss Funt | |
| 2005 | Santa's Slay | Gwen Mason | |
| 2007 | Bunny Whipped | Beatriz Magdalene Johnson | |
| 2013 | G.B.F. | Mrs. Daniels | |
| 2015 | Grey Lady | Maggie Wynn | |
| 2019 | Once Upon a Time in Hollywood | Billie Booth |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–1993 | Loving | Hannah Mayberry | Main Role: March 2, 1992 – June 30, 1993 |
| 1992 | All My Children | Recurring/Guest role: October 6 – 9, 1992 | |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son | Clair Armstrong | Television film |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son III | Clair Armstrong | Television film |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son IV | Clair Armstrong | Television film |
| 1994–1995 | Earth 2 | Bess Martin | 21 episodes |
| 1995 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Antonia "Toni" Marchette | 8 episodes |
| 1996 | Sliders | Natalie | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Invasion | Cassy Winslow | Television film |
| 1998 | Hercules | Medea (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Wasteland | Samantha "Sam" Price | 13 episodes |
| 2001 | Inside Schwartz | Nadia | 1 episode |
| 2003 | Dead Like Me | Betty Rhomer | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | What I Like About You | Dana | 1 episode |
| 2004 | The Division | Suzanne Richland | 3 episodes |
| 2004–2006 | Nip/Tuck | Natasha Charles | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | The Christmas Blessing | Meghan | Television film |
| 2006 | Scarlett | Scarlett | Television film |
| 2006 | Medium | Jessica Delaney | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Vanished | Judy Nash | 13 episodes |
| 2007 | CSI: Miami | Claire Gibbs | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Ugly Betty | Jordan Dunn | 1 episode |
| 2009 | The Cleaner | Carey Kern | 1 episode |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Last Night of Ballyhoo | Sunny | Canon Theatre | [14] |
| 2005 | Steel Magnolias | Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie | Lyceum Theatre | [21] |
| 2008 | Boeing-Boeing | Gabrielle | Longacre Theatre |
