REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS Biography - Craftmen, artisans and people from other Occupations

 
 

Biography » craftmen artisans and people from other occupations » rebecca romijn stamos

REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS

Name: Rebecca Romijn                                                                     
Born: 6 November 1972 Berkeley, California                                               
                                                                                         
Rebecca Alie Romijn (born November 6, 1972) is an American film and television           
actress and former fashion model.                                                       
                                                                                         
Romijn was born in Berkeley, California, the daughter of Elizabeth (nee Kuizenga), a     
public school English teacher and textbook author, and Jaap Romijn, a custom             
furniture maker. Her father, a native of Barneveld, The Netherlands, is Dutch,           
and her mother is a second-generation Dutch American who met Romijn's father             
while studying in Europe. Romijn's maternal grandfather, Dr. Henry B.                   
Kuizenga, was a Presbyterian minister and seminary professor. Her maternal               
grandmother is first cousins with Dorothy Letterman, David Letterman's mother.           
Many sources say that she was once nicknamed the "Jolly Blonde Giant" but she           
has admitted to making that up 'for a laugh'. While studying music (voice) at           
the University of California, Santa Cruz, she became involved with fashion               
modeling and eventually moved to Paris for more than two years. Romijn is fluent         
in French, German and Dutch, in addition to her native language, English.               
                                                                                         
Among other jobs, Romijn modeled for the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated           
and for Victoria's Secret. In addition to working with world class photographers         
on her Sports Illustrated shoots, she was the object/subject of Joanne Gair's           
inaugural body painting works as part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.         
She also was the host of MTV's House of Style from 1998 to 2000. Rebecca is a           
fixture on annual lists of the world's most beautiful women.                             
                                                                                         
In 2000's X-Men, Romijn had her first major movie role as "Mystique"; she               
returned to the role in 2003's sequel X2: X-Men United, and again for X-Men: The         
Last Stand (2006). In these movies her costume consisted of blue makeup and some         
strategically placed prosthetics on her otherwise nude body. In X2: X-Men United         
she shows up in a bar in one scene in her "normal" look, and also in X-Men: The         
Last Stand, she appears as a dark-haired "de-powered" Mystique. She had her             
first leading role in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale (2002). She also has starred         
in movies such as Rollerball, The Punisher and Godsend. She played the leading           
role in Pepper Dennis, a short-lived TV series on The WB. This series showcased         
Romijn's talents for comedy, singing, modeling, drama, and adventure.                   
                                                                                         
In January 2007, Romijn made her first appearance on the ABC series Ugly Betty           
as a full time regular. She plays Alexis Meade, a male-to-female transsexual and         
the sibling of lead character Daniel Meade. In November 2007, Romijn made a             
guest appearance on the ABC series Carpoolers, where she played the ex-wife of           
the character Laird, played by her real-life husband Jerry O'Connell.                   
                                                                                         
She married actor John Stamos on September 19, 1998. During her marriage, she           
used the name Rebecca Romijn-Stamos in both her personal and professional life.         
The couple announced their separation on April 12, 2004, and divorced on March 1,       
2005. She has since returned to using her birth name.                                   
                                                                                         
Romijn was asked by Elle magazine in April 2002 whether making Femme Fatale had         
given her any new ideas about her sexuality. She said, "You know, in my early           
twenties I wondered if I was interested in women and so I kind of, well ... did         
my homework. [Grins] And it turns out I'm pretty straight".                             
                                                                                         
On September 19, 2005, Rebecca announced her engagement to actor Jerry O'Connell.       
The date of the announcement was controversial, as it would have been her               
seventh anniversary with Stamos, if not for their divorce. On July 14, 2007,             
Romijn married O'Connell in Ojai, California.