Though she played a true-blue American Marine lawyer on CBS's J.A.G., Catherine Bell is actually London-born. But when her parents, Peter, an architect, and Mina, a nurse, divorced when Catherine was a toddler, she and her mother settled in Los Angeles, CA.
A self-described "geek," Bell thrived in math and biology in school, and in junior high once programmed a computer video game. She entered UCLA with the intention of being a pre-med major, but in her sophomore year found herself at a crossroads. Making a decision to take her life in a different direction, she began modeling in Japan, but after four months found the lifestyle damaging to her self-esteem and well being.
She returned to Los Angeles with a new goal: to prove herself as an actress. She soon found herself cast in guest spots on shows like Hercules, Dream On, and Friends. But it was a three-line part on the military drama J.A.G. - on an episode in which her character was brutally murdered - that changed it all.
Several months after that guest spot, Bell heard that the producers of J.A.G. were looking for a new female lead for the show. So she crossed her fingers and wrote a letter to executive producer Donald P. Bellisario, declaring her suitability for the role of Maj. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie.
Intrigued, Bellisario decided to take a gamble, and Bell won the part. Her chemistry with male lead David James Elliot, who plays Lt. Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb, ensured that the show, which had been struggling in the ratings, would thrive on a new network. J.A.G. now holds a steady position in Nielsen's Top 20.
Her role on J.A.G. allows Bell to showcase her athletic skills - she's been kickboxing for over 10 years, and knows her way around a shooting range. In her off-camera time, her tomboyish nature comes to the fore when she throws herself into snowboarding, riding motorcycles, wakeboarding, and other extreme sports.
Bell shares her Los Angeles-area home with her husband, actor Adam Beason, and their daughter Gemma, and their two Italian greyhounds, Leo and Zoe.
A self-described "geek," Bell thrived in math and biology in school, and in junior high once programmed a computer video game. She entered UCLA with the intention of being a pre-med major, but in her sophomore year found herself at a crossroads. Making a decision to take her life in a different direction, she began modeling in Japan, but after four months found the lifestyle damaging to her self-esteem and well being.
She returned to Los Angeles with a new goal: to prove herself as an actress. She soon found herself cast in guest spots on shows like Hercules, Dream On, and Friends. But it was a three-line part on the military drama J.A.G. - on an episode in which her character was brutally murdered - that changed it all.
Several months after that guest spot, Bell heard that the producers of J.A.G. were looking for a new female lead for the show. So she crossed her fingers and wrote a letter to executive producer Donald P. Bellisario, declaring her suitability for the role of Maj. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie.
Intrigued, Bellisario decided to take a gamble, and Bell won the part. Her chemistry with male lead David James Elliot, who plays Lt. Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb, ensured that the show, which had been struggling in the ratings, would thrive on a new network. J.A.G. now holds a steady position in Nielsen's Top 20.
Her role on J.A.G. allows Bell to showcase her athletic skills - she's been kickboxing for over 10 years, and knows her way around a shooting range. In her off-camera time, her tomboyish nature comes to the fore when she throws herself into snowboarding, riding motorcycles, wakeboarding, and other extreme sports.
Bell shares her Los Angeles-area home with her husband, actor Adam Beason, and their daughter Gemma, and their two Italian greyhounds, Leo and Zoe.
(2007) Catherine Bell starred with Mark Humphrey in a television movie for the LMN network called Still Small Voices.
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Catherine Bell was also in the sequel to "Bruce Almighty" movie, "Evan Almighty" starring Steve Carrell and Lauren Graham.
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Correctly predicted the winner and final score of Super Bowl XXXVI, in a survey of 70 celebrities who had nothing to do with football conducted by The Sporting News. Specifically, she correctly predicted that the New England Patriots would beat the St. Louis Rams by a score of 20-17. (She is incorrectly rumored to have made this prediction before the season began; in fact, she made it after after both teams had already won their respective conference championships.).
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In 2006, she was nominated in Saturn Award of Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for Best Supporting Actress on Television (The Triangle).
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Catherine appeared on Hollywood Squares on September 24, 2001.
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Catherine has a tattoo of a heart on her right ankle with the word "love" in it.
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Catherine has posed for both Stuff Magazine and FHM Magazine.
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Catherine is Iranian on her mother's side. In certain episodes of JAG she makes references to her grandmother speaking Farsi.
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Signed on for a supporting role in the second half of the first season of "Threshold" and shot one episode before the show was canceled.
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Is very physically fit and loves all sports, particularly kick-boxing, skiing, and snowboarding.
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Gave birth to a daughter, Gemma on 16 April 2003
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Voted #38 in FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2002. She was previously #84 in 2001.
Named #75 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list. (edit) Height: 5' 10" (1.78 m). (edit) Although uncredited, Catherine played Isabella Rosselini's body double in the nude scene in the movie Death Becomes Her. (edit) Was a contestant on "The Match Game" (1990) and introduced herself as Cathy Bell, a massage therapist. She won $900, but didn't make it to the final Super Match round. (edit) When she was in her 20s, she had thyroid cancer and had to have her thyroid removed. She doesn't cover the scar on her throat because she thinks it's kind of cool. (edit) Catherine and her husband, Adam, own many motocycles and they love to ride them. (edit)
Named #75 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list. (edit) Height: 5' 10" (1.78 m). (edit) Although uncredited, Catherine played Isabella Rosselini's body double in the nude scene in the movie Death Becomes Her. (edit) Was a contestant on "The Match Game" (1990) and introduced herself as Cathy Bell, a massage therapist. She won $900, but didn't make it to the final Super Match round. (edit) When she was in her 20s, she had thyroid cancer and had to have her thyroid removed. She doesn't cover the scar on her throat because she thinks it's kind of cool. (edit) Catherine and her husband, Adam, own many motocycles and they love to ride them. (edit)
(from her official web-page)
CB: I was a tomboy...still am - I love cars, motorcycles, extreme sports. (edit) (from her official web-page)
CB: I love to paint - though my favorite kind of painting these days is with my daughter on her little plastic easel. (edit) (from her official web-page)
CB: I want to learn to fly helicopters and planes one day! (edit) (Describing her overnight fame in "JAG")
Catherine: ... as this huge, life-changing moment... going from zero to 90 in two seconds! (edit)
CB: I was a tomboy...still am - I love cars, motorcycles, extreme sports. (edit) (from her official web-page)
CB: I love to paint - though my favorite kind of painting these days is with my daughter on her little plastic easel. (edit) (from her official web-page)
CB: I want to learn to fly helicopters and planes one day! (edit) (Describing her overnight fame in "JAG")
Catherine: ... as this huge, life-changing moment... going from zero to 90 in two seconds! (edit)
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Score: 9.6 Superb 220 votes
Score: 9.6 Superb 220 votes
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