rachael leigh cook
Cover Story / All grown up
by Jonah Sheppard

Years removed from her high school heartthrob role in She’s All That, Rachael Leigh Cook is reintroducing herself to the world in her latest film, The Final Season. it’s difficult to decipher which attribute of hers is more captivating; her beauty or her charm. however, it’s easy to see that Rachael Leigh Cook is a young lady with a head on her shoulders.

Rachael Leigh Cook arrives for our lunch interview on time — actually, I’m running late, so she’s there before I am. She isn’t upset or flustered, but glad of my arrival.

“Where do you want to sit?” I ask.

“I don’t know, anywhere you do,” she replies. I can’t help to think that this may be some sort of ploy in response to my tardiness, so I’m quick to offer her the booth seat. Again, without batting an eye, she responds kindly, “No, it’s all yours.” I decline and take the chair. I’m not much of a booth guy anyway.

Cook’s looks are as inviting as her demeanor. Some Hollywood stars, as gorgeous as they may be, don’t have an engaging bone in their body. Cook is quite the opposite. There isn’t one thing in particular about her that stands out. Rather, she just stands out.

It doesn’t take long for me to push my sheet of prepared questions aside and begin to rap with Cook. “Hey, see that guy over there?” she says. “That’s my husband’s friend. I wonder who that girl he’s with is.”

Husband? Yup. Young, innocent Cook has been married to actor Daniel Gillies for three years.

“How is it that no one knows you’re married?” I ask.

“I know. It’s the strangest thing,” she says.

Maybe it’s because she hid her wedding. “I never told anyone the date of our wedding,” she says. “I think I may have lied about the date at times, but I think it’s my right to lie to protect my privacy.”

Or, maybe we all think she’s single because we still remember her from teen movie, She’s All That.

“People think of me as someone who doesn’t get older,” explains Cook. “People are surprised to find out that I’ve grown up.”

Cook, who turns 28 this October, doesn’t refute the fact that many people still associate her with her lovable, sweet-faced high school role. “I’ve been acting since I was fifteen, but people see me first as the girl from She’s All That.” This doesn’t bother her. She doesn’t take herself — or what she’s doing — too seriously. This is refreshing to hear from a young actor.

Cook jokes, “Why are you wasting your time talking to me? Like anything I have to say is really that important.”

“Well,” I respond, “I do think you have something of interest to say. And, I think my readers will find it entertaining as well.” We both laugh.

Following her comment, I can’t help but ask, “If we were living in a time with no film and no television, would you still be an entertainer?”

After taking a moment to picture a world without cameras, Cook sounds off, “I highly doubt it. I don’t need attention. Actually, it makes me uncomfortable.”

Cook is completely done with her omelet and has moved on to a plate of bread pudding.

“Do you get next job jitters?” I ask.

“I always have a sense of urgency and desire to accomplish more. I don’t have the pressures of Julia Roberts, but I haven’t done what I think I can do,” she says. “I want to work on getting there.”

Cook’s current film, The Final Season, is an example of Cook taking steps in her career towards “getting there.” Starring opposite Sean Astin, Cook plays a government official who learns the errors of her ways from an underdog high school coach and baseball team in Norway, Iowa. The true story of a small town “David” facing off against “Goliath” will allow fans to see Cook in an evolved, more mature role.

For now, Rachael graciously thanks me for our lunch. I get in my car, and she continued walking. “I think I’m going to do some shopping,” she says.

photographer: Giuliano Bekor


Source.

Thx for the pics and the article Quel. HAven't seen that one yet.
btw Freefall is trying to get the mag from ebay. Maybe we will see scans soon.

Some refreshing interview. Thanks !