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Rebecca Gayheart (born August 12, 1972) is an
United States|American actor|actress.

Gayheart was born in Hazard, Kentucky and raised
in nearby Pinetop, Kentucky|Pinetop. She is a coal
miner's daughter. She moved to New York City at 15
where she completed her education at New York's
Professional Children's School and the Lee
Strasberg Institute and began a career acting and
modeling.

Gayheart became well known from her appearances in
a series of commercials for Noxzema skin cream
beginning in 1991. In 1992, she joined the cast of
the soap opera Loving (TV series)|Loving. In 1995,
she had a recurring role in the series Beverly
Hills, 90210. She has also been a regular on the
television series Earth 2 (1994), Wasteland (TV
series)|Wasteland (1999), and Dead Like Me (2003)
and has a re-occurring role on Nip/Tuck (2004).

Gayheart has appeared in several films, most often
horror films or comedies aimed at a teenage
audience: Somebody Is Waiting (1996), Nothing to
Lose (1997), Scream 2 (1997), Hairshirt (1998),
Urban Legend (movie)|Urban Legend (1998),
Jawbreaker (movie)|Jawbreaker (1999), Puppet
(movie)|Puppet (1999), From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The
Hangman's Daughter (2000), Shadow Hours (2000),
Doppelganger (movie)|Doppelganger (2001), Harvard
Man (2001), and Pipe Dream (movie)|Pipe Dream
(2002).

Gayheart was engaged to director Brett Ratner but
the couple separated. Gayheart married actor Eric
Dane on October 29, 2004.

On the afternoon of June 13, 2001, Gayheart was
driving northbound on Bronson Avenue in Hollywood.
 Nine-year-old Jorge Cruz, Jr., on his way home
from nearby Grant Elementary School, was crossing
the street in the middle of the block, jaywalking
far from the nearest crosswalk.  A number of cars
stopped for him, but when Gayheart drove up behind
them, apparently not understanding why the cars
were stopped in the middle of the block, she
pulled into the two-way left turn lane in the
middle of the street to go around the stopped
traffic.  Furthermore, police estimated her speed
at approximately 40 miles per hour, while the
speed limit in the area was 25 miles per hour. 
She apparently never saw Cruz crossing, and her
car struck the boy, who died the next morning of
the injuries he sustained in the accident.  

She subsequently pleaded Nolo contendere|no
contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and
was sentenced to a one year suspension of her
license, three years probation, a $2800 fine, and
750 hours of community service.  Her community
service included public service announcements
about the dangers of jaywalking and the dangers of
failing to stop when other drivers have stopped.  

Cruz' parents also filed a wrongful death lawsuit
against her.  The case was settled out of court
under confidential terms in 2002.

== External links ==

* imdb name|id=0001261|name=Rebecca Gayheart