Celebrity Movie Blog

Who is Rebecca Gayheart?

Rebecca Gayheart was born on the 12th August 1971 in Hazard, Kentucky, USA. She is an actress. 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. Her break into the television industry was a series of television commercials for Noxzema in the early 1990s. In 1992 she landed her first major role when she joined the cast of the soap opera Loving. In 1994 and 1995, she played Bess Martin in the science fiction series Earth 2. In 1995, she had a recurring role in Beverly Hills 90210. In 2007 she guest-starred on Ugly Betty. Her career stalled in 2001 because she was charged with vehicular manslaughter. She struck and fatally injured nine-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he crossed a LA street. According to the police report, the child was walking home from school and crossed the street. While several cars stopped to let him go, Rebecca swerved around them, striking the boy. Her attorney, Steven Lerman, subsequently admitted she had been using a cell phone during impact. The boy died the next day in hospital. On November 27th 2001 she pleaded no contest to the charges. She was sentenced to three years probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine, and 750 hours of community service. She was also ordered to make a public-service announcement.