Jennifer Love Hewitt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Love Hewitt
Hewitt in 2008
Born	(1979-02-21) February 21, 1979 (age 46) Waco, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer producer director
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Brian Hallisay ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Pop pop rock
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Atlantic Jive

Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, and singer. She was born on February 21, 1979. Jennifer started her career as a child, appearing in TV commercials. She then joined the cast of the Disney Channel show Kids Incorporated from 1989 to 1991.

She became very well-known for her role as Sarah Reeves Merrin on the Fox drama Party of Five (1995–1999). She also became a teen star playing Julie James in the horror movie I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). She played this role again in the sequels I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025).

Jennifer Love Hewitt has also been in other popular films like the comedy Can't Hardly Wait (1998) and the Garfield movies (2004–2006). On TV, she starred as Melinda Gordon in the CBS show Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010). She also played Riley Parks in The Client List (2012–2013) and Maddie Buckley in 9-1-1 since 2018. She was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in The Client List pilot film in 2010.

As a singer, Jennifer has released four studio albums. Her first album, Love Songs, came out in Japan when she was 12. Her album BareNaked (2002) was her first to be popular in the United States. Her song "How Do I Deal" (1999) was her most successful single. Besides acting and singing, Jennifer has also worked as a producer on some of her movies and TV shows.

Early Life and Beginnings

Jennifer Love Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas. Her mother, Patricia Mae, was a speech-language pathologist, and her father, Herbert Daniel Hewitt, was a medical technician. She grew up in Nolanville. After her parents divorced, Jennifer and her older brother Todd were raised by their mother.

From a very young age, Jennifer loved music. When she was three, she sang "The Greatest Love of All" at a livestock show. At age five, she started learning tap dancing and ballet. When she was nine, she joined the Texas Show Team, a dance group that even toured the Soviet Union.

Acting Career

Early Roles (1989–1994)

When Jennifer was ten, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother to start her acting and singing career. This happened after talent scouts suggested it and she won the "Texas Our Little Miss Talent Winner" title. She appeared in more than twenty TV commercials.

Her first big acting role was on the Disney Channel show Kids Incorporated (1989–1991). This role earned her three Young Artist Award nominations. In 1992, she was in the short film Dance! Workout with Barbie. She also got her first movie role in Munchie. A year later, she had her first main role in Little Miss Millions, playing a rich nine-year-old. She also appeared in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

Becoming a Teen Star (1995–1999)

Jennifer became a popular teen star when she joined the Fox show Party of Five (1995–1999) as Sarah Reeves Merrin. She was originally supposed to be in only nine episodes, but everyone loved her so much that she became a regular cast member. She stayed on the show until its final season. For her work on Party of Five, she was nominated for several awards, including a Kids' Choice Award.

Jennifer Love Hewitt in 2002

She became a movie star with the horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), where she played Julie James. The movie was a big success, making US $125 million worldwide. She won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Newcomer for this role. She also appeared in the sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998).

In 1998, Jennifer starred as Amanda Beckett in the teen comedy Can't Hardly Wait. She also appeared in Telling You. In 1999, she was in the comedy The Suburbans. She also starred in and produced Time of Your Life, a spin-off from Party of Five.

Film and TV Roles (2000–2010)

In 2000, Jennifer played the famous actress Audrey Hepburn in the TV movie The Audrey Hepburn Story. She also worked as an executive producer for the film.

She starred with Sigourney Weaver in the romantic comedy Heartbreakers (2001). They played a mother-daughter team who trick wealthy men. The movie made a good amount of money worldwide.

In 2002, Jennifer starred with Jackie Chan in the action comedy The Tuxedo. She also lent her voice to two animated films: The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina.

In 2004, she starred in the romantic fantasy drama If Only and the TV film A Christmas Carol. She also played Dr. Liz Wilson in the live-action comedy Garfield. Garfield became her highest-grossing film, making US $200 million worldwide.

Jennifer Love Hewitt in 2008

From 2005 to 2010, Jennifer played Melinda Gordon in the CBS show Ghost Whisperer. Her character could see and talk to ghosts. She also produced and directed some episodes of the show. Ghost Whisperer was very popular, and Jennifer won two Saturn Awards for Best Television Actress for her role. In 2006, she played Dr. Liz Wilson again in Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties. In 2007, she starred as The Devil in the comedy Shortcut to Happiness. She also had a small role in Tropic Thunder (2008) and voiced Princess Kyla in Delgo (2008).

In 2010, Jennifer played a barista in the drama Café. She also starred in the Lifetime film The Client List, playing a woman who helps people with personal issues. She received a Golden Globe nomination for this role.

Recent Television Roles (2011–Present)

In 2011, Jennifer starred with Betty White in the film The Lost Valentine. This movie was very popular, with 14.53 million viewers.

Jennifer Love Hewitt in 2018

In 2012, Jennifer starred in the comedy Jewtopia. She also played Riley Parks in The Client List TV series. This show was based on her 2010 film and ran for two seasons.

From 2014 to 2015, Jennifer played Kate Callahan, an undercover agent, in the tenth season of Criminal Minds. She left the show because she was expecting her second child and decided to take a break from acting for three years.

Since 2018, Jennifer has played Maddie Buckley on the Fox show 9-1-1. Her character is an ER nurse who becomes a 9-1-1 operator after leaving a challenging situation. Jennifer describes Maddie as tough, empathetic, and sensitive.

Other Projects

Music Career

Jennifer Love Hewitt was a backing vocalist on Martika's song "Toy Soldiers" in 1989. When she was 12, she released her first album, Love Songs, in Japan, where she became a pop star. She then signed with Atlantic Records and released Let's Go Bang (1995) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996).

In 1999, she recorded "How Do I Deal" for the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack. This song became her first to appear on music charts in the US and Australia. She also sang a cover of "I Will Survive" for the film.

Jennifer appeared in the music video for LFO's song "Girl on TV" (1999) and Enrique Iglesias's song "Hero" (2001).

In 2002, she released her fourth album, BareNaked. The first single, "BareNaked", became her biggest radio hit. The song was even featured in two episodes of Ghost Whisperer. The album reached number 37 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Since 2004, Jennifer has mostly focused on acting. However, she released compilation albums like Cool with You: The Platinum Collection (2006) and Hey Everybody (2007). In 2013, she recorded a cover of "I'm a Woman" to promote The Client List TV series.

Writing

In 2009, Jennifer Love Hewitt created a five-issue comic book series called Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box (2009–2010), based on her own ideas.

She also wrote a book titled The Day I Shot Cupid (2010), where she shares her thoughts on love and dating. The book became a New York Times bestseller shortly after it was released. She has also written Inheriting Magic: My Journey Through Grief, Joy, Celebration, and Making Every Day Magical (2024).

Personal Life

Relationships and Family

Jennifer Love Hewitt has dated several well-known people over the years. In 2005, she started dating actor Ross McCall. They got engaged in 2007 but called off their engagement in 2008.

In 2012, Jennifer began dating her The Client List co-star, Brian Hallisay. In June 2013, they announced their engagement and that they were expecting their first child. Jennifer and Brian got married on November 20, 2013. Their daughter was born a few days later on November 26. In June 2015, they welcomed a son. In August 2021, Jennifer and Brian had their third child.

Filmography

Film

Television

As a Director

As a Producer

Discography

Studio albums

• Love Songs (1992)
• Let's Go Bang (1995)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt (1996)
• BareNaked (2002)

Written Works

Credits as an author:

• The Day I Shot Cupid (2010)
• Inheriting Magic: My Journey Through Grief, Joy, Celebration, and Making Every Day Magical (2024)

Other credits:

• Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box (2009–2010) (creator)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Love Hewitt para niños