Former child star Jennifer Love Hewitt grew up to become one of the most beloved
girl-next-door actors of the '90s. She also went on to be quite the star in
her own right. Here’s her journey and transformation from 14 to 42.
Though Jennifer Love Hewitt was basically born craving a career in entertainment,
it wasn't until she moved to Los Angeles that she ever felt like she, quote, "truly belonged
somewhere." In 1999, she told Rolling Stone that her teenage years there were full of hard work,
but also excitement, with the outlet noting that there was no looking back.
Hewitt's mom supported her showbiz career unconditionally. She offered the young star
the option to opt out and head back to Texas if she wasn't "having fun anymore," but Hewitt
was living her best life and enjoyed some moderate success in the meantime.
She starred in short-lived dramas like "McKenna" and "The Byrds of
Paradise" — alongside notable '90s teen star Seth Green in the latter. Hewitt also
enjoyed a larger slice of fame in 1993 with her small role in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit"
opposite Whoopi Goldberg. She later told Broadway World that she and the rest of the young cast
obviously had a blast whilst filming the high-school set sequel, and the film left
her with "a lot of fun memories." But it also undoubtedly helped to put her on the map.
The role was small, but Hewitt's charisma and talent were evident. And though her
early TV pursuits didn't work out at first,
it wouldn't be long until this rising star would finally catch her big break.
After starring in a series of extremely short-lived TV shows, Jennifer Love Hewitt began
to suspect that she was cursed or was just a bad luck charm for TV. So when the chance to audition
for "Party of Five" came about, the blossoming star decided to jokingly warn the show's creators,
Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman. She told them of how her presence could inadvertently
get the series cancelled. Luckily, Keyser told the outlet that they weren't deterred. He shared,
"The first time we saw Love [we had] to have her."
Lippman added that they even completely changed the character of Sarah to fit with who Hewitt
was when she came in. The teenage girl they fell in love with was adorable and modest,
without bombast or excess. Hewitt also had an impressive work ethic and an authentic niceness
to her which shone onscreen and off, where she'd often rock a simple t-shirt for big events.
Hewitt's tailor-made character was added to the second season as a love interest for Scott Wolf's
Bailey Salinger, and the ensemble family drama proved to be a perfect home for the young star.
The character was similarly driven and earnestly sweet, and both Sarah and
Hewitt won the affections of viewers across the country almost immediately. But unfortunately,
some dudes simply had no chill about it.
In 1997, three major things happened to Jennifer Love Hewitt. She turned 18, starred in teen horror
movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and became a major sex symbol seemingly overnight.
As Hewitt later reflected to Elle, people were suddenly talking about her body rather than "the
movie," and having no agency over her sexuality was hard for the rising star. She explained,
"When you start [in Hollywood] younger, the narrative takes off without you.
Before I ever knew [...] what 'sexy' was, I was on the sexy list."
Hewitt likewise told Vulture that it was a difficult transition
having gone from "Party of Five," where her body was very covered, to a teen horror flick,
which marked the first time that she had even worn a low top. Apparently,
this prompted interviewers to begin asking her, quote, "incredibly inappropriate, gross things."
The tiresome focus on her breasts over the next few years disappointed the actor. She shared,
"[I wish] that the acting had overshadowed all that — that for five minutes,
they had said I was really great in the movie versus made a body comment."
As a result, the teen star could sometimes look uncomfortable at red carpet events.
She was starting to rock her signature styles: bodycon and bandeau dresses,
or tailored pants with a strappy top. However, Hewitt was still a young woman
trying to assert dominance over her persona, and struggling to demand the respect she deserved.
Sadly, the attention about her body didn't end — and in some ways, it even worsened. After leaving
"Party of Five," and with a few more teen movies under her belt, like "Can't Hardly Wait" and "I
Still Know What You Did Last Summer," Jennifer Love Hewitt executive-produced and starred in a
movie about one of her favorite Hollywood legends, "The Audrey Hepburn Story." She told Cosmopolitan,
"Never in my life have I been captivated by anybody onscreen the way I was when
I saw Audrey Hepburn the first time. She's everything a woman should be."
Unfortunately, some critics were openly against Hewitt playing Hepburn,
who was renowned for being Tinseltown's most beloved icon of elegance. The debate
surrounding her casting in the role sometimes leaned heavily on the admittedly sexist idea
that Hewitt's chest was too big. And therefore, too unsophisticated to depict the lean star.
“What?”
Hewitt challenged these critics by taking to several red carpets looking the
embodiment of class and sophistication in a range of gorgeously-tailored gowns.
Though reviews were mixed for "The Audrey Hepburn Story," Hewitt was
nonetheless taking a stronger helm of her narrative, her sexuality, and her career.
Playing one half of a mother-daughter con-team opposite Sigourney Weaver,
"Heartbreakers" was the transitional comedy vehicle for which Jennifer Love Hewitt had
been waiting. Though the 2001 movie was met with mixed reviews, the "Party of Five" alum's
ability to keep up with a cast of Hollywood heavyweights like Weaver was impressive.
As Hewitt later told Vulture, the character of Page gave her the chance to express
elements of where she was at during that time in her life. She shared their similarities:
"Still young at heart with lots to learn [...] and
moving into her own sexuality and who she wanted to be as a woman."
Her performance is confident in the film, and so is her wardrobe. On screen and off,
"Heartbreakers" established Hewitt as the bodycon queen of Tinseltown. But
was she finally asserting the skin-tight look for her own enjoyment and power?
Speaking to Cinema.com at the time, Hewitt mused how her character uses her body and her sexuality
to hide the fact she's really a 23-year-old insecure girl trying to figure out her life.
This element of the film may have resonated with the star herself,
who had long been frustrated with how her talents and career were being overshadowed by her body.
As Hewitt told the website, things were going to change. She said,
"I wanna try to focus less on my figure and more on my ability because I think that's important."
Part of Jennifer Love Hewitt's masterplan to reclaim her reputation and focus on her other
abilities surely factored into her returning to her musical roots. With the 2002 release
of her fourth studio album, "BareNaked," Hewitt was able to reconnect with herself.
She told UPI that music had an advantage over acting in nurturing her sense of self, saying,
"When I'm acting, I spend 14 hours a day and months a time being someone else.
When I'm singing, I just get to be me."
"BareNaked" was the biggest push in Hewitt's musical career to date. Her pop-rock style
followed suit, and black, skin-tight, rock-chick chic became her everyday uniform. It was sexy,
sure, but it was also tough. This wasn't an accessible Maxim-friendly, girl-next-door
centerfold look. It was a style that embraced her looks with confidence in her own way.
Sadly, the album was poorly received, and the usual sexist criticisms abound.
Slant trashed the album for being, quote, "jangly girl-pop." Arguably, a great vibe for girls,
but maybe not for ageing male music critics. Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly criticized
Hewitt for posing seminude on the cover while crooning suggestive lyrics. The outlet argued,
“[Such an attitude] doesn't make her a bad girl, it just makes her bad."
Despite her unfortunate career slump, by 2005, Jennifer Love Hewitt started her ascent
up from out of the Hollywood flop pile with a new TV show that would become a surprise hit.
Depicting a woman who can communicate with the dead,
"Ghost Whisperer" was a huge success throughout its five-season run. Apparently,
the nurturing role was also one of the most fulfilling Hewitt had played. The star shared,
"Everyday I felt like I was doing something
extraordinary [...] I felt like that show connected with people."
In 2010, Jennifer Love Hewitt would once again elevate her career with the TV movie,
"The Client List." Here she depicted a single mom working as a masseuse-turned-sex-worker.
The role earned her industry kudos, with a Golden Globe nomination for her performance,
and "The Client List" was such a hit that it became a TV show in 2012.
Hewitt explained to Collider that she was drawn to the complex character of Riley Parks.
She said that it was because the narrative explored a single mom
who finds empowerment in a job that others might assume is dangerous or subservient.
She added,
"She's making these decisions and she's making them consciously,
and she's growing sexually, emotionally, physically and mentally, in this job."
In both her personal and professional lives,
Hewitt seemed to be hitting a new peak, where she didn't just look comfortable in her skin.
She also looked absolutely radiant on the red carpet, especially when she stepped out in an
ivory Romona Keveza gown with ice-blue accents at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards
Following the birth of her first child, Jennifer Love Hewitt flaunted her post-pregnancy figure
with joy and assurance. With motherhood, the star's priorities had appeared to shift, too. When
"The Client List" ended in 2013, Hewitt joined the cast of "Criminal Minds" for one brief season as
hardened FBI Agent Kate Callahan. However, by the time she had the chance to film a second season,
Hewitt was expecting her second child and had made the difficult decision to step back from the show.
"Criminal Minds" showrunner Erica Messer told Entertainment Weekly that they wrote Callahan's
exit from the show to tie-in with Hewitt's own motives for leaving. As Messer explained, Hewitt
wanted to be "a full-time mom" so she could give this second baby everything she gave her first.
And that's obviously not an easy mission statement given the scheduling rigors of filming a TV show.
Suffice it to say, Hewitt was more than entitled to the break,
having worked in the industry since she was a child herself. On the topic, Hewitt
told American Baby that pregnancy is a time for slowing down schedules and to enjoy nourishment.
"So many of us are busy or driven, we forget to take care of ourselves [...] But
when you're pregnant, it's all about you — and that baby inside of you."
After taking some time out to raise her babies, Jennifer Love Hewitt made a triumphant return
to the industry with her role in the emergency call-room drama, "9-1-1." Hewitt depicted Maddie,
a woman struggling with the aftermath of leaving an abusive relationship. As showrunner Tim
Minear told The Wrap, the actor was the, quote, "perfect choice" to join the 9-1-1 call center.
Unfortunately, her return to the red carpet wasn't quite as confident.
Hewitt showed up to the series' Fox Upfront presentation looking admittedly tired yet chic,
which is a hard relate for moms everywhere. When the appearance made headlines, she felt the need
to explain her look on her Instagram Stories. On top of the day being 12 hours long and the
New York humidity being almost 100 percent, the actor revealed that she'd made the mistake of
wearing a black suit and was melting by the time cameras were on her. With a laugh, Hewitt added,
"I just have to apologize for how [...] wrecked I look in all the pictures that came out."
It was a funny, relatable moment that reminded fans of Hewitt's ageless girl-next-door quality.
Long may it reign. While juggling her continued onscreen prospects with raising her children,
Hewitt is constantly impressive.
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