KaDee Strickland

It's doubtless that many young girls in small rural towns across America dream about leaving the confines of their youth to become famous actresses. Of course, most never do, either because they don't have the talent or look, or they never tried. KaDee Strickland, however, realized that dream and became a successful Hollywood actress-only she never dreamed of becoming one growing up. Beautiful, gracious, and unabashed about her accent in a town full of southern belles who have shaken off the affliction, Strickland, in the short time she's been acting, has positioned herself to become a star.

Born in Patterson, a one-light town in southern Georgia, Strickland had no real ambitions to become an actress-she loved her town and felt she would always be a part of it. In fact, Strickland and her family were well-known throughout Pierce County; she was homecoming queen three times-in elementary school, middle school, and high school-as well as student council president and a cheerleader.

Meanwhile, her mother was a nurse, and her dad was a legendary high school football coach, principal, and Pierce County school superintendent. But a steady diet of late-Saturday night horror flicks, which caused her to fall asleep in church the next day, would eventually fuel her desire to act.

Later, when she was in high school, a local theater group put on a one-act play for the community. For the hell of it, Strickland auditioned, and to her surprise, got the part. Once onstage, she realized that acting was her calling. In order to succeed, however, Strickland would have to leave the hometown she held dear.

Strickland left Patterson to attend the University of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. The experience of moving from a one-light town to a huge metropolis was an eye-opener for the young actress. While in school, Strickland performed on stage and managed to land a few small parts in big films, including a role as Visitor #5 in "The Sixth Sense" (1999), Cute C d #1 in "The Sterling Case" (1999), and Bonnie Gilcrest in "Girl, Interrupted" (1999).

After graduation, Strickland moved to New York to struggle as an actor, but after doing nine episodes of the long-running soap opera "All My Children" (ABC, 1970- ), she was able to quit her waitress job. Strickland paid some more dues by getting small parts in "Diamond Men" (2000) and "Something's Gotta Give" (2003), starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton.

It wasn't until Woody Allen cast her in "Anything Else" (2003) that Strickland began to appear in more prominent roles. Despite audience disinterest and yawns from critics, Strickland managed to build off her performance in the Allen comedy. She next appeared in "The Stepford Wives" (2004), a remake of the 1975 hit. Adapted from a thriller into a black comedy, the remake failed to wow audiences and critics alike.

Strickland, however, emerged none the worse for wear, and received top billing in her next project, "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004), the sequel to the sleeper hit, "Anaconda" (1997). Much to the chagrin of critics, the movie never purported to be anything more than it was-a thriller with a big snake hungry for humans trapped in the jungle.

In "The Grudge" (2004), the wildly successful Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle, Strickland played Karen, a nurse studying social work in Japan who mysteriously disappears. Though Strickland never appeared on-screen with the film's star, she and Gellar became fast friends on set. In a clear sign that her star was on the rise, Strickland was signed to star alongside Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in the Farrelly brothers' baseball-themed romantic comedy "Fever Pitch" (2005), earning some of the film's biggest laughs as Drew Barrymore's competitive, suspicious married gal pal.