Rebecca Romijn

Rebecca Alie O'Connell, formerly known as Rebecca Romijn, is an American actress and former model born on November 6, 1972. She gained prominence for her portrayal of the shape-shifting mutant Mystique in the original trilogy (2000–2006) of the X-Men film series, based on Marvel Comics. Additionally, she starred as Joan in The Punisher (2004), another film adaptation of a Marvel Comics character.
Romijn showcased her versatility by playing dual roles as Laure Ash and Lily Watts in the film Femme Fatale (2002). She has also ventured into the realm of television, portraying Una Chin-Riley in Star Trek: Discovery (2019) and reprising the role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present).


Her television credits include a recurring role as Alexis Meade on the ABC series Ugly Betty and as Eve Baird on the TNT series The Librarians. Romijn has also lent her voice to portray Lois Lane in the DC Animated Movie Universe.
Beyond her acting career, Romijn has hosted the reality competition show Skin Wars, showcasing her talents in various entertainment formats.


Rebecca Romijn was born in Berkeley, California, to Elizabeth Romijn (née Kuizenga) and Jaap Romijn. Her mother, Elizabeth, is a community college instructor specializing in English as a Second Language (ESL) and is also an author of textbooks. Jaap Romijn, Rebecca's father, is a custom furniture maker. Jaap hails from Barneveld, the Netherlands, while Elizabeth is of Dutch descent but is American by nationality. The couple met during Elizabeth's teenage years when she participated in a student exchange program in the Netherlands.


During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Romijn opened up about her early years, revealing that despite her glamorous image later in life, she was once an insecure "drama geek." She shared that during her early teens, she struggled with scoliosis, which caused her constant pain due to a growth spurt. Despite some sources claiming she was nicknamed the "Jolly Blonde Giant" due to her tall stature of 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 meters), Romijn admitted to fabricating this nickname for comedic effect.
Romijn initially pursued music, focusing on voice, while studying at the University of California, Santa Cruz. However, she eventually transitioned into fashion modeling and moved to Paris, where she resided for over three years, kickstarting her career in the fashion industry.


Rebecca Romijn embarked on her modeling career in 1991, quickly making a name for herself in the fashion industry. She graced the covers of prestigious magazines such as Elle, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Glamour, GQ, Esquire, and Sports Illustrated, appearing on editions from various countries including the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Greece, Mexico, and more. Romijn also starred in advertising campaigns for renowned brands such as Escada, Christian Dior, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria's Secret, and Maybelline, among others. She walked the runway for esteemed designers like Giorgio Armani, Sonia Rykiel, and Anna Molinari, alongside supermodels such as Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford.


Additionally, Romijn hosted MTV's House of Style from 1998 to 2000 and made a guest appearance on the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
Romijn's breakout role in film came in 2000 when she portrayed Mystique in X-Men, a role she reprised in the sequels X2 (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). Her portrayal of Mystique required extensive blue makeup and prosthetics. She also starred in other films such as Femme Fatale (2002), Rollerball, The Punisher, and Godsend. Romijn had her first leading role in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale. She also headlined the short-lived TV series Pepper Dennis on The WB.


In January 2007, Romijn joined the cast of the ABC series Ugly Betty as a regular cast member, playing the character Alexis Meade, a transgender woman and the sister of the lead character Daniel Meade. However, her appearances became recurring in Season 3 due to changes in the show's direction and Romijn's pregnancy, which would have been inconsistent with her character's storyline. Additionally, she guest-starred on the ABC series Carpoolers in November 2007, where she played the ex-wife of the character Laird, portrayed by her real-life husband Jerry O'Connell.


Rebecca Romijn continued to expand her acting repertoire with various television and film projects. In the ABC series Eastwick, she starred alongside Lindsay Price, her former co-star from Pepper Dennis, before the show was canceled in November 2009. Romijn also made an uncredited cameo appearance in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class, portraying an older version of the character Mystique, as played by Jennifer Lawrence.
She ventured into the realm of music, recording a cover of Prince's "Darling Nikki" for the 2005 album Electro Goth Tribute to Prince. Additionally, Romijn was featured on the song "Color Me Love" for RuPaul's album Realness in 2015.


Romijn took on the role of Eve Baird, the guardian of the titular group, in the series The Librarians, a spin-off of The Librarian film series. She also served as the host of the reality show Skin Wars on GSN. In 2018, Romijn voiced Lois Lane in the DC Animated Movie Universe. She expanded her presence in the Star Trek franchise by appearing as Una Chin-Riley, the first officer of the USS Enterprise, in the second season of Star Trek: Discovery (2019). Romijn reprised her role in the spin-off series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which premiered in 2022.
Additionally, Romijn and her husband Jerry O'Connell co-host The Real Love Boat, a show that debuted on CBS on October 5, 2022.

References

1.  "Rebecca Romijn Profile". Fashion Model Directory. 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
2. ^ Rebecca Romijn (YouTube). The Wendy Williams Show. February 14, 2019. Event occurs at 10:40. We've been married for 11 years. Why did it take you 9 years of marriage to legally change your name to O'Connell?
3. a b "Rebecca Romijn Is Still Legally "Rebecca Romijn-Stamos"". Team Coco. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
4. a b Sobczynski, Peter. "Brian De Palma on". Roger Ebert.
5. a b "BODY DOUBLE / FEMME FATALE | American Cinematheque". November 22, 2017. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017.
6. a b "Museum of the Moving Image - Visit - Calendar - Femme Fatale". June 29, 2016. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016.
7. ^ Rebecca A Romijn, CaliforniaBirthIndex.org
8. ^ "Rebecca rules". Cosmopolitan. Accessmylibrary.com. July 1, 2000. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
9. a b "Rebecca Romijn Biography". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
10. ^ "Kuizenga, Grace Elizabeth Abney – October 14, 1917 – June 20, 2005". San Francisco Chronicle. June 25, 2005.
11. ^ Marquis, A. N. (1960), "Kuizenga, Henry Bernard", Who's Who in the Midwest, vol. 7, p. 490
12. ^ "Rebecca Romijn biography". Whoabc.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
13. ^ "Rebecca Romijn Biography". People. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
14. ^ "FHM Magazine 100 Sexiest Women 2005". FreeJose.com. Retrieved October 11, 2006.