Perhaps most recognized for her role in the romantic drama, “The Notebook,” back in 2004, Rachel McAdams has quietly established herself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-out stars. In fact, her popularity became too much for her only two years after “The Notebook.” This fact is understandable, as her presence seems to light up every scene that she is in.
Rachel Anne McAdams is the first of three children born to Sandra and Daniel McAdams on Nov. 17, 1978 in London, Ontario. McAdams caught the acting bug by the age of seven, but her initial interest was in figure skating. At the age of nine, she had an opportunity to live in Toronto for more intensive pairs training, but by that time, she had already refocused on acting. McAdams later reflected that figure skating provided her with performance experience and the physical conditioning needed for acting.
In 1997, McAdams enrolled in a four-year theatre program at York University and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts honors degree.
Later, in 2001, her first feature film, “My Name is Tanino,” was shot in Italy and the flight there was her first time on an airplane.
Her breakout role did not come until three years later on the set with Lindsey Lohan in “Mean Girls.” Her convincing portrayal as the “queen bee” Regina George made her an instant fan-favorite. Her role in “Mean Girls,” in combination with her role as Allie in “The Notebook,” also filmed in 2004, made for a monumental break-out year.
McAdams appeared in three movies in 2005 (“Red Eye,” “Wedding Crashers,” and “The Family Stone”) before she withdrew from the acting scene in 2006 to focus on her family and evade the media frenzy surrounding her. While on hiatus, she turned down roles in blockbuster titles “Casino Royale” and “Mission: Impossible III.”
McAdams’ return came in 2008 when she appeared as Kay in the film noir “Married Life,” sharing the spotlight with Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper. Most recently, she has appeared in “The Vow” alongside Channing Tatum and “To The Wonder,” both of which are romantic dramas. McAdams currently resides in the Harbord Village neighborhood of Toronto and has admitted, “I never thought I’d say this, but I actually miss L.A. when I’m not there.”
Joshua Shapiro is a second-year student majoring in both English and education. He can be reached at JS762110@wcupa.edu.