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 A Minneapolis native, Rachael Leigh Cook began her career as a model at the age of 10, appearing in Target ads nationwide. These were followed by some unforgettable anti-drug PSAs in which she destroyed a kitchen with a frying pan. At 14, she demonstrated her true acting potential in 26 Summer Street, a short black-and-white film. In 1995, Cook landed the part of a budding entrepreneur in The Baby-Sitters Club. Four months later, she appeared in Tom and Huck. After that, it was a steady stream of appearances in independent and made-for-TV movies. With her career ramping up, she shuttled from school events in Minneapolis to movie shoots in L.A. with her mother in tow. In 1999, she established herself in the teen-drama genre opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. in the Pygmalion retelling She's All That. Soon after, she was offered a number of substantive roles, including a troubled adolescent in Sylvester Stallone's Get Carter, a frontier girl in Texas Rangers and the singing lead in the live-action version of Josie and the Pussycats. Cook now lives primarily in Los Angeles, but she returns home frequently to visit with friends and family.
In the comedy Bob Funk (Magnolia Home Entertainment, MSRP: $26.98), Cook plays the eventual love interest of Bob Funk (Michael Leydon Campbell), a hapless, crass and sexist loser. When Funk is fired from his job by his mother, he agrees to quit drinking, see a therapist and eventually report to his new boss, Ms. Thorne (Cook). Helmed by writer-director Craig Carlisle, the film allows Cook to explore broad comedy and a bit of drama.
Asked what she looks for in a script, Cook replied, "I want the dialog to come off the page for me, and that I'm the right person to play the role. I like to keep challenging myself. I feel a real obligation to serve the script and the story, and if I feel like I'm a good choice for that, that's where I'm coming from."
Given that Cook has such a large body of work, the next question I asked centered on what attracted her to the Bob Funk script.
 "Definitely the writing," exclaimed Cook. "I was honored and a little bit nervous to be part of the [creator’s] journey with this story. [Bob Funk] ran as a play several times in New York City and it has somewhat of a following. Michael Leydon also played Bob in the play. It's sort of an end of an era for them, so to be part of it was a real honor. I love being part of something that people are truly passionate about--you can really feel that."
Cook, who has done a number of comedic roles in TV and film, explained why comedy is often a challenge for her.
"I think comedy is the most difficult," she noted. "I occasionally work with people I believe are real geniuses in comedy and I'm not in their league. I'm kind of the straight man, which is difficult in its own right. I certainly haven't mastered either, but in my off hours, I prefer to watch comedies."
Many people remember Cook’s delightful performance in She's All That, which combined broad comedy with teen angst. The story allowed her to explore a number of issues she felt connected to.
"I was really a huge fan of John Hughes films and romantic comedies," said Cook. "It's what I love to do. I liked the script, and I completely identified with the character. It was a great experience."
 Cook may love romantic comedies, but she's definitely expanding her acting repertoire. In the upcoming action thriller Kerosene Cowboys, directed by Mario Van Peebles, Cook plays an investigative journalist and the love interest of a hotshot Navy pilot played by Twilight’s Cam Gigandet.
"It was a hectic Russian/American co-production," said Cook. “I don't know what's going on with the film. I really can't speculate on how it's going to turn out, to be completely honest with you."
Getting back to comedy, Cook has worked on numerous episodes of Seth Green's Emmy award-winning comedy "Robot Chicken." The TV series uses stop-motion action figures to parody pop culture conventions. In one episode, Cook's animated character reprises her "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" performance by attacking her neighborhood with a frying pan.
"I love working with Seth and his partner Matt Senreich," noted Cook. "They're brilliantly funny guys. I just finished recording another animated series for them called ‘Titan Maximum’ about a giant robot."
Just about everyone is doing voice-over work these days, and Cook is no exception. Does she enjoy it?
 "I love it,” replied Cook. "You get to do your job in sweatpants. I don't know if that's enough to make me do the job, but it's a perk. It's not something I ever thought I'd do, but when it worked out, I was just thrilled. Seth is really hilarious and very encouraging. He really runs a great show. It's a great group of people."
If anyone has paid her dues in TV work, it's Cook, having appeared in an almost endless number of shows. Does she have a favorite?
"I love working on ‘Psych,’" Cook said. "I'll be returning in season four as Shawn Spencer's (James Roday) girlfriend. The show is really funny and very light, but they've been upping the stakes in different ways this year and the references are, I think, just hilarious. I love the writing on the show.”
Asked about her favorite film, Cook began with a remark we often hear from gifted performers.
"Actually, I hate watching myself," admitted Cook. "I think, if I had to pick favorites, it would be Living out Loud with Holly Hunter. I thought she and Danny DeVito were just amazing. I just did a cameo on that, so that's why I can watch it. Another favorite would be The House of Yes, a Parker Posey film."
 It's always interesting to discover what actors were like in high school. Turning back to her early formative days at Minneapolis South High School, was Cook a wallflower or a prom queen?
"Neither," confided Cook. "I was pretty quiet and I kept to myself. People would probably say, 'Yeah, I think I had a class with her, I'm not sure'. I did some musicals in school, and I would try out for things, but I'm not really much of a singer or musical performer."
She many not be a musical performer, but she certainly does a great job in Bob Funk. The DVD comes out Tues., June 23.
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