Catching up with Jessica Biel
From playing a squeaky clean teen to a murderous mom, the actress talks about her career path
RARE GEM Jessica (35) produced and stars in this new TV series which tells the story of a young mother, Cora Tannetti, who publicly commits a gruesome crime without any apparent motive.
Jessica decided to bring the story – described as a whydunnit – to the small screen after reading the book of the same name by Petra Hammesfahr. “I just feel like nothing can shock me anymore. But every time there was a surprise, it was a genuine surprise for me.
“It just felt incredibly rare to find a piece of material that you didn’t expect every twist and turn along the way,” the Minnesota-born actress says. A HIT ON HER HANDS Although she’s made a few screen appearances since hitting the big time as the daughter of a preacher in the series Seventh Heaven, which wrapped in 2006, Jessica says she’s become disillusioned with Hollywood.
She even became a restaurateur – pouring her energy into Au Fudge, a childfriendly eatery she opened in Los Angeles last year – and says the success of The Sinner came as a welcome surprise.
“I feel like I’m jaded and mean now.
“I ’m one of those people in this business who’s like, ‘Nobody likes anything. I’m not going to do anything anymore. Forget it,. Who cares . . .?” she says.
“And now somebody’s watching the show . . . It’s amazing. It’s the most wonderful thing to have happened.” EMBRACING HER DARK SIDE Having made a name for herself playing a wholesome girl next door, Jessica – who was raised in Colorado by spiritual healer mom Kimberly and business consultant dad Jonathan – revelled in playing a dark role in The Sinner.
“It’s like a drug, like an adrenaline rush,” she says. “There’s a real catharsis . . . you’re exhausted, you’re free. For me, it’s like a rebirth. Like I’m a phoenix rising up out of the ashes.” MAMA BEAR “You think you’re a selfless person, then you realise you’re not,” she says about becoming a mother to son Silas (2).
“These little people come around and they require so much, and it’s very clear that your life’s now revolving around this dude. I’m not that person who feels like, ‘Oh, my whole life changed for my kid.’ But it does.”
She says that motherhood’s challenges have influenced her portrayal of a mom behind bars in The Sinner. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this role if I didn’t know what it was like to be a mom.” THEY’RE IN SYNC “I always say he’s my biggest fan,” she says of her husband of five years, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE (36), who’s praised her performance on Instagram. “We have similar values. We believe in loyalty, honesty. We like to have fun,” Jessica gushes about her singer-andactor hubby. “Also, in the [entertain-ment] business we’re all very careeroriented, and you have to be a little selfish – focused and driven. And if you can find that and someone who shares the same values as you it’s like, score!”