Piper Perabo life

Before this summer, very few have heard of this talented blonde who was appearing amongst a bevy of beautiful actresses in this summer's Coyote Ugly. When the trailer of the film came out, everyone was asking about this unknown beauty with the unique name.

Starring in two films this summer, one thing is certain: people will know who Piper Perabo is, and they will only be asking about her upcoming movies.

Born in Toms River, New Jersey, Piper Perabo is the eldest of three siblings (she has two younger brothers, Noah and Adam).

Coming from a family of Portuguese and Norwegian descent, her different name can be attributed to her hippie parents' desire to give their daughter an original name. She would have been named India Star, until her parents chose to name their daughter after the classic actress, Piper Laurie.

Piper received her high school degree from Toms River High School North. After graduating high school, she furthered her education at Ohio University, where she graduated with a BFA in acting.

After becoming a summa cum laude graduate in 1998, Piper moved to the Big Apple to perfect her acting skills at LaMama Theater.

Before making it to the big-screen, Piper displayed her acting talent while performing in stage productions of Arms and the Man, Trinity, Antigone, Fool for Love, Kindertransport, and Our Town.

She then moved on to film, albeit small-budget independent films, with roles in 1998's Single Spaced and 1999's Knuckleface Jones, as a giant squid (we swear we're not making this up!). Piper then landed the lead female role in Whiteboyz, as the girlfriend of a guy obsessed with the "white homeboy" culture.

Piper's star really took off with two major films this summer. She was cast as FBI agent Karen Sympathy in The Adventures of Rocky Bullwinkle, co-starring Robert De Niro and Rene Russo.

She really hit it big as an aspiring singer turned sexy bartender in this summer's edgy chick flick (that had men flicking to theatres as well), Coyote Ugly. Piper landed the lead role of Violet and took crash courses in voice, guitar, piano, dance, and bartending to prepare for her role.

Still, the role of Violet was not too much of a stretch for Piper, since she also left her small town to pursue her dreams in the Big City. She apparently beat out Britney Spears and Jewel for the lead role.

With fellow stunners Tyra Banks and Maria Bello, the film about a provocative, popular New York City bar has created quite a buzz.

Next up for Piper? A Canadian film being set for a 2001 release entitled Lost and Delirious. The film is about boarding school female students dealing with rebellion and sexuality.

Even with Piper's more alternative choice of roles, she prides herself on not being typecast and pigeonholed into the role of the "pretty girlfriend." One of Variety's 10 actresses to watch for and Entertainment Weekly's 2000 "It" list, people will not be forgetting this actress' name any time soon.Piper Perabo Personal videos and photos - Click here!