What connects the daughter of a pastor, a resistance leader, and a vampire hunter? They’re all the same person.
From a 90’s tween star to a full-blown worldwide movie star, Jessica Biel has paved her way through the entertainment industry for thirty years.
The actress has been known for a variety of roles in various genres, making her a household name with both small and big screen appearances.
It’s no wonder Jessica Biel has amassed six award wins and nineteen nominations, including the Critic’s Choice, Golden Globes, and the Emmys.
She’s dipped her toes in comedy, action, and, most significantly, drama, making a name for herself as a versatile actress who fully embodies her characters.
While not every role Jessica Biel takes turns into a smash hit, they’re still each great in their own way, whether it’s laughing out loud or moments that make you shout and scream.
Sure, she could sit at home on the mountains of money from her husband’s lucrative music career, but she chooses to work her craft into excellent storytelling entertainment.
And we’ve got the best of Biel wrapped and ready to eat like candy for your viewing pleasure.
So, keep your eyes on Heaven and pray for this Sinner as we make our way from Limetown to the dusty back roads of Texas for a gay wedding on New Year’s Eve.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Role: Erin Hardesty. Available for rent or purchase.
As someone who was a teen when this movie came out, I can say that it still holds up today.
Because the film was financially successful, it’s been regarded as the reason for so many horror franchise remakes. Do with that what you will.
In this classic horror remake, a group of young people find themselves stranded on the back roads of Texas.
The only help they’re able to find is a family of deranged backwoods killers, including a massive mask-wearing, chainsaw-wearing mammoth of a man called Leatherface.
As the lead and final girl of the film, Jessica Biel embodies all the usual tropes of being the only survivor.
She’s headstrong and resilient and doesn’t use drugs, alcohol, or sex throughout the whole movie, securing her safety to the end.
Though slasher is not exactly accurate since the killer is a chainsaw-toting, skin-mask-wearing behemoth, Leatherface still falls into the same category as Jason or Michael.
If you love horror films that take things to the extreme, check out this movie and similar shows like Slasher, Chucky, and Scream.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Role: Abigail Whistler. Available for rent or purchase.
Blade: Trinity gets a bad rap as the red-headed stepchild of the Blade franchise, and while it did suffer from behind-the-scenes drama, it’s still a solid action film.
The first two Blades, especially the second, set the bar astronomically high for the third and final installment in Wesley Snipes’s run of the character.
In the third installment of Blade, the titular character finds himself as society’s target when the current leader of the vampires frames the sword-wielding hunter for countless murders.
Now, Blade must team up with rogue hunters as the vampires attempt to unleash their greatest threat on all of humanity.
The role of Abigail Whistler was an exciting choice for the film as the character hadn’t been derived from the comics.
However, Abigail did become canon with Marvel, and Jessica Biel showcased her fighting skills as the bow-handling huntress.
While Blade is technically a child of Marvel, it’s fair to say the franchise has set itself apart from the average superhero film.
For some violent monster mayhem, watch this movie and similar shows that feature creatures of their own, like From and American Horror Stories.
The Illusionist (2006)
Role: Duchess Sophie Von Teschen. Available to watch on Peacock.
2006 was an interesting year for moviegoers as two movies about stage magicians were coincidentally released only two months apart.
Weirdly, both The Illusionist and The Prestige were very well received by audiences and critics despite having similar themes but very different tones.
In the early 20th Century, a young magician named Eisenheim made a name for himself performing parlor tricks and even went as far as supposedly bringing back the dead.
But with his eyes on an elegant Duchess, the stage performer finds himself at odds with Crown Prince Leopold, who has his sights set on the same woman.
As Sophie, Jessica Biel plays the main character’s childhood friend, who is in love with the duchess.
Due to their class differences, the stage performer and Miss Von Teschen have a doomed romance right out of the gate, beautifully portrayed through Jessica Biel and Edward Norton’s chemistry.
While this movie is rooted in the magic of stage illusion, at its heart, it is about how far a man is willing to go to be with the woman he admires.
For a romance that walks the fine line of love and obsession, watch this movie and shows like it, such as YOU and Fellow Travelers.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
Role: Alex McDonough. Available for rent or purchase.
This film might’ve been a little ahead of its time, as the criticism was split between audiences and critics alike.
On the one hand, some viewers thought the movie made a mockery of all the themes it touched on, especially the LGBT community.
Still, as a member of the alphabet mafia, I personally find this movie as hilarious as two gay guys trying to play it straight.
When Larry, a widowed firefighter, finds himself unable to name his kids in his life insurance policy, he looks to his lifelong friend to walk down the aisle with him.
To the surprise of both men, the news of their nuptials makes front-page headlines, catching the suspicions of an overzealous bureaucrat.
The “sexy professional” is a trope that has become a mainstay in films fueled with misogynistic undertones.
Still, Jessica Biel creates a character with just as much brains as she is beautiful. A
lex is a human rights lawyer specializing in discrimination against people in the LGBT community.
Buddy chemistry? Check. Raunchy comedy? Check. Ridiculous stakes that no one in their right mind would ever go up against? Check.
Watch this film for a hilarious time with characters who don’t know what they’re doing half the time, and for more buddy shenanigans, watch Lethal Weapon.
New Year’s Eve (2011)
Role: Tess Byrne. Available for rent or purchase.
Back when there was a surge of movies being made about individual holidays, Jessica Biel signed up for two such films.
To be fair, networking is apparently vital in Hollywood, so the actress rubbed elbows with Halle Berry, Robert De Niro, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Enough said.
A rockstar and his lover, a singer and a killjoy, a nurse, and her terminal patient are just some of the lives that intertwine on the streets of NYC in this story of love, hope, forgiveness, and second chances.
Jessica Biel seems to be having fun in the role of Tess Byrne, a pregnant woman determined to have the first baby of the New Year and the cash prize that comes with it.
With all the aches and hormones that come with pregnancy and labor, Biel delivers a laugh-out-loud performance.
There’s nothing like NYE in NYC to deliver all the love, hope, and drunken mistakes to leave behind in the passing year.
For some big city dreams through hoipeful eyes, add this movie to your watch list along with shows like Emily in Paris as well as And Just Like That.
Total Recall (2012)
Role: Melina. Available to watch on Netflix.
Total Recall is another film on the actress’s roster that wasn’t well received, but what else could the moviemakers have expected up against an Arnold Schwarzenegger film?
Regardless of where the movie originated, the remake is an excellent watch with updated visuals and a more serious tone than the original.
Douglas Quaid lives a pretty ordinary life as a factory worker but decides to have a little fun by visiting a memory-simulating company called Rekall.
However, things go horribly wrong, and Douglas finds himself on the run as a hunted man who must team up with the underground resistance to stop the leader of the free world.
After utilizing her fight training from Blade” Trinity, it was fun to see Biel in another action adventure role.
Playing opposite Colin Farrel and fighting against Kate Beckinsale, Jessica brings viewers into this futuristic tale of government lies and revolution.
While most sci-fi fans are loyal to the original film, this version of Total Recall is still a fun action adventure with entertaining visuals and fight scenes.
And if you still need to scratch that out-of-this-world or dystopian itch, check out Dark Matter and Fallout.
Hitchcock (2012)
Role: Vera Miles. Available for rent or purchase.
This is a star-studded old Hollywood biographical drama that no film lover should ever miss.
With a cast roster that includes Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, Scarlett Johansson, and Toni Collete, it’s no wonder this film hit many high notes with audiences and critics.
This biographical romantic drama tells the tale of the legendary filmmaker as he embarked on one of his most extraordinary ventures: Psycho.
But when the studio refuses to back the director, he decides to pay for the production himself while straining his marriage.
Most people will remember the horror classic Psycho for its infamous kill scene, but not many recount the real heroine of the film as the victim’s sister, who came looking for her at the decrepit Bate’s motel.
Jessica Biel plays Vera Miles, who in turn plays Lila Crane, and Biel brings that old Hollywood feel into every scene she enters.
If this movie sounds fun, consider watching Hollywood and The Offer.
7th Heaven (1996-2003, 2006)
Role: Mary Camden. Available to stream on Paramount+.
Oh, how the nostalgia hits with this entry. It was Biel’s first television role and many young viewers’ first experience with the now-celebrated actress.
The same kids who watched the Camdens are now adults reading about the eldest daughter, as we all grew up together, enjoying the simpler times.
7th Heaven followed the Camden Family, specifically Camden senior Reverend Eric.
With seven children in tow, the reverend and his wife, Annie, work to manage the struggles of a big family while keeping the spark in their marriage alive while leading a congregation.
As the eldest daughter of the good reverend, Mary Camden embodied the stereotypical teenage girl who was rebellious and independent.
This role put Jessica Biel into the hearts and homes of millions of viewers, which made her an easily recognizable face for future show and film endeavors.
Home is where the heart is, and this series is all heart—about nine of them, to be exact.
Every episode will fill viewers with that nostalgic feeling of white picket fences.
If this show checks off everything on your “must-watch” list, consider adding This is Us and A Million Little Things.
The Sinner (2017)
Role: Cora Tannetti. Available to stream on Netflix.
While the storylines tend toward being pleasantly predictable, Jessica Biel’s performance in the first season and the season as a whole were very well received.
The Sinner follows Detective Harry Ambrose as each season brings a new homicide case to the investigator’s desk.
Suffering from a dark past, Harry often finds himself in powerful and often dangerously intimate bonds with his suspects.
As each new season spotlights a different case and, subsequently, a different murderer, Jessica Biel headlined Season 1 as the first suspect in question.
As Cora, Biel plays a troubled woman with a tragic past that ultimately leads to her fatal actions.
Once you’ve finished this series, scroll over to Will Trent and Chicago P.D. for more fun with murder.
Limetown (2019)
Role: Lia Haddock. Available for purchase.
As another show deeply loved by critics, this one-season wonder showcases the brilliant acting skills of an actress with thirty years of experience.
Limetown centers around journalist Lia Haddock, who attempts to solve the mystery of three hundred people drowning at a neuroscience research facility in Tennessee.
As Lia Haddock, Jessica Biel portrays a dedicated reporter for American Public Radio.
After interviewing the loved ones and close contacts of the missing people, Haddock dedicates a series to uncovering the disappearance of so many people.
In this day of true crime obsession, it’s surprising this series didn’t get more seasons.
If this podcast-turned-show tickles your fancy, you might also want to try Only Murders in the Building and Shining Girls.
Candy (2022)
Role: Candy Montgomery. Available to stream on Hulu.
As Biel’s latest television endeavor, it will shock no one that she delivered a knockout performance utilizing atmospheric tension coupled with a disturbingly accurate portrayal of the titular character.
The series Candy follows the titular character based on the true story of what happened in the 80’s.
Candy Montgomery seemingly had it all: a good husband, two kids, and a lovely home in the suburbs, but the pressures of conformity crack the delicate state of Candy’s psyche.
Jessica Biel received much praise for her role as Candy in this true crime miniseries.
While the characters weren’t as developed as some critics would’ve liked, the show was still celebrated for the performance and atmospheric tension.
Check out Griselda and Under the Bridge for more stories about real-life grizzly crimes.
With various acting credits in her filmography, Jessica Biel has done everything but limit her roles.
As her career burns bright, we’ll continue to watch every unique part she takes on as the actress delivers one fantastic performance after another.
Which of Jessica Biel’s shows or movies are your favorite?
Have you been watching her since 7th Heaven like the rest of us?
Drop a comment below to let us know!
And join us again when we throw the spotlight on another incredible actor!
Joshua Pleming is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow him on X.