Here's a milestone that might remind you of your mortality: Jennifer Love Hewitt shot to fame on Fox drama Party of Five ... (dramatic pause) ... almost 20 years ago.
We know! It seems like just yesterday that JLH was TV's new It Girl, gracing magazine covers with then-boyfriend Carson Daly, even cracking the pop charts as a singer.
Here's a look back and a step-by-step guide to how she won the TV industry lottery:
• Step 1: Make your mark on a red-hot teen show (1995 to 2000). With her role as Sarah on the low-rated but cult favorite Party of Five, Hewitt (16 when she joined the cast) became a brand name for a savvy young audience, making her a go-to pick for guest spots on other shows: Her appearance on Boy Meets World as Jennifer Love Fefferman is still one of the show's classic episodes.
• Step 2: Attempt a spinoff (1999). Time of Your Life -- where Sarah moves to New York -- flamed out quickly but established her as the break-out star from Pof5.
• Step 3: Try the pop-princess route (1999 to 2002). "How Do I Deal," "BareNaked" ... not ringing a bell? So they didn't become pop standards, but they got radio play. During a relatively quiet moment in her acting career, the videos kept one of Hollywood's most fetching physiques in the public eye. See also cameos in the LFO ("Girl on TV") and Enrique Iglesias ("Hero") music videos.
• Step 4: A shot at the big leagues (circa 1997 to 2002). She headlined a series of teen-centric movies (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Can't Hardly Wait, Heartbreakers), but none led to serious grown-up roles or lasting stardom. Time to retrench!
• Step 5: Date strategically. JLH stayed in the magazines by dating a list of eligible Hollywood bachelors: Joey Lawrence, Patrick Wilson, Jamie Kennedy, John Mayer (supposedly inspiring his hit "Your Body Is a Wonderland"). She finally settled down last year with actor Brian Hallisay and, after a much chronicled pregnancy, gave birth to a daughter, Autumn.
• Step 5: Return to the small screen (2005 to 2010). Network TV was happy to have her back, and The Ghost Whisperer -- she starred as the antiques dealer who can communicate with the dead -- was a surprise long-running hit for CBS.
• Step 6: Go for controversy with an edgy cable drama (2012 to 2013). Nothing gets buzz like a role as a lingerie-wearing masseuse who goes "the extra mile" to please her male clients. The Client List, based loosely on a real-life Texas massage parlor/bordello, did well for the Lifetime network.
• Step 7: Step up to a (hopefully) long-running role on a blue-chip procedural (2014). Criminal Minds is an aging show in its 10th season, but no matter. CBS signed Hewitt amid much hype to star as Kate Callahan, a top agent joining the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit to help crack all kinds of gory cases.
Style on 10/07/2014