What the heck happened to Rachael Leigh Cook? Even though the movie sucked, I found myself inexplicably obsessed with her after Josie and the Pussycats, and for a minute or two she looked like she might be on the verge of going somewhere. Now she’s fallen so far off the Hollywood radar that she’s been eclipsed by her Pussycat co-star Rosario Dawson who, at the time, was sort of playing second banana to Cook.
Her post-Pussycats filmography is a litany of completely unheard of films and bit roles in kids flicks. If there’s a less relevant actress still working out there, I don’t know who it is. It’s kind of a shame. I’ve always thought she had something.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Rachael’s stars are about to change. Variety reports that she’s been cast in a rom-com called Bob Funk. That might be good news, except she’s probably the most famous person in the cast. She’s co-starring with Steven Root, Eddie Jemison, and a bunch of other people whom you’ve never heard of. Steven Root is good, but if they’re relying on Rachael Leigh Cook to put ass in seats Bob Funk is probably going to fit pretty comfortably on her filmography with all those other movies people have never heard of or seen.
But I’d love to be wrong, so here’s what it’s about: The Craig Carlisle written and directed film tells the story of a sardonic futon salesman who works for his mother. He falls head over heels for the woman his mother hires to take his job away from him. It’s probably a safe bet that the object of his affection is Rachael Leigh Cook. No idea who the guy is, but I’m hoping (against the odds) that it’s Steven Root.
