Jessica Biel faced career challenges after her early fame in the ‘7th Heaven’. Missing out on roles to Anne Hathaway added to her Hollywood struggles.

When was the last time you saw Jessica Biel in a movie? Things have been quite difficult for her as she seemingly has trouble landing gigs.

The actress rose to fame playing Mary Camden in the mid-’90s as the eldest daughter of a Protestant minister on the WB-CW family drama 7th Heaven.

Jessica Biel in the 7th Heaven as Mary Camden

Biel’s most famous films include Ulee’s Gold (1997), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Blade: Trinity (2004), The Illusionist (2006) and Total Recall (2012). If everything was going well, what really happened then? When she lost the role of Catwoman, she was totally devastated.

Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman Role Left Jessica Biel Disappointed

The New York Daily News reports that Jessica Biel was in the running for the role of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, but the gig went to Anne Hathaway. The insider dished:

“Jessica was fuming when she heard she didn’t get the role of Catwoman. She really thought she was going to get it, but when Christopher Nolan handed the role to Hathaway, she was devastated.”

Biel’s frustration is understandable, as the role could have done great things for her career.

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in a still from The Dark Knight Rises

In a twist of fate, Biel lost not just one, but two roles to Hathaway. First, it was the iconic Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises that slipped through her fingers, and the second was the Oscar-winning role, Fantine in Les Misérables.

The 41-year-old has recently shifted her career to production with projects like The Sinner and Cruel Summer. All that being said, the actress isn’t totally done with acting, as she starred as the titular character in the well-received miniseries Candy in 2022.

Why Jessica Biel Kept Losing Roles

Jessica Biel faced setbacks in the industry, one of which was because of her famous husband. She had the potential for A-list glory, but Hollywood seems to be side-eyeing her casting card.

As per an insider, the Minnesota native doesn’t stand out when compared to other talented actresses. The unknown insider explained to the New York Daily News:

“There is nothing extraordinary about her, like Carey Mulligan or even Amy Adams, so she’s not on the studios’ radar unless they’re love-interest roles.”

Jessica Biel

Even snagging the title of Esquire’s “Sexiest Woman Alive” in 2005 and tying the knot with a fellow celebrity didn’t give her the boost she had hoped for.

Her marriage to Justin Timberlake appears to have taken an unexpected toll. An insider who spoke to Vulture said that Biel “started dating Timberlake, [she] cement[ed] her name-brand celebrity.”

One veteran confirmed to the same outlet that “dating Justin is a big part of Biel’s appeal” adding that her “work does have to speak for itself.”