Rebecca Alie Romijn ( , ; formerly Romijn-Stamos; born November 6, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She is known for her roles as Mystique in the X-Men film series (2000–2006; 2011; 2026) and as Una Chin-Riley on Star Trek: Discovery (2019) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022present).
Romijn appeared in a number of films including Femme Fatale (2002) and The Punisher (2004) and has voiced Lois Lane in the DC Animated Movie Universe. She had recurring roles as Alexis Meade on the ABC television series Ugly Betty (2006–2009) and Eve Baird on the TNT series The Librarians (2014–2018). She also hosted the reality competition show Skin Wars (2014–2016).
Early life Rebecca Alie Romijn was born in Berkeley, California. Her mother was a community college instructor of English as a Second Language (ESL) and textbook author. Rebecca's father worked as a custom furniture maker. Her father is a native of Barneveld, the Netherlands, while her mother is an American of Dutch descent. Her mother met Rebecca's father as a teenager while living in the Netherlands on a student exchange program. Romijn's maternal grandfather, Henry Bernard Kuizenga, was a Presbyterian minister and seminary professor at Claremont School of Theology.
On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, when questioned about always being glamorous and beautiful, Romijn revealed that in her early teens she was an insecure "drama geek" and that, as a result of her growth spurt, she suffered from scoliosis and was in constant pain. Many sources say that she was once nicknamed the "Jolly Blonde Giant" because of her height, but she has admitted to making that up "for a laugh". While studying music (voice) at the University of California, Santa Cruz, she became involved with fashion modeling and eventually moved to Paris, where she lived for more than three years.
Career Among other jobs, Romijn started her modeling career in 1991. She has appeared on the covers of American, French, Spanish, Russian and Swedish editions of Elle and Marie Claire; as well as American, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Greek, and Mexican editions of Cosmopolitan, Allure, Glamour, GQ, Esquire, and Sports Illustrated.
She has appeared in advertising campaigns for Escada, Christian Dior, La Perla, Tommy Hilfiger, Furla, Liz Claiborne, J. Crew, Victoria's Secret, bebe, La Senza, Dillard's, Pantene, Got Milk?, Miller Lite, and Maybelline. She has walked for Giorgio Armani, Sonia Rykiel, and Anna Molinari along with the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour, Karen Mulder, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington. She was also the host of MTV's House of Style from 1998 to 2000. Romijn has been featured numerous times in annual lists of the world's most beautiful women by publications such as Maxim (2003–2007), AskMen.com (2001–2003, 2005–2006), and FHM (2000–2005). She appeared as a guest in the animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "Chinatown".
In 2000's X-Men, Romijn had her first major film role as Mystique; in 2002 she starred in Rollerball, a science fiction sports film directed by John McTiernan where she played Aurora, an athlete participant. Rebecca then returned to the role in 2003's sequel X2 and for X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). In these films, her costume consisted of blue makeup and strategically placed prosthetics on her otherwise nude body. In X2 she shows up in a bar in one scene in her "normal" look and in X-Men: The Last Stand, as a dark-haired "de-powered" Mystique. The role has since been recast with Jennifer Lawrence playing the younger version of the character. She had her first leading role in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale (2002). She also has starred in films such as The Punisher and Godsend. She played the leading role in Pepper Dennis, a short-lived TV series on The WB.
In January 2007, Romijn made her first appearance on the ABC series Ugly Betty as a full-time regular cast member. She played Alexis Meade, a transgender woman and the sister of lead character Daniel Meade. In April 2008, it was reported that Romijn would only be appearing as a recurring character in Season 3 due to a change in direction by the writing staff (aligning with Romijn's pregnancy, which would have been inconsistent with her character's storyline). In November 2007, Romijn made a guest appearance on the ABC series Carpoolers, where she played the ex-wife of the character Laird, played by her real-life husband Jerry O'Connell.
Romijn starred in the ABC series Eastwick, reuniting her with her former Pepper Dennis co-star, Lindsay Price, before ABC canceled the show on November 9, 2009. She appears in an uncredited cameo in the 2011 feature film X-Men: First Class, appearing as an older version of the character played by Jennifer Lawrence. Romijn appeared as lab worker Jessie on the Adult Swim live-action show NTSF:SD:SUV:: for two seasons. Between June and September 2013, she starred in TNT's series King & Maxwell as Michelle Maxwell, a former Secret Service agent who works as a private investigator.
In addition to her film ventures, Romijn has also recorded music, performing a cover of Prince's "Darling Nikki" for the 2005 album Electro Goth Tribute to Prince. She was also featured on the song "Color Me Love" for RuPaul's eighth studio album Realness in 2015.
She starred as Eve Baird, the guardian of the eponymous group in The Librarians, a direct spin-off of The Librarian film series. She also hosted GSN's original series and reality show Skin Wars. In 2018 she voiced Lois Lane in the DC Animated Movie Universe. In 2019, she was a recurring guest in the second season of Star Trek: Discovery, playing the character of Una Chin-Riley, first officer of the USS Enterprise. She reprised the role in the spin-off series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which was released in 2022. She and husband O’Connell are currently the hosts of The Real Love Boat, which premiered October 5, 2022 on CBS.
In March 2025, it was announced that Romijn would return as Mystique in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Doomsday.
Personal life Romijn began dating actor John Stamos in 1994 after they met at a Victoria's Secret fashion show where she was modeling. They became engaged on Christmas Eve 1997 and married at the Beverly Hills Hotel on September 19, 1998. During the marriage, she used the name Rebecca Romijn-Stamos personally and professionally. They announced their separation in April 2004. Romijn started dating actor Jerry O'Connell, after Stamos' separation in the same month. Stamos filed for divorce in August 2004, and it became final on March 1, 2005.
Romijn and O'Connell became engaged in September 2005, and married at their home in Calabasas, California, on July 14, 2007. They have twin daughters, born on December 28, 2008.
Romijn resumed using her maiden name, but revealed in an August 2013 interview on Conan—after a Conan staff member noticed "Romijn-Stamos" on her driver's license—that she had never legally changed her name back from Romijn-Stamos.
Filmography Film + List of Rebecca Romijn film credits Year Title Role Notes 1998 Dirty Work Bearded Lady 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Herself 2000 X-Men 2002 Femme Fatale Laure Ash / Lily Watts Rollerball Aurora Run Ronnie Run Emily Simone Faith 2003 X2 Raven Darkhölme / Mystique / Grace 2004 Godsend Jessie Duncan The Punisher Joan2006 The Alibi Lola Man About Town Nina Giamoro X-Men: The Last StandRaven Darkhölme / Mystique 2008 Lake City Jennifer 2010 The Con Artist Belinda 2011 X-Men: First Class Raven Darkhölme / Mystique Uncredited cameo appearance 2012 Good Deeds Heidi 2014 Phantom Halo Ms. Rose 2015 Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant Sally2018 The Death of Superman Lois LaneVoice role The Swinging Lanterns Stories Malia2019 Satanic Panic Danica Ross Reign of the SupermenLois Lane Voice role Batman: Hush 2020 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War 2021 Endangered Species Lauren Halsey 2026 Raven Darkhölme / Mystique Post-production
Television + List of Rebecca Romijn television credits Year Title Role Notes 1997 Friends Cheryl Episode: "The One with the Dirty Girl" 1999 Hefner: Unauthorized Kimberly Hefner Television film 1999–2000 Just Shoot Me! Adrienne Barker 8 episodes 2000 Jack & Jill Paris Everett Episode: "Starstruck" 2002 MADtv Herself / Host Episode: "#7.14" 2006 Pepper Dennis Pepper Dennis Main role; also co-producer2007 Drawn Together Charlotte Voice, episode: "Charlotte's Web of Lies" Carpoolers Joannifer Episode: "A Divorce to Remember" 2007–2008 Ugly Betty Alexis Meade Main role 2009 Project Runway Herself / Guest Judge Episode: "We Expect Fashion" 2009–2010 Eastwick Roxie Torcoletti Main role2011 Chuck Robin Cunnings Episode: "Chuck Versus the Curse" The Cleveland Show Speaker / Graduate Voice, episode: "Back to Cool" Possessing Piper Rose Joanna Maxwell Television film Special Agent Oso Miss Garcia Voice, episode: "Lost and Get Found/A View to the Truth" 2011–2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Jessie Nichols Main role (seasons 1 & 2)2013 Burning Love Katie 2 episodes King & Maxwell Michelle Maxwell Main role 2014 The Pro Margot Television film 2014–2016 Skin Wars Herself Host / Judge 2014–2018 The Librarians Eve Baird Main role2015 Adventure Time The Empress Voice role, 2 episodes Key & Peele Pirate Captain Episode: "Y'all Ready for This?" RuPaul's Drag RaceHerself Guest judge; Episode: "Hello, Kitty Girls!" 2016 Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul Episode: "Featuring Rebecca Romijn" 2017 Love Locks Lindsey Wilson Television film 2018 Carter Cassidy Lenox Episode: "The Ring"2019 Star Trek: Discovery Number One 3 episodes Star Trek: Short Treks 2 episodes 2020 Curb Your Enthusiasm Penelope Episode: "The Surprise Party" 2022 The Real Love Boat Herself Host 2022–present Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Number One Main role 2022–2023 The Ready Room Herself 2 episodes
Other work + List of other Rebecca Romijn appearances, performances, and credits Year Title Role Notes1988New Kids on the Block: Please Don't Go GirlGirl 1Music video / video short2003Tron 2.0MercuryVoice, video game2004Tron 2.0: Killer App War Journal: On the Set of The PunisherHerselfDocumentary short; Credited as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos2005Trippin'Television documentary; 2 episodes2006Wet DreamsDocumentary; Executive producer2007Becoming Ugly: A New Face for TelevisionVideo short2008SpeechlessTelevision documentary2010Worst Wedding DJ EverVideo short2012Bettie Page Reveals AllDocumentary; Actress & model The Producers Ulla Hollywood Bowl stage musicalHouse of Style: Music, Models and MTVHerselfTelevision documentary2013The Hand Bra by Rebecca RomijnVideo short2014Haunted House Hunters2024 Pardon My Take Award-Winning Listener #1 Sports Podcast
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