Getting to Know ... Rachel McAdams

By Chris Jancelewicz Posted Dec 22nd 2009 03:42PM

Good-looking Canadian women aren't hard to come by, and Rachel McAdams is no exception, but it's harder to find beauties who also have the acting chops. Her star power has risen substantially since she took the role of head mean girl in 'Mean Girls' in 2004, alongside Lindsay Lohan.

Typically Canadian and low-key, McAdams adds a subtle grace to her movie roles. Never was this more apparent than in her breakthrough movie, 'The Notebook'. Want to learn more about the actress?

Birth Date: November 17, 1978
Hometown: London, Ontario
Claim to Fame: 'Mean Girls' really shot her to fame, but mostly as "the bitch". When she starred with Ryan Gosling in the romance 'The Notebook' in the same year, her stock went sharply upward. Lucky for McAdams, she established herself as more than a one-trick pony.
Trivia: - She and ex-boyfriend/fiance Ryan Gosling were born in the same hospital
- As a teenager, worked at McDonald's for three consecutive summers
- She turned down the role of Pepper Potts in 'Iron Man' (the role went to Gwyneth Paltrow)
- She is allergic to horses
Why You Should Care: This young starlet is co-starring in 'Sherlock Holmes' along with Jude Law and Robert Downey, Jr. The role is a big one, and could possibly make or break her career. Should she succeed, we can expect to see a lot more of her in the future.
Canuck-o-Meter (1: American, 10: Maple Leaf): 7, but when she comes home and lives in her Toronto abode, we consider her 100% Canadian.

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Rachel McAdams Photos

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: Actress Rachel McAdams attends the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes" at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on December 17, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

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Rachel McAdams Photos

Actress Rachel McAdams attends the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes" at Lincoln Center in New York, on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)

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NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: Director Guy Ritchie and actors Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Robert Downey Jr. attend the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on December 17, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - DECEMBER 17: (L-R) Actors Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Robert Downey Jr. attend the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on December 17, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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