Jolene Blalock is an American actress and model. She is best known for playing the Vulcan first officer and science officer T'Pol on the UPN science-fiction series . Her range of work includes guest-star spots on television series and films.
Early life
Jolene Blalock was born and raised in San Diego, California, with three siblings. She spent her childhood surfing and developing artistic skills. She said of her childhood:
Career
Early work
Blalock left home at age seventeen to model in Europe and Asia. She has appeared on the cover of many men's lifestyle magazines, was twice featured in Maxims "Girls of Maxim" gallery, and was named the 10th sexiest woman in the world in 2003 by FHM. She posed for a clothed fashion layout in Playboy in April 2002. She was later interviewed by the magazine for its "20Q" section in February 2005. Blalock spent years dieting as a model and was relieved to move into acting, saying: "I'm jaded by my experiences in the modelling industry. You're never skinny or perfect enough and it was difficult mentally making the transition to acting." She made her television debut on the sitcom Veronica's Closet, before guest appearances on ', , JAG and starring as Medea in a television movie adaptation of Jason and the Argonauts. She also appeared in the movie On the Edge and the miniseries The Diamond Hunters before being cast on Star Trek: Enterprise''. She was an actress in the music video Denise by Fountains of Wayne.
''Star Trek: Enterprise'' (2001–2005)
Landing one of the leading roles on was Blalock's biggest break and she described it as a dream come true. She admitted she was excited at being a newcomer to the series: About her time on the set she recalled that; In Enterprise Blalock played the role of Sub-commander T'Pol, a Vulcan, who was enlisted into the crew of the Enterprise by Captain Jonathan Archer, played by Scott Bakula. Initially her status was that of Science Officer but as the series progressed she assumed the position of First Officer. Blalock has not participated in conventions or given interviews regarding her role on Star Trek: Enterprise except for FedCon XIV in May 2005, but did agree to join a 2013 cast reunion for an interview during the Blu-ray conversion and production. She also appeared as a parody version of herself attending a Star Trek convention in a 2009 episode of the sitcom 10 Items or Less titled "Star Trok".
2003–present
Blalock appeared in the film Slow Burn, which was shot in 2003 between seasons two and three of Enterprise, unveiled at the Toronto International Film Festivalin September 2005, and finally saw limited theatrical release in 2007. She guest-starred in two episodes of Stargate SG-1 as Ishta, leader of a group of rebel female Jaffa. Blalock was scheduled to appear on an episode of Lost during the 2005–2006 season. Though she filmed some scenes, they were never used in an episode nor featured as "deleted scenes" in the DVD set's bonus material. Set photos from the shooting of a scene surfaced in 2008. In , which was released direct-to-video on August 5, 2008, Blalock played Captain Lola Beck who led a mixed group of survivors on a journey across an alien infested wasteland. Blalock played Alexa, the wife of a hospitalized porn star, in the 2009 episode "Teamwork" on the series House. In the second season of Legend of the Seeker, appearing in the January 2009 episodes "Dark" and "Perdition", Blalock played Sister Nicci, a Sister of the Dark. Blalock had a supporting role as Stacy in the action thriller Sinners and Saints.
Personal life
She is married to Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation. The two met when he booked her for a beer commercial in Los Angeles. He lived in England and while working on Star Trek: Enterprise, she found conducting a long-distance relationship difficult, running up an "astronomical" phone bill. She proposed to him and the two married in Negril, Jamaica, on April 22, 2003. They have three sons. Rapino and Blalock founded the Rapino Foundation, an organization that assists populations in the developing world. Blalock is a passionate dog lover and has appeared on the cover of the popular British dog publication K9 Magazine.
