Rachel Emily Nichols (born January 8, 1980) is an American model turned actress, best known for her portrayal of CIA officer Rachel Gibson on the ABC television series Alias. She has also starred in several films, including Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, The Amityville Horror, The Woods, Star Trek, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Biography

Early life, college and modeling

The daughter of Jim and Alison Nichols, Nichols was born and raised in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine. She attended Cony High School, where she competed in the high jump. As a sophomore at Cony, she studied abroad in France. Nichols admitted to Latino Review that she "wasn't the hot chick" in high school, referring to herself instead as a "late bloomer". Upon graduating in 1998, she headed to Columbia University in New York City, intent on studying psychology. While growing up, Nichols enjoyed trekking through the outdoors and loved windsurfing, sailing and "just being on the water".