Rachel Perry Pictures

Born on January 20, 1976, in Brockville, Ontario, Rachel Perry was a ham as a toddler, always ready to pose for her adoring fans (i.e. her loving family). By the age of 6, she had already made her first appearance on television, in the miniseries Little Gloria... Happy at Last.

Though there was a large gap between this initial acting breakthrough and her next significant role, Perry always held the objective of achieving recognizable success. She was not convinced that television was the right medium, however, and so she concentrated on her studies. While working part-time as an attendant at a gas station, she attended Toronto's York University and then went on to study at the University of Northumbria in England.

The outgoing, sociable young lady then went on an adventure, backpacking through much of Europe, Australia and South Africa, often on her own. Returning to Canada with great stories and a new outlook on life, she bit at the chance to audition for the job as a VJ on MuchMusic, the country's popular music television channel.

Not surprisingly, Rachel landed the job and made her real TV debut in 1998. Thanks to her humorous delivery and identifiable persona, Rachel was an instant hit on MuchMusic and rose to become the channel's most popular host. She had the privilege of interviewing the music industry's biggest stars during her stint, including Lenny Kravitz and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

After three years as a top-notch host, Perry left MuchMusic for New York City, with plans of making waves on American television. After only two weeks in the Big Apple, she got a job on a music show called The Daily Beat on the Metro Channel. Within months of her move, however, VH1, who had been courting Rachel for some time, finally made her a concrete offer. She immediately left The Daily Beat for greener pastures.