Biography
Date of Birth
25 December 1984, Los Angeles, California, USA
Birth Name
Katharine Hope McPhee
Nickname
Kat
Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)
Trivia
Daughter of singer and vocal coach Peisha Arten and Daniel McPhee (died on July 15, 2018).
Was roommates with fellow American Idol (2002) contestant Kellie Pickler.
She sang "Since I Fell for You," "All in Love is Fair," and "Think" to advance to the top 12 of American Idol (2002).
Her older sister, whose name is Adriana McPhee, is a vocal coach like their mother, Peisha Arten.
Attended the Boston Conservatory of Music for three semesters.
Her fans are known as "The Kat Pack" and "McPhans".
She performs the song "Think," originally sung by Aretha Franklin, on the "American Idol" top 12 CD.
She came in second place on May 24, 2006, next to American Idol (2002) season 5 winner Taylor Hicks.
Her hit single, "My Destiny," was released on June 20, 2006.
She won a black Ford Mustang during the American Idol (2002) finale.
She has a goddaughter who was born during her run in Hollywood.
Attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks with Rachel Bilson and Kirsten Dunst.
During the opening dates of "The American Idol Tour 2006," she suffered bronchitis and laryngitis, and broke her foot before an August 1 concert date.
Has a Chihuahua named Nena.
Ranked #47 on Maxim's "Hot 100" list in 2007.
Battled with bulimia eating disorder.
Married Nick Cokas in Beverly Hills, McPhee's representative, Justin Grey Stone, told People Magazine. Former American Idol (2002) contestants Kellie Pickler and Mandisa were among the 305 wedding guests. Personal mentor and producer David Foster, a VIP guest at the wedding, would go on to marry McPhee in 2019. [February 2008]
Grew up in the same neighborhood as her The House Bunny (2008) co-star Anna Faris, but they never met until filming began.
Before being on American Idol (2002), she was a struggling actress trying to get a break.
She set-up "McPhee Outreach" to finance a school in Africa. [2010]
One of her personal American idols is Stevie Wonder.
She has English, German, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.
Filed for divorce from her husband of six years, Nick Cokas, following a two-month-long separation. [May 2014]
First met Foster as a contestant on American Idol (2002) in 2006 when she sang his song "I Have Nothing" that had been popularized by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard (1992) soundtrack.
Stepmother of Sara Foster, Erin Foster, Jordan Foster and Amy Foster-Gillies, three of whom (Amy, Sara and Erin) are older than her.
Sister-in-law of Jaymes Foster-Levy.
McPhee and David Foster celebrated their wedding ceremonies at the Church of St Yeghiche, South Kensington in London, and afterwards at the exclusive club Oswald's in Mayfair. The bride's gown was designed by Zac Posen.
Trademarks:
Curly hair
Quotes
[on coming second to Taylor Hicks on American Idol (2002)] I don't need sad faces or anyone to feel bad for me. I have got a record deal, pretty much. It wasn't about winning the title, I just wanted to give the best performance I could.
When I made it onto American Idol (2002), I knew that food--my eating disorder--was the one thing really holding me back. I was binging my whole life away for days at a time. So when I got on the show, I said, "You know what? I can do well in this competition. Let me give myself a chance and just get a hold of this thing" . . . That's why I say "American Idol" saved my life, because if I hadn't auditioned I don't think I would have gotten a handle on food.
People made a big deal out of [my album cover being racy]. They said, "She's a slut, blah blah blah". But I'm really not showing that much skin. It's all suggested.
I want to have, like, 15 babies. I've always wanted to be pregnant. One year for Halloween, I decided to be pregnant, so I got this nun costume, and I put a big belly under it. I showed my parents and said I want to go to school as a pregnant nun. My dad sat me down and said, "Katharine, you can't!".
We had our first table read last week, and [producer] Adam Sandler was sitting right across from me making faces, I was nervous, [but] I love Adam. I've always been a big fan of his movies and that kind of comedy. I met Adam and was like, "This is so crazy!".
I was prematurely developed, as a freshman, I looked like a junior; I had boobs. Some of the older kids saw me in the yearbook and said I was cute. I came from an all-girl school. I was determined to get a boyfriend!
When I turned 21, I thought it was a good age to explore. You're no longer a teenager, so it's okay [to date older guys]. I gravitated toward them, and I love them. They're just wiser, and they're less about themselves and more about you.
I love being a role model. It's still a man's world in society. Girls should keep working on themselves.
[on Marilyn Monroe] She got our attention initially, of course, because she was so effortlessly beautiful. We all have a fascination with beautiful women and the struggles they go through in a man's world.
Hillary [Hillary Clinton] is such an advocate for women and stuff like that.
[Regarding problems getting her acting career started] Yeah, my thinking was, "I'm going to go on [American Idol (2002)] Âbecause that will give me exposure. I'll be the slightly chubby pretty girl they give a makeover to. I don't care if I win. I probably won't".
For me, with men, I will fixate on something. I'll say, "I'm obsessed with your chin". I'll kiss his chin and munch on it, and I think that makes people feel good.
I'm kind of obsessed with the Kardashians.
All I know is that when the show [Smash (2012)] started and people were so excited about the pilot, I was excited to finally be a part of something that could showcase me.
On [American Idol (2002)], I was very strategic with my look. I specifically wore very little makeup, did very little with my hair. I wore beat-up jeans and a simple jacket and I covered my body up because I knew that viewers like seeing transformation. As a viewer myself, it was one of those things I looked forward to. It's like when people watch Dancing with the Stars (2005): They love to see the stars lose weight and start to feel confident. So I wanted to create that story--actually to push the story that I had no idea about fashion--which was not actually true.
[I want to be] the Barbra Streisand of this generation. I want to be someone who is remembered as being great at all things.
[Regarding school] If I had spent all that time actually studying and really learning it versus the time I spent planning to cheat, I probably would have done better.
[February 2007] [admitting that she likes to smoke a cigarette once in a blue moon] It just makes you feel sexy... is that bad?
[February 2007] [on being a self-proclaimed flirt] That's just so fun to go to a party and flirt.
