Raised as one of seven children, Adams was never lonely growing up in Castle Rock, Colo.

Adams' first film debut was in the 1999 comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous. After listening to costar Kirstie Alley's advice to move to Los Angeles, Adams’s career began to take off.

From 2000 to 2002, the young talent appeared in a series of small films and television series. Her big break was supposed to be her performance playing Brenda Strong in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can. However, she didn't really hit the Hollywood jackpot until Junebug, an independent film with heart that premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews.

In 2007, the up-and-coming actress starred in the hit Disney film Enchanted alongside Patrick Dempsey. Of late, Adams has been featured in films including Charlie Wilson's War and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which was released in 2008.