Elisha Ann Cuthbert (/əˈliːʃə/; born November 30, 1982)[1] is a Canadian actress. As achild actress, she made her first televised appearance as an extra onAre You Afraid of the Dark? and co-hostedPopular Mechanics for Kids. She made her feature-film debut in the 1997 Canadian family dramaDancing on the Moon. Her first major lead role came in the 1998 drama filmAirspeed alongsideJoe Mantegna. In 2001, she starred in the movieLucky Girl, for which she received her first award, theGemini Awards.
After moving to Hollywood in 2001, she was cast asKim Bauer in the series24, her first big role in an American production, alongsideKiefer Sutherland. For this role, she was nominated forScreen Actors Guild Awards twice. In 2003, she played Darcie Goldberg in the college comedyOld School and Carol-Anne inLove Actually. Cuthbert received wide recognition for herbreakout role as Danielle in the 2004 teen comedy filmThe Girl Next Door, being nominated forBest Breakthrough Performance at the2005 MTV Movie Awards, and for her next role as Carly Jones in 2005'sHouse of Wax, for which she received two nominations for theTeen Choice Awards, including Best Actress: Action/Adventure/Thriller. Subsequently, Cuthbert appeared in the lead role in the dramaThe Quiet (2005) and the horrorCaptivity (2007). This role, along withAre You Afraid of the Dark?,24 series andHouse of Wax, established her as ascream queen.[2][3]
From 2011 to 2013, Cuthbert starred asAlex Kerkovich in the three seasons of theABC comedyHappy Endings. From 2016 to 2020, she had a recurring role as Abby Phillips on theNetflix seriesThe Ranch, before becoming a main cast member in the series' second season.[4] She received praise for her performance on the Canadian comedy seriesJann (2020), being nominated for theCanadian Screen Awards for Best Performance in a guest role.
Cuthbert has appeared in numerous magazines, such asMaxim,Complex, andFHM. In 2013,Maxim magazine named her "TV's most beautiful woman".[5]
Cuthbert landed a role in a feature film in the family dramaDancing on the Moon (1997). She appeared in other Canadian family films and in an airplane thriller,Airspeed. In 2000, Cuthbert co-starred inBelieve, a Canadian film with Ricky Mabe. The following year she starred in the Canadian television movie,Lucky Girl, and was awarded aGemini Award for her performance.[11]
Cuthbert with cast of24 at a screening for the24 season 7 finale
Six months after moving to Hollywood, she was cast asKim Bauer, daughter of federal agentJack Bauer, in the television series24. She appeared in the show's first three seasons, but not in itsfourth; she guest-starred in two episodes in thefifth season. She also reprised her role as Kim Bauer in24: The Game and again guest-starred in five episodes of theseventh season and in two episodes of theeighth season.
Her first break in a major film role was in 2004,The Girl Next Door. She played an ex–porn star, Danielle, oppositeEmile Hirsch. She had reservations about taking the part, but directorLuke Greenfield persuaded her to accept the role. Cuthbert did research for the film speaking to adult actresses fromWicked Pictures andVivid Entertainment.[13] The film was compared toRisky Business,[14][15] although Cuthbert said her character was not directly based onRebecca De Mornay's. Critics were divided; some praised the film for boldness, while others, notablyRoger Ebert, called it gimmicky and exploitative.[16][17] Ebert wrote that he saw Cuthbert's character as "quite the most unpleasant character I have seen in some time."[18]The View London said: "Cuthbert is surprisingly good, too – aside from being drop dead gorgeous, she also proves herself a capable comic actress in theCameron Diaz mould".[19] Cuthbert won two nominations for theMTV Movie Awards forBest Kiss andBest Breakthrough Performance.
In her next film, Cuthbert starred withParis Hilton andChad Michael Murray in the2005 remake of thehorror filmHouse of Wax.House of Wax was largely panned, critics citing a range of flaws. It was called "notable for having some of the most moronicprotagonists ever to populate a horror film", though of those characters, critics tended to think Cuthbert "did the best". Though it received negative reviews the film was a box office success, which grossed $70 million worldwide.[20]The Houston Chronicle cited Cuthbert as an exception.[21]Mick LaSalle of theSan Francisco Chronicle said of the film, "Elisha Cuthbert's matter-of-fact, likable quality helps. Seeing her turn into wax would be as bad as seeing that happen toGlenda Farrell (the star ofthe 1933 version)."[22]The Movie said: "The performances are always professional and understated in their believable cogency, particularly Cuthbert, a talented, beautiful young actress who has proven time and again just what a multilayered and promising future she has ahead of her. Cuthbert digs into the role of Carly with strength, determination, and horrified realism; you believe as you watch her that she is going through these things and forget all about the actor playing the part, which is the biggest compliment of all.[23] Brian Orndorf ofFilmjerk.com said: "[Paris] Hilton ... only plays her known personality in the film. She's overshadowed by the strong work from the rest of the cast, notably Chad Michael Murray and especially Elisha Cuthbert, who gives the film a strong dose of enthusiasm with herJamie Lee Curtis-esque performance."[24] Cuthbert was nominated atTeen Choice Awards in two categoriesChoice Movie: Actress – Action / Adventure /Thriller andChoice Movie: Rumble.
Cuthbert promoting24 in May 2009
Cuthbert's next film was theindie filmThe Quiet. She was a co-star and co-producer. She played Nina, a 17-year-oldcheerleader who issexually abused by her father. Cuthbert looked to her younger cousin as her inspiration in portraying a teenager.[25]The Quiet, distributed bySony Pictures Classics, premiered at the2005 Toronto International Film Festival and received a limited release in Los Angeles and New York City on 25 August 2006[26] before expanding regionally in the US on September 1. Cuthbert initially wanted to play the part of the silent Dot, but directorJamie Babbit castCamilla Belle in the role instead[27] afterThora Birch pulled out.[28] Babbit reasoned "To me, Dot has to be someone you could believe would be invisible in high school. You look at Elisha, this beautiful woman with the most perfect body you've ever seen, and you think, there's no high school in America where this girl could be invisible. No matter how much hair and makeup I do, it's not going to happen."The Daily Californian conceded that "Despite the plot's failings, Cuthbert does a convincing job in her role, exuding an outer shell so tough that when her inner, softer layers emerge, it's a natural change of character.[29]Empire Movies agreed, commenting "this is Elisha Cuthbert's best film performance to date. Cuthbert's Nina has the majority of the most graphic and disturbing dialogue in the film, especially during one particular lunchroom scene where the camera is close up on Cuthbert and Belle's faces."
Cuthbert appeared in the music video forWeezer's "Perfect Situation" in early 2006, playing the group's fictional original singer who threw a tantrum that led toRivers Cuomo, theroadie, becoming the band'sfrontman.[30] She also had a small role in Paris Hilton's music video for the song "Nothing in This World".[31]
In 2007, Cuthbert appeared inCaptivity, a thriller centered on a fashion model taunted by apsychopath who imprisons her in a cellar.[32][33] She was nominated for aRazzie award asWorst Actress[34] andTeen Choice Awards forChoice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller for the movie.[35] The film grossed $10.9 million at the box office.[36] The critic Stephen Whitty of theNewark Star-Ledger said, "When, in the last few minutes, Cuthbert finally slipped her bonds and began looking for her tormentors, I knew exactly how she felt."[37]The View London said: "The worst Cuthbert struggles to make her character sympathetic because the script doesn't give her anything to work with, whileDaniel Gillies is too creepy-looking to convince as a potential love interest."[38]
InHe Was a Quiet Man, Cuthbert played Vanessa, aquadriplegic; she starred alongsideChristian Slater. The film was in limited release in 2007, and it was released on DVD in early 2008.[39] The criticPeter Bradshaw in his review forThe Guardian praised Cuthbert's performance, writing that she "is very good".[40] In 2008, Cuthbert appeared inMy Sassy Girl, a remake of a Korean film, starring withJesse Bradford. Nikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India said the "Elisha is cute and their zany affair keeps the reels rolling in an unusual love story with the usual heartbreak and happy home-comings".[41] Although Lacey Mical (Callahan) Walker ofChristian Spotlight on Entertainment was not impressed by Bradford performance, she praised Cuthbert's, saying, "Elisha Cuthbert's talent rises above the character she was given to play, and she almost saves the bitter first half with a stellar performance".[42]
Her next film was the family comedyThe Six Wives of Henry Lefay, withTim Allen, in which she played his daughter. She starred in the CanadianminiseriesGuns. She was a judge in season two, episode two ofProject Runway Canada. Designers were challenged to create a "party dress" for her.[43] Cuthbert reprised her characterKim Bauer in the seventh season of24 for five episodes.[44] She was to star in the CBS drama pilotNy-Lon, playing a New York literacy teacher/record-store clerk who embarks on a transatlantic romance with a London stockbroker. The project, based on a British series starringRashida Jones andStephen Moyer, was cancelled.[45]
In 2012, Cuthbert was host of theAmerican Music Awards.[54] In October 2012, she appeared inThe Gaslight Anthem's music video "Here Comes My Man", playing the girlfriend of a man who mistreats her until she imagines a romantic relationship with a character in a film and chooses to end her real relationship.[55]
In 2013, she appeared on the cover ofMaxim, which named her TV's Most Beautiful Woman.[56]
In February 2014, Cuthbert signed to play the female lead role inLiz Feldman andEllen DeGeneres' NBC sitcom pilotOne Big Happy. Cuthbert stars as Lizzy, a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend Luke (played byNick Zano) meets and marries the love of his life, Prudence.[57] Six episodes of the show were ordered on 9 May 2014, and it debuted mid-season in early 2015. The series was canceled after one season.[citation needed]
She starred in the horror movieThe Cellar,[61]Bandit and the comedyFriday Afternoon in the Universe.[62][63] For her performance in the comedy seriesJann (2020), she was nominated for theCanadian Screen Awards for Best Guest Performance.[64]
Since she began playingKim Bauer, she has frequently been named to the magazinesFHM andMaxim's annual lists of "hottest women". Her highest ranking was No. 4 in the 2008 UK Edition ofFHM's100 Sexiest Women in the World list. She was ranked No. 14 in 2003, No. 10 in 2004,[65] No. 5 in 2005,[66] No. 22 in 2006, No. 10 in 2007,[67] and No. 7 in 2009.[68] The U.S. Edition ranked her No. 53 in 2003, No. 63 in 2004, and No. 54 in 2006.
Cuthbert was ranked No. 10 byAskMen.com readers in the list "Top 99 Women of 2007."[69] InMaxim's Hot 100 list, she was ranked No. 84 in 2002,[70] No. 9 in 2003,[71] No. 21 in 2004,[72] No. 92 in 2006, No. 25 in 2007, No. 6 in 2008, No. 43 in 2009, No. 65 in 2011,[73] No. 34 in 2012,[74] and No. 10 in 2013.[75] The magazine also featured her in its Girls of Maxim Gallery. In 2013, the magazine named her the Most Beautiful Woman in Television.[76]BuddyTV ranked her No. 33 on its TV's 100 Sexiest Women of 2011 list,[77] No. 13 in 2012,[78] and No. 30 in 2015.[79] She was included in the list of The 15 Best Comedy Supporting Actresses of the2011–2012 TV Season[80] and2012–2013 TV Season.[81] TheCanadian Business named her one of the most powerful Canadians in Hollywood,[82] and TheNew York Daily News listed her as one of the Sexiest Canadian celebrities of 2016.[83][84]
Complex has ranked her in The 25 Hottest Canadian Women,[85] The 100 Hottest Women of the 2000s,[86] The 25 Hottest Blonde Bombshell Actresses,[87] and The 50 Hottest CelebritySports Fans.[88] In 2013,GQ magazine listed her among The 100 Hottest Women of the 21st Century[89] and The 100 Sexiest Women of Millennium.[90]
Cuthbert has two younger siblings and enjoys painting.[91] She is also anice hockey fan. In 2005, she maintained a blog on theNHL website, though she did not post for most of the season.[92][93]
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