Cuthbert was born in Calgary, Alberta to Patricia, a homemaker, and Kevin Cuthbert, an automotive design engineer. She has two younger siblings, Jonathan and Lee-Ann, and grew up in Greenfield Park, near Montreal, Quebec. In 2000, she graduated from Centennial Regional High School and moved to Los Angeles, California (at the age of 17) to pursue a career in acting.
Career
Early career
When she was 7, Cuthbert started modeling for various lines of children's clothing and also became a foot model. She made her first televised appearance as an extra in the horror-themed series for children, Are You Afraid of the Dark?; she later become a series regular. Cuthbert also co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids, which was filmed in Montreal. Her reporting captured the attention of then-First Lady, Hillary Clinton, who invited her to visit the White House.
Cuthbert landed her first role in a feature film in the family drama Dancing on the Moon (1997). She appeared in several other Canadian family-themed movies and an airplane thriller, Airspeed. Cuthbert starred in the Canadian television movie Lucky Girl in 2001 and was awarded a Gemini Award for her performance.
Cuthbert as Kim Bauer
Soon after her move to Los Angeles, Cuthbert was cast in the role of Kim Bauer, daughter of CTU agent Jack Bauer in the television series 24. She appeared in the show's first three seasons, but not in its 4th; she guest-starred in only two episodes in the 5th season. She also reprised her role as Kim Bauer in 24: The Game.
Hollywood film career
Cuthbert auditioned for the role of Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man film, though the role eventually went to Kirsten Dunst.[6] She began her Hollywood film career with small roles in Old School and Love Actually in 2003.
Cuthbert's next film, The Girl Next Door, cast her in her first lead role as a burgeoning porn star, Danielle, alongside Emile Hirsch. Cuthbert had initial reservations about taking the part, but was persuaded by director Luke Greenfield into accepting. She researched the role, speaking to actual adult actresses from Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment.[7] Upon its release the film received comparisons to Risky Business[8][9] — although Cuthbert claims her character was not directly based on De Mornay's character[10] — and was noted for Cuthbert's sex appeal. Critics were divided; some praised the film for its boldness, while others, notably Roger Ebert, decried it for being gimmicky and exploitative.[11][12] Ebert wrote that he saw Cuthbert's character Danielle as "quite the most unpleasant character I have seen in some time."[13]
Cuthbert as Carly Jones in House of Wax (2005).
In her next big-screen outing, Cuthbert starred with Paris Hilton and Chad Michael Murray in the 2005 remake of the classic horror film House of Wax. Cuthbert, along with the rest of her cast mates, was made up to look haggard and frightened. In one scene, her character was to attempt to open her mouth while her lips were sealed with glue. For the sake of realism, Cuthbert opted for real superglue over prosthetics.[14] Despite her efforts, House of Wax was largely panned, with critics citing a range of flaws. It was called "notable for having some of the most moronic protagonists ever to populate a horror film," though out of those characters reviews tended to think Cuthbert "fares the best".[15] Others noted Cuthbert as an "exception" playing her role "earnestly"[16] and "fine".[17]
Cuthbert's next film project was the indie film The Quiet, which she not only co-starred in but also co-produced and helped finance. budget.[18] She played Nina, a temperamental 17-year old cheerleader who suffered from sexual abuse. Cuthbert looked to her younger sister for inspiration as to how to play a teenager.[19] The Quiet, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival and received a limited release in Los Angeles and New York City on August 25, 2006, before expanding regionally on September 1.
Recent career
Cuthbert appeared in the music video for Weezer's "Perfect Situation" in early 2006, where she played the group's fictional original singer who threw a tantrum that led to Rivers Cuomo, the unlikely roadie, becoming the frontman of the band.[20] Cuthbert features a small role in Paris Hilton's music video for the song "Nothing In This World".[21] As of September 2006, Cuthbert is scheduled to appear in three feature films. The first, Captivity, is a thriller centered around a fashion model and her chauffeur being taunted by a psychopath who has imprisoned them in a cellar.[22][23] In He Was a Quiet Man, Cuthbert's character, Vanessa, will be a quadriplegic. The film will contain comedic and dramatic elements; the cast includes Christian Slater and William H. Macy.[24][25] The third film, Cat Tale, is an animated film set in a civilized world of cats and dogs. Cuthbert will voice Cleo, "the feline daughter of a wealthy kitty litter baron."[26] Cat Tale is scheduled for release in 2007 by Walt Disney Pictures. Reports indicated that Cuthbert would be collaborating with Babbit and Belle again in the upcoming comedy Itty Bitty Titty Committee;[27] however, neither Cuthbert nor Belle are listed in the IMDb entry for the film.[28]
Cuthbert also screened along with Brandon Routh for the role of Lois Lane in Superman Returns but eventually she lost out to Kate Bosworth and also lost to Jessica Alba as Susan Storm of Fantastic Four.[29] In 2007, she will appear in My Sassy Girl alongside Jesse Bradford.
Personal life
Cuthbert, who enjoys painting,[30] is a devoted hockey fan and Los Angeles Kings season ticket holder, as are her mother and brother, Jonathan, who is active in the sport. She maintained her own blog on the NHL's web site.[31] She began a relationship with Trace Ayala, Justin Timberlake's personal assistant, and became engaged to him in June 2004. Sometime in November 2005, Ayala remarked, "Neither one of us is in a hurry to get married."[32] The engagement has since been broken off.
Cuthbert regularly secures a place in FHM and Maxim's annual Top 100 Sexiest/Hottest lists. Her highest ranking was #5 in the 2005 UK Edition of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list. She was ranked #14 in 2003, #10 in 2004, and #22 in 2006. The U.S. Edition ranked her #53 in 2003, #63 in 2004, and #54 in 2006. She was not listed in the U.S. 2005 list. Maxim magazine named her #92 in its 2006 Hot 100 list and features her in their Girls of Maxim Gallery. As of 2006, Cuthbert has stated that she would refuse to be photographed nude in film roles or magazines, and uses body doubles whenever necessary, specifying that she "like to keep some things to [herself]".[30]
Most recently, Elisha was ranked #10 by AskMen.com readers in the list "Top 99 Women of 2007".
Cuthbert has expressed an interest in returning to live in Montreal once she has reached her "higher goals" and "feel[s] content" about her career.[30]
