ELISHA CUTHBERT DEBUTS IN DANCING ON THE MOON
Elisha Cuthbert’s stint on Popular Mechanics for Kids increased her profile among Canadian viewers exponentially, and it also made it a lot easier for her to get her foot in the door at auditions. In 1997, Elisha made her first movie appearance with a supporting role in the Canadian film Dancing on the Moon -- which she followed up with a series of appearances in obscure efforts, including the 1998 family fantasy Nico the Unicorn (which also starred Kevin Zegers). Elisha Cuthbert’s status as a familiar-yet-unknown face changed dramatically in 2001 when she took on the role of a compulsive teen gambler in the well-regarded made-for-Canadian-television movie Lucky Girl (for which she won Canada’s equivalent of an Emmy).
ELISHA CUTHBERT ON 24
That same year, Elisha Cuthbert successfully auditioned for a prominent role on a new FOX drama entitled 24 in which she was to play the daughter of Kiefer Sutherland’s harried government agent. The show, which became an instant smash hit, transformed Elisha into a sex symbol virtually overnight, and while some fans occasionally grew tired of her character’s useless antics, there’s simply no denying that 24 catapulted Elisha Cuthbert to A-list status. In 2003, Elisha appeared in two high-profile Hollywood films -- Love Actually and Old School -- and it became clear to those around her that she was a star in the making.
ELISHA CUTHBERT IN THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
Elisha Cuthbert’s burgeoning popularity manifested itself in 2004 when she landed her first starring role in a major Hollywood motion picture. The Girl Next Door, which featured Elisha as a porn star who strikes up a friendship with a shy high schooler, served as an appropriate launching pad for Elisha’s cinematic career, and she even managed to garner a pair of MTV Movie Awards for her work in the film. After leaving 24 in 2004, Elisha Cuthbert worked steadily in movies like 2005’s House of Wax and 2007’s Captivity.
