A new sitcom, a hockey star boyfriend and a drama-free attitude. ELISHA CUTHBERT talks about taking Hollywood the Canadian way By Shawna Cohen Photography by Chris Nicholls
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I’M HAVING SO MUCH FUN, I don’t want this to end!â€? exclaims Elisha Cuthbert during FLARE’s gruelling sixhour photo shoot. Cuthbert has endured seven outfit changes and countless makeup touches under glaring camera lights, and yet she seems exhilarated by the action. Watching the petite 5’3â€? 28-year-old as she’s getting snapped— laughing, smiling at anyone who walks on set, thanking everyone from photographer to intern—you can sense her enthusiasm. For many Hollywood types, this is the part of the job they hate: having their photo taken, giving media interviews, schmoozing with complete strangers. Yet Cuthbert revels in it. The clichĂŠ of the self-absorbed starlet couldn’t be further from the truth for the likeable, laid-back Cuthbert. With sexy curves, a slim frame, blond hair and killer blue eyes, the Calgary-born, Montreal-raised actor is the allCanadian girl with a twist: She’s completely unafraid to let her guard down. “I’m quirky and weird and goofy a lot of the time,â€? says Cuthbert, who punctuates most of her sentences with an infectious giggle. Her interests run the gamut from painting to gardening to cooking (she makes a mean shepherd’s pie), and she’s an avid reader, having just devoured the Elizabeth Taylor/ Richard Burton bio Furious Love. Happy Endings, her sitcom that premiered on Citytv in April, has given Cuthbert the opportunity to embrace her playful side. In it, her character, Alex, is a warm-hearted but emotionally lost woman who leaves her fiancĂŠ at the altar. The breakup complicates the lives of her close-knit group of friends— Alex’s sister Jane and her hubby Brad, single girl Penny and impish Max—and forces them to question their own life choices. (Imagine a modern-day Friends but replace coffee with booze and blab fests with witty one-liners.)
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“Love and friendship is the underlying message of each episode,� says Cuthbert. “[Alex] in particular is at a place where she’s confused in love and wants to make the right choices. I’m sure a lot of people in their late 20s, early 30s, can relate to it because they’re thinking, ‘Am I with the right person? Is this the person I’m settling down with?’ It feels like it’s coming from a real place.� When it comes to her own love life, however, Cuthbert is flying high. She’s half of a Canadian super-couple with 26-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf. (“Love you, have a good game,� she whispers into her cellphone when he calls mid-interview.) During her downtime, you’ll often find her in the stands cheering on her boyfriend. “I love to watch him play,� she says. Their hookup follows her headline-making relationship with another hockey player: Sean Avery, the New York Rangers winger (and former Vogue intern). Cuthbert, who these days splits her time between Toronto and L.A., got into acting quite by accident. She began by modelling children’s clothing for catalogues but took on her first television role in 1996, at 14, as a favour to a friend whose casting director mom was looking for girls around her age to appear in Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? (The children’s series about kids telling spooky tales in the woods is the same fame factory that saw Ryan Gosling, Neve Campbell and Hayden Christensen guest-star.) Other opportunities quickly followed and at 18 Cuthbert moved to L.A. on her own to pursue her dream of becoming Hollywood’s next It girl. The eldest of three kids, she drew courage from her parents to make such a bold move. “They knew I was mature enough and not one of those wild children,� she explains. “This was my college experience, really.� Life in L.A. was a whirlwind for Cuthbert, who immediately landed roles in films including Old School, Love Actually and The Girl Next Door. But it was being cast in 24 as the rebellious
daughter of Kiefer Sutherland’s federal agent Jack Bauer that prompted people to really take notice of the then-19-yearold’s knack for drama. Following seasons of emotional upheaval on the award-winning show, which ran from 2001 to 2010, Cuthbert decided it was time for a change. Network giant ABC approached her about doing another drama, but she was adamant about trying her hand at comedy. “After so many years and hard work on 24, I just thought, If I’m going to do another show, it has to be something I want to get up and tackle every day,â€? she recalls. After much coaxing, ABC execs finally gave in and showed her the pilot for Happy Endings. Cuthbert insists that when friends and family view her in the role of Alex, they’ll be seeing a lot of the real Elisha they know so well. In other words, that charming confidante with an easygoing spirit and great sense of humour. “I’m more like this character than any other character I’ve played,â€? admits Cuthbert. “Though [Alex] has an airiness about her whereas I’m more neurotic, more intense‌I’m a pretty deep thinker.â€? When it comes to fashion, Cuthbert is just as conscientious. She lists Cate Blanchett and Uma Thurman as her style icons, although she personally prefers the “effortless chicâ€? look. “I’m not a frilly kind of girl,â€? she says. PostFLARE fashion shoot, with bold red lips and hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, it’s obvious Cuthbert has perfected the high-low mix. Today it’s a black H&M tee paired with suede ankle boots by Balenciaga, one of her favourite designers. “There was a time that I was splurging quite a bit on fashion but then I realized, I’m going to be broke!â€? she says with a laugh. “I realized I had to find a way to express myself without being covered head to toe in designer clothing. I mix it up now.â€? For a woman who seemingly has it all—TV series, supportive family, superstar boyfriend—identifying her biggest accomplishment should be easy. But Cuthbert doesn’t have an answer to that question. “Hopefully it’s ahead of me and I haven’t reached it yet,â€? she says. “My passion is to be better, to always improve.â€? Happy? Yes. Endings? Not a chance. Cuthbert’s just getting warmed up. N
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