Elisha Cuthbert is making her much-awaited return to the silver screen. The “Girl Next Door” star, after several years out of the spotlight, is stepping back into Hollywood for the latest sun-soaked Prime Video series, Every Year After.
The 43-year-old plays a significant role in the coming-of-age series, which marks her first major role in four years following the 2022 crime film “Bandit.” Reflecting on her time away, Cuthbert revealed she put acting on hold to spend more time with her children and husband, former NHL star Dion Phaneuf.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Today” Tuesday, Elisha explained why she stepped away from Hollywood and what made “Every Year After” the right project to return for.
“I realised I worked all four years through our first child and it was really hard to separate that mom from the working person I was. So, when we had our second, I just felt like I didn’t want to waste any second of it and I didn’t want to be on set,” Cuthbert said.
How Did She Decide To Make A Comeback?
The Canadian, who started her career as a child model before making her acting debut at 13, rose to fame in the early 2000s with a string of TV and movie roles, including fan-favorite comedies “The Girl Next Door” and “Old School” as well as the hit drama “24.”
She had been working for a quarter of a century, but the break marked a comforting change of pace.
But as her children Zaphire and Fable are getting older, Cuthbert said she feels ready to return to work.
“I just felt like I needed to be at home with the kids, and I enjoyed every minute. They’re in school now full time. I feel like I have the space and the energy and the heart to kind of leave them and do it,” she told hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
How Did She Get Every Year After?
As for how Every Year After fell into her lap, Cuthbert admitted that she hadn’t read the books when the role of Sue came across her desk.
“It was a lot of pressure,” she said. “Sadie Soverall, it’s nice that she’s in a time now where she doesn’t have to worry about those things. It’s very different.”
She added, “It’s crazy because I hadn’t read any of Carley’s books and then I got on the show,” she said. “Obviously I had the script, but I wanted to read the novel. And then I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m a superfan now.’ So, I read all her books, they’re amazing. I recommend them.”
About Every Year After
Based on Fortune’s bestselling 2022 novel, Every Summer After, the new Prime Video series stars Cuthbert as matriarch Sue Florek. Her death brings main character Percy (Sadie Soverall) back to Barry’s Bay, the lakeside Canadian town where she spent her teenage summers with Sue’s two sons: Charlie (Michael Bradway) and Sam (Matt Cornett), her first love.
“At its core, it’s about finding that first love. And it’s set in this beautiful lakeside town in Canada… It’s just the beginning of this beautiful relationship; they kinda get separated at one point and rekindled and meet each other again 10 years later,” Cuthbert gushed.
