Elisha Cuthbert is making her big return to acting.
After several years out of the spotlight, the 43-year-old actress, who is best known for her roles in the TV shows 24 and Happy Endings, plays a significant role in Prime Video’s new coming-of-age series Every Year After.
While appearing on Today on Wednesday (June 17), Elisha explained why she took a four-year break from acting and shared what made Every Year After the right project for her to return to work for.
“I realized I worked all four years through our first child,” said Elisha, who shares two children with her retired NHL player husband Dion Phaneuf.
“And it was hard to separate that mom from the working person I was,” she explained. “So, when we had our second [kid], I just felt like I didn’t want to waste any second of it and I didn’t want to be on set.”
The former child model, who made her acting debut at the age of 13, had been working for a quarter of a century when she became a mom for the second time. She said that her acting hiatus marked a comforting change of pace for her and her family.
“I just felt like I needed to be at home with the kids, and I enjoyed every minute,” Elisha shared. “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.”
Elisha went on to admit that she hadn’t read the Every Year After books when the role of Sue came across her desk.
“It’s crazy because I hadn’t read any of Carley [Fortune]‘s books and then when I got on the show, obviously had this script but I wanted to read the novel,” she recalled. “And then I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m a superfan now.’”
In another recent interview with People, Elisha shared why her role in Every Year After felt fitting for her first major role since starring in Netflix’s The Ranch, which aired from 2016 to 2020.
“The show is so beautiful, and I get to play a mother, which felt correct on so many levels,” she shared. “To come out and be back on a show like this that feels right for me — and Sue is just so joyful and loving and maternal — it all felt really organic and great.”
“It was a nice, smooth transition back to work,” Elisha added. “It was refreshing.”
You can find out more about Every Year After here!
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