Elisha Ann Cuthbert is a Canadian actress. She is known as a former host of the Canadian children's television series Popular Mechanics for Kids and had roles in numerous other Canadian productions before moving to Los Angeles at the age of 17. She made her American television debut in the action-thriller 24. Cuthbert began her Hollywood career with small roles in Old School and Love Actually in 2003 and went on to star in her first feature film, The Girl Next Door, in 2004. Over the course of her career, Cuthbert has participated in a wide range of works spanning multiple genres and media.

Cuthbert was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the first child of Kevin and Patricia Cuthbert. Her family moved to Greenfield Park, near Montreal, learning a few words in French as a result of her surroundings. She began her career in 1989 by modeling for various lines of children's clothing and also became a foot model. She made her first televised appearance in the horror-themed series for children, Are You Afraid of the Dark? as a young girl in the episode "The Tale of the Nightshift" (she would later become a series regular) and landed her first role in a feature film in the family drama Dancing on the Moon. She went on to star in several family-themed movies and an airplane thriller, Airspeed, and also hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids with Jay Baruchel. Cuthbert's role as host of Popular Mechanics sometimes required her to act as a foreign correspondent, and she was required to fly around the world despite her aversion to plane travel. Her reporting captured the attention of then First Lady, Hillary Clinton, who invited her to visit the White House.

In 2000, Cuthbert graduated from Centennial Regional High School and journeyed to Los Angeles, California to pursue a Hollywood acting career. Soon after, she was cast in the role of Kim Bauer, daughter of CTU agent Jack Bauer in the television series 24. Cuthbert had given herself a deadline of six months to make something of her trip and was about to return home when she was offered the part during the last week. The show drew continual critical praise, though Cuthbert did not appear at all in the show's 4th season and guest-starred in only two episodes from the 5th. She also reprised her role as Kim Bauer in 24: The Game.

In other roles, Cuthbert starred in the Canadian television movie Lucky Girl in 2001 and was awarded a Gemini Award for her performance. She auditioned for the role of Mary Jane Watson in the Spider-Man film, though the role eventually went to Kirsten Dunst. Cuthbert took a pair of minor roles early in her Hollywood career as young, desirable women in Old School and Love Actually. 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. 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. Following House of Wax, Cuthbert became involved in her third project where she took on the duties of co-star and co-producer of the indie film The Quiet, contributing to its US$900,000 budget. She played Nina, a temperamental cheerleader who suffered from sexual abuse. Playing the character disturbed Cuthbert, who described the role as "dark and heavy."

Beyond TV and movies, Cuthbert enjoys painting, and is a devoted hockey fan and Los Angeles Kings season ticket holder, as are her mother and brother, Jonathan, who are active in the sport. She maintained her own blog on the NHL's web site. Elisha began a relationship with Justin Timberlake's personal assistant, Trace Ayala, 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." Since then, she has reportedly been dating L.A. King Sean Avery, and appeared on an MTV Cribs episode at Avery's house. 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". Cuthbert has expressed an interest in returning to live in Montreal once she has reached her "higher goals" and "feels content" about her career.