Elisha Cuthbert spent years away from Hollywood after building a successful career with projects like ‘The Girl Next Door‘, ‘24‘, and ‘Happy Endings‘. While fans wondered why the actress had largely disappeared from screens, she recently opened up about the personal decision that led her to step away from acting for four years.
Now, as she returns with Prime Video’s ‘Every Year After‘, Cuthbert is sharing what made her leave Los Angeles and put her career on hold during a pivotal period of her life.
Elisha Cuthbert Chose Family Over Hollywood Fame
Before making her return to television, Elisha Cuthbert spent four years away from acting while focusing on life with her family. The actress, who shares daughter Zaphire and son Fable with retired hockey player Dion Phaneuf, recently explained that motherhood played a major role in her decision to leave Hollywood behind.
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Speaking during her June 17 appearance on Today, Cuthbert revealed that balancing work and family became increasingly challenging after becoming a mother. “I realized I worked all four years through our first child, and it was really hard,” Cuthbert confessed, “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.”
The actress said the arrival of her second child helped clarify her priorities. Rather than continuing to juggle demanding filming schedules, she chose to be present for every moment at home. Reflecting on that period, she added, “I just felt like I needed to be at home with the kids and I enjoyed every minute.”
Why Elisha Cuthbert Finally Decided To Return In ‘Every Year After’
Although Cuthbert stepped away from Hollywood, she never ruled out acting permanently. As her children grew older, she slowly began feeling ready to return to the profession she had left behind.
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Now that her daughter and son are both in school, the actress feels she has room in her life for new projects. Explaining her decision to come back, she said, “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.”
That opportunity arrived through Prime Video’s ‘Every Year After‘, where she plays Sue, the mother of characters Sam and Charlie. The role marked her first television project in four years and allowed her to draw on her own experiences as a parent.
Cuthbert’s return also gave her the chance to discover Carley Fortune’s bestselling novels, which inspired the series. “It’s crazy because I hadn’t read any of Carley’s books and then I got on the show,” she admitted. “Obviously had the script, but I wanted to read the novel. And then I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m a superfan now.’“
The actress quickly worked her way through the author’s entire catalog. “So, I read all her books, they’re amazing. I recommend them.”
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