Inside Elisha Cuthbert's Life Today

In the past, actress Elisha Cuthbert made her mark in the entertainment industry while also "[spending] a few years sampling what she calls 'the hype and glory' of being a young Hollywood starlet," according to Women's Health. "For a long time I was naïve about who I was surrounded by," she told the outlet back in 2009, saying that she "got caught up in the L.A. scene." That meant heading out on the town every night with people that she perhaps shouldn't have been hanging out with. The star stated that while it's "not that they were bad people," she explained: "I just couldn't ask any of them to drive me to the airport." Then there's the fact that she "used to be hustle-hustle, work-work." She'd "[wake] up in the morning and went to bed thinking about acting," and admits it was "borderline" unhealthy.

These days, Cuthbert still has an active career, but she no longer spends the bulk of her time with an LA-ish social circle. Beyond that, she's been involved in plenty of exciting endeavors, activities, and adventures that have kept her both busy and chill. "For the first time, I'm trying to not worry," she told Women's Health. "I don't feel like I have to prove anything; I'm not in a panic anymore. I'm certainly not finished, but I feel like I've accomplished a lot. I'm concentrating on other things in my life."

So, what exactly are those other things that Cuthbert is focusing on? Read on to find out!

The star's more recent gigs range from a ranch to a drag race

Elisha Cuthbert can definitely consider her career a success. Both movie and TV-lovers will recognize her from her earlier roles like the 2004 film The Girl Next Door and as well as the action-drama series 24. However, in recent years, she's been popping up in movies like 2017's Goon: Last of the Enforcers and on shows like Happy Endings and The Ranch, as well as acting as a guest host on Canada's Drag Race. She also has a few projects in production as of writing, including the comedies Eat Wheaties! with Tony Hale and Friday Afternoon in the Universe.

Those who follow Cuthbert on social media will know that she uses Instagram to regularly update her fans about what she's working on at the time. For instance, in June 2019, she marked the end of her time on The Ranch by posting a pic of herself along with her costars — Ashton Kutcher, Dax Shepard, and Sam Elliott — along with the caption, "One of the most enjoyable experiences of my professional career has come to a close. .. I'm so grateful for all my time spent with these incredible actors and crew and I'm so thankful for all the awesome fans of the show!"

While that gig may have ended, this seems to be one star who has no intention of slowing down any time soon when it comes to her career.

Popping up on celebrity podcasts

Plenty of stars are not only the famous faces on shows and movies, but they're also the famous voices behind popular podcasts. Although Elisha Cuthbert hasn't put her chatting skills to use to launch her own podcast (yet?), she has been getting into the swing of things by popping up on podcasts from other celebrities.

In 2019, Cuthbert did her first-ever podcast interview on Anna Faris is Unqualified and used the opportunity to open up about "having actress friends, challenges of the sitcom format, the importance of knowing how to BBQ, first love heartbreak, and racing horses with the family Astro Van." As for that first topic, when asked by the former Mom star if she has friends who are also actresses, Cuthbert's answer hinted at the fact that she apparently doesn't have that many because she admitted, "I wish I could say I had a lot." Although she did explain that as a parent herself, nowadays she has "actress friends who have kids that keep us actually closer."

Then in August 2020, Cuthbert sat down for an interview for Arlene Dickinson's Reinvention podcast and discussed "how she stays grounded with values and family." While talking with the Dragons' Den figure about social media, she told the host, "How do I express myself without exposing too much of myself? It's been a challenge. Because I don't really roll that way, and I haven't. It's always been about the work."

Working for worthy causes

Elisha Cuthbert may have been primarily focused on her career in the past, but now when the actress isn't working on a new movie or TV show, she spends a part of her time supporting worthy causes like the Special Olympics. The star has been involved in projects related to the elite sports events like being the famous force behind a virtual 5K walk/run and attending the Enriching Lives Gala, of which she's "a longtime supporter," according to the organization. The event raises funds for "grassroots programming, quality competitions, trained coaches, and much more for athletes of all ages and ability levels."

As for Tim Hortons Camp Day, the event is also a fundraiser. The actress explained on Instagram that the goal is to "help youth from low-income homes go on a life-changing experience" at camp. In 2018, Cuthbert worked a drive-thru to help bring in money by selling coffee, telling the Journal Pioneer, "I kinda said I didn't want to be in their way since they knew what they were doing and are way ahead of me and that I want to sell as much coffee as possible. So, they put me by the window and I've been handing it out. It's been a lot of fun." She added that because the event was in "a small community, the people coming to the window are used to the familiar faces. So, it was interesting when some people would pull up and go 'Who the h**** are you?'"

Family time

Elisha Cuthbert also spends her time these days with family, which includes her husband, professional hockey player Dion Phaneuf. The two were married in 2013, and it seems like years after saying "I do," their relationship is still going strong. The star often takes to Instagram to post about how proud she is of her hubby's career and shares what they do together. Cuthbert also opened up about being with Phaneuf while talking to Women's Health back in 2009 while the pair were still dating, saying, "It's the first real, healthy relationship of my life. I think you learn something from every relationship. But I've spent too much time with people who weren't worth spending that much time with."

Nowadays, Cuthbert and Phaneuf are not only a doting couple, but they're also doting parents to their daughter, Zaphire, who was born in December 2017. On the little one's first birthday, the actress took to Instagram to celebrate the milestone. "What an insane year, filled with so many learning curves, instinct awareness, astonishment, exhaustion, pride, but most of all LOVE," Cuthbert wrote. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZAPHIRE ... you are total magic."

And then there's Pearl Phaneuf. Who is Pearl? Well, she's not another daughter or sister or even a cousin. Pearl is the star's semi-famous dog. Naturally, the photogenic pup has its own Instagram account, which is where you can see the miniature schnauzer living a pretty sweet life with Cuthbert and the fam.

Living in Canada

Elisha Cuthbert may be well-known by American audiences, but she's actually Canadian. Born in Calgary, her family left the city in Alberta when she was 11 years old. "We did a lot of moving around when I was younger," she told Shape. "We lived in Vancouver for a while, and then Montreal, which was so foreign to us with everyone speaking French. It was wild!"

As an adult, Cuthbert used her position in the spotlight to highlight other talented Canadian creative professionals. For instance, you may once have spotted her at the People's Choice Awards wearing a "laser-cut bodice and long maxi skirt," which came from Canadian designer "Sunny Fong's Vawk 2012 resort collection," according to Toronto Life.

While Cuthbert obviously never fully left her love of Canadian vibes behind even while in the US, these days, she spends a fair share of her time back in her home country. That decision may have been influenced by the fact that her husband, Dion Phaneuf, has played with multiple Canadian NHL teams, including the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ottawa Senators. That likely suits the actress who has settled down in both the nation's capital and on the east coast, where she heads out on the town with her "Ottawa girls" or stops by local establishments. Cuthbert also hangs out with other celebrities from the northern country like singer Jann Arden and actor Jay Baruchel who can relate to what it's like to be both famous and Canadian.

Renting Elisha Cuthbert's Sunset Strip home isn't cheap

After growing up in Canada, Elisha Cuthbert moved to Hollywood on her own when she was just 18 years old, according to Flare. Although not everyone would be thrilled to see their teenaged child head off to a different country to pursue a risky career, it was a move that Cuthbert's parents supported. "They knew I was mature enough and not one of those wild children," she explained. "This was my college experience, really."

Thanks to her Hollywood success, the actress decided to use some of the money that came from her many acting gigs to buy herself a home in California. In 2005, the star paid almost $1.65 million for a Sunset Strip house that offered her "three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in just over 2,100 square feet," per Variety.

However, Cuthbert apparently isn't spending a lot of time there these days, which is surely why she sought to rent out the residence in 2018. The star was hoping to find a tenant willing to pay $12,500 per month for the "modestly sized home" that was "built into the foothills behind the Chateau Marmont Hotel," according to VarietyCBC noted that "the home has been described as having 'Country French styling' while offering 'magnificent city views and star-gazing nights.'" That sounds like it's worth every penny ... if you have the $12,500 per month plus $30,000 security deposit. It's definitely not cheap to live like Cuthbert.

The actress had the 'experience of a lifetime' while traveling

Elisha Cuthbert may primarily split her time between the United States and Canada, switching up locations when it suits either her personal life or her professional career, but she's also been spending time in the last few years traveling to other countries. In fact, in May 2019, she combined her famous status and desire to see new places by heading out on her first Celebrity Cruises trip. The obviously excited actress hopped onto Instagram to share shots of herself prepping for her time away from home on the sponsored voyage, writing, "This mama is packing! ... A much-needed Vacay and I can't wait!!"

While off on her curated journey, the star seemed to be enjoying each location while posting photos of herself spending time in seven European cities in the area of Italy and Spain, among other wanderlust-sparking destinations. While taking a break from her time filming on various sets, she instead spent her days seeing the sights, lounging on the beach, and enjoying the "culinary experience of a lifetime." She also got the chance to visit the Port of Gibraltar as well as Stonehenge, which were both stops that were surely just as memorable as every other adventure she embarked upon.

Enjoying the (often freezing) outdoors

Along with being a popular actress, Elisha Cuthbert is also an active and outdoorsy woman. Case in point: Anyone who follows her on social media will probably have seen her and her family fishing. In June 2019, she shared a photo of herself on a boat with the caption: "Doing some much enjoyed #fishing this weekend with both my father and father-in-law ... hoping my first season #24 hat brings me some luck." While we don't know if she caught anything on that occasion, she did reel something in back in July 2017. That's when she posted a photo of a "flatfish" in a net, writing, "Momma can fish!"

And while she apparently enjoys her time outside in the summer, she seems to really be into winter sports. Perhaps that's because she hails from Calgary, which can be more than just a little chilly and snowy in the colder months? The fact is that if it's below freezing outside, Cuthbert can often be found with her family skating, snowmobiling, sledding, and skiing in a "winter wonderland."

The famous figure changes up her appearance

Elisha Cuthbert has looked pretty much the same since she first showed up in Hollywood. While her "petite five-foot-three-inch frame belies her strength," and "her dark eyebrows and platinum hair (she dyes it herself) pack a visual wallop," Women's Health points out that "in her films — Old School, House of Wax, and The Girl Next Door among them — Elisha has carved out a niche as the hottest girl you might know in real life." 

Although she was clearly cut-out for the entertainment industry with her camera-worthy good looks, the only way she seemed to deviate from her signature style was to try out minor aesthetic adjustments like "a tousled half-updo," "an edgy take on an evening coif," "blunt bangs," "voluminous waves," and a "trendsetting pixie," per InStyle. She occasionally strayed slightly from her expected appearance by showing up with "ginger locks" and "gorgeous brunette" strands.

However, in recent years, Cuthbert has seemingly been more inclined to play with her appearance. She's dyed her hair pink, embraced purplish unicorn tips, and played with a funky filter that gave her spiky blue hair (or is that a wild wig?). And when opportunities to play extreme dress up roll around, she tends to go all out. Just take a peek at her as a seriously sizzling devil and her wonderfully intense Cruella de Vil costume. Honestly, who wouldn't play with their appearance when you can look so striking in so many different ways?!

Elisha Cuthbert may have more money than you think

Elisha Cuthbert has done pretty darn well for herself financially, which is a good thing because she may be the only person in her household bringing in money these days. In June 2019, Cuthbert's husband, professional hockey player Dion Phaneuf, became an unrestricted free agent, when the Los Angeles Kings "bought out the final two years" of the $49 million contract that he originally signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013, according to Sportsnet. While it's unclear exactly how much that left Phaneuf with when it comes to his total fortune, Cuthbert can certainly carry the family as Celebrity Net Worth figures she has around $20 million.

Back in 2012, the star talked to the National Post about establishing herself in the entertainment industry and making money, saying, "My goal was to get to California and be a successful movie or television actor, or whatever it was going to be, and not have to go home to mom and dad and ask for money. My first goal was to make a career out of it." She continued by discussing her dramatic and sudden initial success, saying, "The next thing I knew, I was on 24, and I thought to myself, 'Now I've go[t] to be the best dramatic actress I can possibly be.'" And all these years later, she still seems to be doing just that.