Cuthbert was born in Calgary, Alberta, the daughter of Patricia, a homemaker, and Kevin, an automotive design engineer. Cuthbert also co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids, which was filmed in Montreal. Cuthbert landed her first role in a feature film in the family drama Dancing on the Moon (1997). in one scene, her character was to attempt to open her mouth while her lips were sealed with glue. House of Wax was largely panned, with critics citing a range of flaws. in 2008, Cuthbert appeared in My Sassy Girl, a remake of a Korean film, starring alongside Jesse Bradford. Cuthbert reprised her character Kim Bauer in the seventh season of 24 for five episodes. She was ranked #14 in 2003, #10 in 2004, #5 in 2005, #22 in 2006, #10 in 2007 and #7 in 2009.