Life and career

McCole Bartusiak was born in Houston, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, where she lives today with her parents Raymond Donald Bartusiak and Helen McCole. She attended St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal school for her elementary education.

McCole Bartusiak's first starred in The Patriot

The Patriot (2000 film)

The Patriot is a 2000 historical war film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Robert Rodat, and starring Mel Gibson, Chris Cooper, and Heath Ledger. It was produced by the Mutual Film Company and Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...

, starring Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...

, in 2000. She later played the young Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....

 in the TV miniseries Blonde, Riding in Cars with Boys

Riding in Cars with Boys

Riding in Cars with Boys is a 2001 film based on the autobiography of the same name by Beverly Donofrio, about a woman who overcame difficulties including being a teen mother to earning a master's degree from the span of 1961 to 1986. It stars Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, Brittany Murphy, and James...

 alongside Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...

, and Don't Say a Word

Don't Say a Word

Don't Say a Word is a 2001 psychological thriller film starring Michael Douglas, Brittany Murphy and Sean Bean based on the novel of the same title by Andrew Klavan...

 alongside Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas

Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...

 and Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...

, both in 2001. She also played the young Charlie McGee

Charlie McGee

Charlene Roberta "Charlie" McGee is a fictional character in the book and films, Firestarter and Firestarter 2: Rekindled. She was created by Stephen King. In the first film, she is portrayed by Drew Barrymore...

 in the sequel to Firestarter

Firestarter

Firestarter is a novel by Stephen King first published in 1980. It was nominated for a British Fantasy Award in 1981.The book is dedicated to the author Shirley Jackson: "In Memory of Shirley Jackson, who never needed to raise her voice."...

, Firestarter 2: Rekindled

Firestarter 2: Rekindled

Firestarter 2: Rekindled is a 2002 television miniseries and the sequel to the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel Firestarter...

, and took a high-profile role in the popular television series 24.

McCole Bartusiak is a regular in the indie film world, making a critically acclaimed appearance in the award-winning short film The Vest in 2003 and playing the part of The Girl in the short Once Not Far from Home in 2005. She also tried her hand at theatre, playing in The Miracle Worker

The Miracle Worker

The Miracle Worker is a cycle of 20th century dramatic works derived from Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My Life. Each of the various dramas describes the relationship between Keller—a deafblind and initially almost feral child—and Anne Sullivan, the teacher who introduced her to...

 alongside Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank

Hilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...

, which had a two-week run at the Charlotte Theatre in North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

.

In 2003, McCole Bartusiak returned to period drama with Love Comes Softly

Love Comes Softly

Love Comes Softly is a 2003 Christian drama television movie set in the 19th century, based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It originally aired on Hallmark Channel in 2003...

, and a year later she played the young Jackie in Against the Ropes

Against the Ropes

Against the Ropes is a 2004 drama movie. It stars Meg Ryan and Omar Epps and was directed by Charles S. Dutton, in his motion-picture directorial debut....

 alongside Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan

Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...

. One of her strongest roles has been as Franny Roberts in the horror film Boogeyman

Boogeyman (film)

Boogeyman is a 2005 American production psychological horror film, directed by Stephen T. Kay. The film is a take on the classic "boogeyman", or monster in the closet.-Plot:...

. In 2005, she starred in the "Kids" episode of the hospital drama series House

House (TV series)

House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...

, and took a lead role as Summer in the film Kill Your Darlings

Kill Your Darlings

Kill Your Darlings is a 2006 film directed by Björne Larson and written by Björne Larson and Johan Sandström. In an interview with Svenska Dagbladet, Larson said that the film is based on a real event in his life when he met a seemingly nice man at an internet cafe in Los Angeles who ended up...

, about a troubled teen who goes to extreme measures to gain the attention of her psychiatrist father.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999		Adele Highsmith (child)
1999	Storm of the Century Storm of the Century Storm of the Century, alternatively known as Stephen King's Storm of the Century, is a 1999 horror TV miniseries written by Stephen King and directed by Craig R. Baxley. Unlike many other King mini-series, Storm of the Century was not based upon a Stephen King novel - King wrote it as a screenplay...	Pippa Hatcher	TV miniseries
1999	JAG JAG (TV series) JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...	Rachel Sherkston	Episode: "Shakedown"
1999		Hazel
1999	Witness Protection	Suzie Batton
1999	Judging Amy Judging Amy Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...	Marcy Noble	Episode: "Presumed Innocent"
2000	Providence Providence (TV series) Providence is an American drama series that aired on NBC starring Melina Kanakaredes. The show ran for five seasons from January 8, 1999 until December 20, 2002.-Synopsis:The show revolves around Dr...	Jessie	Episode: "Taking a Chance on Love"
2000	Frasier Frasier Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...	Girl with Drawing	Episode: "The Three Faces of Frasier Frasier (season 7) The seventh season of Frasier originally aired between September 1999 and May 2000, beginning on September 23, 1999.-List of episodes:... "
2000		Susan Martin
2000		Casey Obold	TV movie
2000	Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder: Part 1 Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and its sequel, Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, are television films which were presented in two parts, the first in 2000, and the second in 2002, which presented episodes from the later books in the...	Rose Wilder	TV movie
2000	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...	Jennifer	Episode: "Legacy"
2001	Blonde Blonde (film) Blonde is a 2001 made-for-television film on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Australian actress Poppy Montgomery steps into the role of the blonde bombshell who transformed herself from Norma Jean Baker to the sexy Hollywood Icon.-Plot:...	Young Norma Jean	TV miniseries
2001	Don't Say a Word Don't Say a Word Don't Say a Word is a 2001 psychological thriller film starring Michael Douglas, Brittany Murphy and Sean Bean based on the novel of the same title by Andrew Klavan...	Jessie Conrad
2001	Touched by an Angel Touched by an Angel Touched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...	Sarah	Episode: "The Birthday Present"
2001	Riding in Cars with Boys Riding in Cars with Boys Riding in Cars with Boys is a 2001 film based on the autobiography of the same name by Beverly Donofrio, about a woman who overcame difficulties including being a teen mother to earning a master's degree from the span of 1961 to 1986. It stars Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, Brittany Murphy, and James...	Amelia - Age 8
2001		Dove (scenes deleted)
2002	Flashpoint	Lizzie	TV movie
2002	Firestarter 2: Rekindled Firestarter 2: Rekindled Firestarter 2: Rekindled is a 2002 television miniseries and the sequel to the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel Firestarter...	Young Charlie McGee Charlie McGee Charlene Roberta "Charlie" McGee is a fictional character in the book and films, Firestarter and Firestarter 2: Rekindled. She was created by Stephen King. In the first film, she is portrayed by Drew Barrymore...	TV movie
2002	Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and its sequel, Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, are television films which were presented in two parts, the first in 2000, and the second in 2002, which presented episodes from the later books in the...	Rose Wilder	TV movie
2002–2003	24 24 (TV series) 24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...	Megan Matheson	8 episodes 24 (season 2) Season Two, also known as Day 2, of 24 was first broadcast from October 28, 2002 to May 20, 2003. The season begins and ends at 8:00 a.m...
2003		Sara	Short film
2003	Love Comes Softly Love Comes Softly Love Comes Softly is a 2003 Christian drama television movie set in the 19th century, based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It originally aired on Hallmark Channel in 2003...	Missie Davis	TV movie
2004	Against the Ropes Against the Ropes Against the Ropes is a 2004 drama movie. It stars Meg Ryan and Omar Epps and was directed by Charles S. Dutton, in his motion-picture directorial debut....	Little Jackie
2004	George Lopez George Lopez (TV series) "The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...	L'il Bit	Episode: "The Simple Life" Episode: "Trouble in Paradise"
2005	Boogeyman Boogeyman (film) Boogeyman is a 2005 American production psychological horror film, directed by Stephen T. Kay. The film is a take on the classic "boogeyman", or monster in the closet.-Plot:...	Franny Roberts
2005	House House (TV series) House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...	Mary Carroll	Episode: "Kids Kids (House) "Kids" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of House, which premiered on the Fox network on May 3, 2005.-Plot:A diving competition is interrupted when a man with virulent bacterial meningitis collapses and causes an outbreak scare... "
2005	Lost Lost (TV series) Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...	Young Kate (uncredited voice)	Episode: "Born to Run Born to Run (Lost) "Born to Run" is the 22nd episode of the first season of Lost. It was directed by Tucker Gates, written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and based on a story by Javier Grillo-Marxuach. It first aired on May 11, 2005, on ABC. The character Kate Austen is featured in the episode's flashbacks... "
2005	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...	Susan Lester	Episode: "Bite Me"
2006	Pineapple	Alex
2006	Kill Your Darlings Kill Your Darlings Kill Your Darlings is a 2006 film directed by Björne Larson and written by Björne Larson and Johan Sandström. In an interview with Svenska Dagbladet, Larson said that the film is based on a real event in his life when he met a seemingly nice man at an internet cafe in Los Angeles who ended up...	Sunshine
2006	Razor Sharp	Isis / Ice-6	Short film
2006	Once Not Far from Home	The Little Girl	Short film
2007	Close to Home	Amber	Episode: "Fall from Grace"
2008		Natalie Coleman	Short film
2009	American Primitive American Primitive American Primitive is a 2008 film from Cape Cod Films starring Danielle Savre and Tate Donovan.-Cast:*Susan Anspach as Martha*Johanna Braddy as Lucy Carmichael*Stacy Dash as Joy Crowley*Tate Donovan as Harry Goodhart*Jordan-Claire Green as Bridget...	Daisy Goodhart
2010	Good Day for It	Rachel	Post-production
2011	Sick Boy	Lucy	Post-production

External links

• Official website