Pop Culture

Who's That Girl? Meet "Cabin in the Woods" Actress Anna Hutchison

Get familiar with the New Zealand starlet before her American movie debut.

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Are blood, gore, guts and good-looking kids your thing? Then you should pencil a time to catch horror-comedy The Cabin in the Woods into your schedule this weekend The film follows a group of college students who lodge at the secluded cabin for vacation only to discover that their perfect getaway isn't so idyllic. It might sound generic, but the film will surprise you in a variety of rib-tickling ways.

One of those big surprises? Breakout scream queen: Anna Hutchison. Trust us, you'll want to know more about the New Zealand-born actress (who's exposing her talents on the big screen to American audiences for the first time) after seeing the film. Consider this feature a formal introduction.

Shortland St.

She made her acting debut in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street in 2002.

On the show, which follows the dramatic daily lives of the staff at Auckland City Hospital, Hutchison played Delphi Greenlaw, a teen tomboy with an eating disorder who fell for a much older man who turned out to be a murder. For her performance of such a complicated character, Hutchison earned the Rising Star award at the TV Guide Best on the Box People's Choice Awards in 2004.

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Wendy Wu

She starred in Disney's Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006).

In her first film broadcasted stateside, Hutchison played Lisa, one of the two best friends of Wendy Wu (Brenda Song), the titular popular girl who must learn the way of the warrior before earning her homecoming crown. As Lisa, Hutchison was the archetypal wacky one of their trio of girlfriends: An aloof, bubbly shopaholic who's still hung up over her jerk of a boyfriend.

The Lost One

Her first film was a short called The Lost One (2006).

Huchison showed off her acting chops in the psycho-sexual short film The Lost One. She played 19-year-old Emma, a young woman running from her dark childhood by sleeping with a number of people every night as a distraction.

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Yellow Ranger

She played the Yellow Ranger in Power Rangers Jungle Fury.

Anna Hutchison can say officially what we spent our whole childhood dreaming of saying: she's a Power Ranger. The blond beauty morphed into Lily Chapman, also known as The Yellow Cheetah Ranger, for the 16th installment of the Power Rangers franchise, Jungle Fury, which focused on a group of chosen teens on a quest to defeat an evil Kung Fu clan.

Underbelly

She starred in the mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities.

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities was a 2009 mini-series that was loosely based on real life marijuana trade that occurred in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia. Hutchison gained critical acclaim for her portrayal of Allison Dine, the money-hungry lover and main drug mule of the Mr. Asia drug syndicate led by Terry Clark (played by Matthew Newton) who eventually implicates her former accomplices.

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Go Girls

She was featured in the New Zealand comedy Go Girls.

In the still-running series, which premiered in 2009, Amy Smart (Hutchison) and her 20-something lifelong friends promise to change their lives in one year. While one wants to be happily married and another wants to be famous, Amy just wants one thing by the end of the year: to be super rich.

Panic at Rock Island

She starred in the TV movie Panic at Rock Island (2011).

In Panic at Rock Island, Hutchison played what every televised spring break blowout needs: a sexy party girl VJ. She was there to document the bands, the insane fans, oh, and the flesh eating virus that breaks out on Rock Island.

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Wild Boys

She starred in the period drama Wild Boys.

Despite the fact that the 2011 TV series Wild Boys showcased bushrangers, robberies, and violence, most viewers weren’t ashamed to admit they watched it for the love triangle. Hutchison played the mayor’s daughter, Emelia Fife, stuck between the love of an outlaw and the affections of the new sheriff who wanted him dead.

Rotting Hill

She starred in the short film Rotting Hill (2011).

Just imagine the romantic comedy Notting Hill retold with zombies and you'll get Rotting Hill. If you look past the bonding over killing humans, sharing a meal of intestines, and her eye repeatedly popping out, you might just fall in love with her, too.

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Blinder

She's currently filming the Australian movie Blinder.

In Blinder, Hutchison portrays an 18-year-old girl named Rose who falls in love with an AFL (Australian Football League) player involved in a reputation-ruining scandal. Ten years later, when he finally returns to Australia to clear his name, she’s learned all the rules for the game of footy and still looks the same. Rose is officially the perfect woman.

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