Bailee Madison has been a fixture of movies and TV since before she could stand.
From an apple-cheeked sweetheart in Bridge to Terabithia to a grungy teenager battling
a family of psychopaths in The Strangers: Prey At Night, her transformation cannot be
understated.
Madison caught the acting bug young, following in the footsteps of her mother and sister,
accompanying them on auditions when she was still just a baby.
As she explained to Miami Living magazine, she would forcibly insert herself into certain
situations, admitting,
"My mom said I used to unbuckle myself from my stroller and try and crash their auditions."
The wannabe actress, who started off in commercials while still in her stroller, always loved
the arts, particularly Broadway shows.
She booked her first movie, 2006's Lonely Hearts, at age 5, off the back of her sister's
audition.
She told Miami Living,
"I was in the waiting room with my mom.
They said, 'Would your sister like to audition?
We have this role.'
My sister took me around the corner and read with me.
I went in and, from that moment on, the journey kinda started."
After Lonely Hearts, Madison's big break was undoubtedly her star-making turn in 2007's
Bridge to Terabithia.
In 2017, MTV reunited her with her co-star, AnnaSophia Robb, to reminisce about everything
the duo got up to on set 10 years ago.
They revealed how close the cast was, in particular Madison and her onscreen brother, played by
Josh Hutcherson.
He was so concerned about hurting her during their many onscreen arguments that he checked
that she was okay after each take.
Madison ended up catching feelings and even penned a love note to Hutcherson, which he
graciously accepted.
As she revealed,
"He was so sweet, he just hugged me.
He took such good care of me.
I love him with all my heart."
As a wrap gift, Robb and Hutcherson gave their young co-star a very special present: a fairy
costume made from the fabric from all the clothes her character wore.
Whether it was alongside screen stalwarts like Salma Hayek in Lonely Hearts or young
upstarts like Robb and Hutcherson, it took no time at all for Madison to get comfortable
in front of the camera.
By 2009, at just 10 years old, she already had a whopping 13 acting credits to her name.
So when she starred opposite Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, and Jake Gyllenhaal in the
family drama Brothers, it was just another day at the office.
Discussing her pivotal emotional scene in that movie with Miami Living, Madison noted,
"I was able to work till midnight and it was maybe 11:56 and they just set up for my close
up.
I think I was able to do one or two takes.
I remember just being like 'Oh gosh, I hope we get it.'
It was a really fun scene to do.
[...] That movie was a real blessing to me after it came out, with what it was able to
do for me."
"Couldn't you just stay dead?!"
“Isabelle!”
“You’re just mad because mom would rather sleep with Uncle Tommy than you!”
"Isabelle, why would you say that?"
2010 found Madison switching lanes in a big way, as she starred in her very first horror
movie, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, alongside Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes.
Speaking to AXS, she noted that she didn't feel any pressure stepping into this darker
world, though it was a new experience for her.
The most difficult element was working with a variety of computer-generated creatures,
none of which were actually on set.
She would occasionally have a piece of tape to act opposite, but sometimes it was just
nothing, but gradually she got used to it.
The then-10-year-old Madison pledged to watch more horror movies going forward, noting,
"Now that I've done a scary movie I'm okay with scary things.
Not like A Nightmare on Elm Street or anything like that, but I like a classical suspense."
"It is not safe for you."
As Madison entered those all-important early teen years, her résumé continued to grow.
She joined the hit TV show The Fosters in 2014, sticking around for two seasons before
departing in 2016.
She was by that point becoming a small screen staple, having also landed a recurring gig
on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place and a series regular role on the ABC sitcom Trophy
Wife.
The Fosters was an easy choice for Madison, as she discussed with Your Teen Mag.
It turns out that choosing roles is a "family affair" for her.
She explained,
"My sister reads the script first, then it goes to my mom, and if they both like it,
then I read it.
A lot of scripts are quick to take you from a 15-year-old to a 17-year-old overnight.
So, we say 'no' more than we say 'yes.'
We're selective and we try to keep things age appropriate.
We approach every script that way and always have."
In 2015, Madison was the victim of online harassment.
Rather than ignoring the situation, she took to Tumblr to pen an inspirational essay.
She created a space to turn to when things got rough so that she could preach kindness
and share her thoughts and feelings.
This inspired the "I Am More Than A Word" social media movement.
Madison told By You magazine that she's all about kindness and empathy, saying,
"We are all here to have a voice and make a difference; we all have a choice.
It's as simple as walking down the street — you can ignore a person or you can smile,
say hello, or even something nice.
[…] It may not seem like a big deal, but it's a choice in life that you can walk past
things or help that person feel better.
It's a constant choice every day to help even one person with that light or that smile — and
if you don't, you're missing something.
I think it's our job to help give a little push and help spread the lightness."
In 2016 Madison started to step behind the camera to produce a couple of movies of her
own.
There was the kids' adventure Annabelle Hooper and the Ghosts of Nantucket.
She followed that in 2017 with A Cowgirl's Story.
She also had starring roles in both.
The actor-turned-producer gushed to The PC Principle about the process:
"It was one of the most gratifying experiences because as a producer, you are working for
the sake of not just yourself, but for the rest of the crew.
So, craft services, grips, the lighting department, animal trainers and the cast are all following
your hands to try and make the set to be as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
For me to be trusted with fellow producers and a wonderful director who has been doing
this for such a long time, it was a very humbling and wonderful experience."
In January 2018, Madison proved how multi-talented she is by publishing her first book, Losing
Brave.
Co-written with author Stefne Miller, the young adult thriller highlighted a moment
when Madison was anything but cowardly.
The plot follows protagonist Payton Brave in the wake of her twin sister Dylan's disappearance.
It deals with psychological trauma, as Payton can’t remember anything from the day that
Dylan went missing.
"It's a story about self-journey, being brave, figuring out who you are while also figuring
out one of the greatest mysteries and fears of her life."
It turns out that Payton was inspired by both authors' experiences.
Madison was both apprehensive and excited about putting herself out there, as she admitted
to Teen Vogue,
"It's a really exciting and nerve-wracking new chapter in my life and I love the book
world so much.
I think it's such an amazing kind of relationship that can be formed between the person who's
reading and you just kind of sitting and imagining what this world is in your head."
Madison stretched herself even further by getting into the fashion world with a clothing
line for Macy's in-house imprint, Nowadays.
She told Darling magazine in 2018 that, although there's a lot on her plate, their collaboration
was meant to be:
"I’ve always wanted to do a fashion line – always.
And I’ve been approached by multiple people throughout the years and I’ve said no.
'Macy’s in the holidays' came to me – I have shopped at Macy’s since I was a little
girl – so, when a store that I loved and I think is a really great place for families
came to me, well, that was a no-brainer."
In 2018, Madison returned to her horror roots with The Strangers: Prey At Night, as a grungy
teenager fleeing for her life from mask-wearing psychopaths.
She told Dread Central that the movie came around at just the right time, explaining,
"I had actually been reading so much at that moment in my life.
I just had yet to find a horror script that was so smart and so different and engaging,
yet grounded."
Madison was also attracted to the physicality of the role, noting to Daily Dead,
"I'd done some physical stuff before, but that usually happens at the end of filming.
In this, every single day I wanted to have bruises on me, I wanted to feel drained because
that meant I was putting in the work.
Thankfully, the stunt team was all in [...] and they just they put me through the wringer
and they let me do everything except for one shot, and that was only because I had to go
into makeup and get one of the cuts put on, so I missed it.
But I really got put through the wringer for this, and I’m so glad I did."
Despite having fingers in plenty of different pies, acting continues to be Madison's first
love.
Starring as Grace Russell on the Hallmark fantasy series Good Witch, which premiered
in 2015, felt like the ideal spot for her as a young actress transitioning into being
an adult.
Catherine Bell, who plays her onscreen mother, gushed about Madison's professionalism to
Reel Life with Jane in 2019:
"Oh, my God, Bailee is phenomenal.
[...] I mean, I’ve got to say I’ve worked with some child actors in this business, and
she is just unbelievable.
She’s one of a kind.
Sweet, down-to-earth, humble, kind, loving."
The feeling is clearly mutual, as Madison told Assignment X back in 2017 just how much
the show meant to her:
"What I've always loved about this show is, it's not necessarily power, it's what's within
the heart, and I think, as [Grace] grows up, her heart strengthens, and her love for others
does as well."
“I'm gonna have people laughing and in tears, so good luck having to follow that."
Considering her massive career and all it encompasses, it's crazy to think there might
be more Bailee Madison wants to do with her time.
And yet, there is.
When asked by Raw Pages in 2018 about where she sees herself in a decade, she revealed,
"I love the behind-the-scenes world, so hopefully stepping behind the lens a lot more.
Directing is my biggest dream and passion.
And then philanthropy, traveling, and being able to see different cultures."
She also has some less lofty life aspirations, declaring,
"I should learn how to play a sport.
I've tried to play tennis and I broke both my wrists, so I don't really know how that
works."
When it comes to what she wants to ultimately be remembered for in her life, her message
is simple:
"Just being compassionate and kind.
I don't think there's anything more important.
I don't think at the end of life you're like, 'Oh my God you're the girl who had so and
so followers or you did this.'
It's how you treat people.
Who were you on the inside?
I think being remembered as being kind would be the best."
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