Background and career
Bailee Madison (born October 15, 1999) is an American actress. Known for her work in film and television, she first gained attention as a child actress and later expanded into mature roles and in the horror genre. Her accolades include three Young Artist Awards, with nominations for a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Saturn Award. Madison gained recognition for her performances as a child in the films Bridge to Terabithia (2007), Brothers (2009), Just Go with It (2011), and Parental Guidance (2012). Her career progressed with recurring role in the Freeform drama series The Fosters (2014–2016) and leading roles in Hallmark's Good Witch (2015–2019) and in the Netflix musical film A Week Away (2021). Madison subsequently garnered recognition for her performances in the horror genre, beginning with the slasher film The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018). This was followed by her portrayal of Imogen Adams in the HBO Max slasher horror series Pretty Little Liars (2022–2024), a spinoff of the eponymous original series, and independent horror film Play Dead (2022). These roles led to her being labeled a scream queen.
Madison was born on October 15, 1999 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Patricia Riley (née Williams) and Daniel Hotte. The youngest of seven children, she has four brothers and two sisters. Her elder half sister, Kaitlin Vilasuso, is also an actress. She has Canadian citizenship through her father. Madison began her career when she was two weeks old, appearing in an Office Depot commercial. Since then, she has appeared in several national commercials for major companies including Disney, SeaWorld, and Cadillac.
In 2006, Madison made her feature film debut in the crime film Lonely Hearts, which received mixed reviews from critics. In 2007, she appeared alongside Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb in Gábor Csupó's fantasy drama Bridge to Terabithia, adapted from Katherine Paterson's novel of the same name. The film was Madison's first box office hit and received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with Madison's performance garnering acclaim. The New York Times critic Jeannette Catsoulis praised the film, Csupó's direction, and the leading performances, including Madison's. The performance earned her two Young Artist Awards. Also in 2007, she acted in the experimental film Look, which was shot entirely on CCTV, and in the Lifetime television drama Saving Sarah Cain. and Nickelodeon fantasy The Last Day of Summer. The latter, despite mixed reviews, won Madison another Young Artist Award.
Continued performances as a child actress came with Phoebe in Wonderland (2008), Brothers (2009), An Invisible Sign (2010), Conviction (2010), Letters to God (2010), and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010). Brothers, a war drama in which she co-stars alongside Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman, received praise from critics and earned Madison nominations for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a supernatural horror film in which she portrayed the daughter of Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce's characters, was her first leading role and another critical success for Madison. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3+1⁄2 stars out of 4, calling it "a very good haunted house film" and adding that it "milks our frustration deliciously." Released theatrically in 2011, the role earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 19th Fangoria Chainsaw Awards. She also played roles in the comedies Just Go with It (2011) and Parental Guidance (2012), both of which were box office hits despite negative critical reception. She starred with James Cromwell in the family film Cowgirls 'n Angels (2012) and in the drama Watercolor Postcards (2013). The former was critically acclaimed for its "family-friendly" appeal. Madison's early career was also characterized by a number of episodic guest roles on television and starring roles in television films. In 2010, she appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Locum" and, in the following year, portrayed Maxine Russo in some episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place at the time when Max Russo was turned into a girl.
In 2013, Madison began playing Hillary in the sitcom Trophy Wife, replacing Gianna LePera who played the character in the pilot. The following year, she began playing the recurring role of Sophia Quinn, a teenager with multiple mental health issues, in the ABC Family/Freeform drama The Fosters. From 2015 to 2021, Madison portrayed Grace Russell, the daughter of Cassie Nightingale, in the Hallmark fantasy series Good Witch. Madison continued in the role until the end of the fifth season in 2019. In 2014 and 2015, Madison starred in the Christmas television film Northpole and sequel Open for Christmas. In his review for Variety, Brian Lowry called it "sweet and inoffensive, one needn't be a complete Grinch to wish the festive doings contained a little more spice and less saccharine." Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Northpole may be a cookie-cutter take on Christmas, but it's one with high-quality ingredients." Matt Roush of TV Guide wrote, "It's all very traditional, conventional, satisfying for those who like their schmaltz as concentrated as a double espresso". In 2017, Madison produced and starred in A Cowgirl's Story. In the same year, it was announced that Madison would star in an adaptation of Rachel Bateman's novel Someone Else's Summer. However, it was never completed. The following year, she portrayed the leading role of Kinsey, a rebellious child in the slasher film The Strangers: Prey at Night, alongside Christina Hendricks and Martin Henderson. Although the film received mixed reviews from critics, Madison's performance was praised and the film was relatively successful at the box office.
In 2021, Madison starred in two musicals, portraying the female romantic lead alongside Kevin Quinn and Michael Evans Behling, respectively, in the Netflix Christian musical drama A Week Away and Warner Bros' A Cinderella Story: Starstruck, and also performed for the soundtracks of both. The former received mostly negative reviews despite being successful on the streaming platform. The following year, Madison played Imogen Adams in the HBO Max slasher horror drama series Pretty Little Liars, a spin-off of the eponymous original series, to critical acclaim. That year, she also led the horror film Play Dead. Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, praising the performances including Madison's. The role, along with her other work in the horror genre, lent her recognition as a scream queen, a title the actress has admitted to "chasing down" in her career. In 2024, Madison signed a deal with Red Van Records, releasing her first single, "Kinda Fun", on January 12, and her second single, "Chiller", on July 26. In April 2026, Madison signed with TFC Management. In 2026, she played a supporting role in the Netflix dark comedy Roommates, led by Sadie Sandler, the daughter of her Just Go with It costar Adam Sandler. The film received mixed reviews from critics. That same year, it was announced Madison would star with the latter Sandler in Grown Ups 3, the long awaited third film in the eponymous film series.
