If you grew up watching Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, you probably feel like you already know Cassidy Gifford. Her mom, Kathie Lee, spent years sharing every little milestone, from first words to school plays, with millions of viewers. But honestly, walking into Hollywood with a last name like Gifford is a double-edged sword. People assume doors just fly open. In reality, it often means you have to work twice as hard to prove you aren't just a "nepo baby" taking up space.
Cassidy didn't just stumble into acting because of her parents. She’s been at it since she was a kid, starting with those tiny guest spots on Disney Channel that every millennial remembers. Since then, her resume has become this wild mix of indie sci-fi, faith-based hits, and Hallmark romances.
The Early Years: Disney and the "Acting Bug"
Cassidy’s first professional gig happened when she was 12, but she actually caught the "bug" way back in first grade. She played one of the Three Little Pigs. Most kids just want the candy after the play, but she was hooked for life. Her dad, the late NFL legend Frank Gifford, was a bit skeptical. He and Kathie Lee didn't exactly roll out the red carpet for her career; they told her she had to finish school and stay grounded.
You can spot a very young Cassidy in the mid-2000s on some iconic shows:
- That's So Raven: A quick appearance in 2005.
- The Suite Life on Deck: She popped up here in 2010.
These weren't massive roles, but they were the training ground. She was basically "cutting her teeth" in the industry, learning how a set works while her peers were at summer camp.
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Making a Name in Horror and Sci-Fi
The real shift happened when she moved into feature films. If you’re a fan of found-footage horror, you probably recognize her from The Gallows (2015). She played Cassidy Spilker. It’s a tense, gritty movie about a high school play gone wrong—20 years after a fatal accident on stage. While the movie got mixed reviews from critics, Cassidy was often singled out as a highlight. She’s got this "scream queen" energy that feels authentic, especially in those scenes where things go sideways in the dark school hallways.
Then there’s Time Trap (2017). This one is a bit of a cult favorite. It’s a sci-fi adventure where a group of students get stuck in a cave where time passes differently than on the surface. Basically, seconds inside the cave are years on the outside. Cassidy did almost all of her own stunts for this. She’s mentioned in interviews that unless it was a specialized body shot or a reshoot she couldn't make, that was actually her scaling walls and navigating the rough terrain.
Faith, Family, and The Hallmark Era
Because of her family’s public faith, it wasn’t a huge surprise when she appeared in God’s Not Dead (2014). She played Kara, the girlfriend of the main character, Josh. It was a massive hit in the faith-based film world. Interestingly, a lot of viewers "hated" her character because Kara was so unsupportive of Josh’s stand for his beliefs. Cassidy took it as a compliment—if people are annoyed by the character, it means she played the role exactly how it was written.
In 2017, she jumped over to the Hallmark Channel for Like Cats & Dogs.
It’s a classic Hallmark setup:
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- She’s a dog person.
- The guy is a cat person.
- They’re forced to share a vacation rental.
It’s light, it’s sweet, and it showed a much softer side of her acting compared to the "trapped in a cave" or "hunted by a ghost" roles.
What’s She Up to Now?
Life has changed a lot for Cassidy lately. In June 2020, she married Ben Wierda in a small, private ceremony. Since then, she’s been balancing a growing family with her acting career.
Most recently, she’s been part of The Baxters, a drama series on Prime Video based on the books by Karen Kingsbury. She plays Reagan Decker. What’s cool about this project is that her mom, Kathie Lee, is also involved, though they didn’t actually share screen time in the first season.
As of early 2026, Cassidy is navigating the "mom life" balance. She recently welcomed her second child, Rosie Mae, in June 2025. While she's been a bit quieter on the filming front to focus on her kids, she hasn't stepped away from the industry. She’s frequently seen as a special correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and pops up on the Today show occasionally.
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Why the "Gifford" Legacy Matters
Cassidy has always been vocal about the fact that her parents didn't use their clout to get her jobs. She’s big on work ethic. She once told Parade that the worst thing you can do is waste people's time on set. If you know your lines and show up ready to work, you're respecting the crew who is working just as hard as you are.
If you're looking to binge-watch her work, start with Time Trap for the cool sci-fi concept, then hit The Gallows if you want a good scare.
Your next steps:
To see her latest work, check out The Baxters on Prime Video. It’s probably her most "grown-up" role to date and gives you a good sense of where her career is headed as she moves into this next chapter of life. Keep an eye on the Hallmark Mystery channel as well, as she’s often rumored for new projects in that "cozy mystery" space that fans love.