# Martha MacIsaac
**Martha MacIsaac** (born 1984) is a Canadian actress, writer, and producer from [Charlottetown](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlottetown), Prince Edward Island, best known for playing Becca in the comedy *Superbad* (2007) and Becca Gilchrist, the president's daughter, in the NBC sitcom *1600 Penn* (2012–2013).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true) |
| Breakthrough role | Becca in *Superbad* (2007), opposite Michael Cera and Jonah Hill[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) |
| Early TV lead | Emily Byrd Starr in *Emily of New Moon* (CBC, 1998)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/) |
| Sitcom lead | Becca Gilchrist in *1600 Penn* (NBC, 2012–2013), 13 episodes[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/55446/martha-macisaac) |
| Other films | *The Last House on the Left* (2009) as Paige, *The Thaw* (2009) as Evelyn, *Battle of the Sexes* (2017) as Jane "Peaches" Bartkowicz[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true) |
| Theatre | Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for her debut in Ibsen's *The Wild Duck*; three consecutive Soulpepper Theatre Company productions from 2006[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) |
| Personal life | Married Kyle McCullough in 2018, two children; previously married to Torre Catalano[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true) |
## Early life and television start
MacIsaac was born and raised in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest and least populated province, and relocated to Toronto at a young age to pursue acting.[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) She began working at age 13, first appearing in a 1995 television commercial for P.E.I. Tourism titled "Come Play on My Island," and landed her first major role as Emily Byrd Starr in the CBC series *Emily of New Moon*, based on [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucy-maud-montgomery)'s books.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/) • [5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/martha-macisaac) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
Through the 2000s she built a television résumé of TV movies and voice work: *This Time Around* (2003), *Suburban Madness* (2004), *I Do, They Don't* (2005), *Night of Terror* (2006), and *In God's Country* (2007), plus recurring voice roles as Melosa in *Di-Gata Defenders*, Edyn in *Magi-Nation*, and additional voices on *Family Guy*.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/) She also guest starred as Kristy Hausman on *This Is Wonderland* and as Dana Stockwell on *Greek*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/55446/martha-macisaac)
## Film career
Her film debut was a small part as a mean party girl in the figure-skating drama *Ice Princess* (2005).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/) In 2007 she was cast as Becca in [Judd Apatow](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-apatow)'s comedy *Superbad*, starring alongside [Michael Cera](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-cera). In a 2022 *Vanity Fair* oral history she recalled auditioning on tape without having read the script, then flying down for a screen test of the drunk bedroom scene, and being "taken in under their Canadian wing" by the largely Canadian cast and crew.[6](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/superbad-oral-history)
She followed with two 2009 releases: the remake of [Wes Craven](https://www.edgepedia.org/wes-craven)'s *The Last House on the Left*, in which she played Paige, the friend and fellow victim of [Sara Paxton](https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-paxton)'s character, and the sci-fi thriller *The Thaw*, opposite [Val Kilmer](https://www.edgepedia.org/val-kilmer), as Evelyn.[7](https://www.comingsoon.net/horror/news/712657-event-the-last-house-on-the-left-qa) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) Later films include *Dead Before Dawn* (2012) with Devon Bostick, *For a Good Time, Call...* (2012), *Battle of the Sexes* (2017) as tennis player Jane "Peaches" Bartkowicz, and *What Keeps You Alive* (2018) as Sarah.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
## Television lead roles and later work
In late 2012 MacIsaac joined the NBC comedy *1600 Penn* in the main role of Becca Gilchrist, the overachieving daughter of President Dale Gilchrist, played by [Bill Pullman](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-pullman); the series ran 13 episodes through 2013.[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/55446/martha-macisaac) She then starred as detective Kate Warne in 22 episodes of *The Pinkertons* (2014–2015).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/55446/martha-macisaac) She has continued to voice Patty on *Family Guy*, with credits spanning 2012 to 2022.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
She has also worked behind the camera, co-writing the short *The Bed* (2015) and serving as executive producer on *Seasick Sailor* (2013) and *Almost Anything* (2015).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
## Theatre
MacIsaac's stage work in Toronto includes a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination, presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, for her theatrical debut as Hedwig in [Henrik Ibsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/henrik-ibsen)'s *The Wild Duck* in 2006.[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) • [5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/martha-macisaac) She then starred in three consecutive productions for the Soulpepper Theatre Company at Toronto's Young Centre for the Performing Arts: *Leaving Home* (as Kathy, 2007), *Our Town* (as Emily Webb, 2006), and *The Time of Your Life*.[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815) • [8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/macisaac-martha-1984-martha-macisaac)
## Personal life
MacIsaac married Kyle McCullough on December 8, 2018; the couple have two children, including daughter Maude Irene McCullough. She was previously married to Torre Catalano.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
## References
1. [Martha MacIsaac, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532900/?showAllCredits=true)
2. [Martha MacIsaac, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15815)
3. [Martha MacIsaac, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/martha-macisaac/)
4. [Martha MacIsaac, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/55446/martha-macisaac)
5. [Martha MacIsaac Movies on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/martha-macisaac)
6. [McLovin It: An Oral History of 'Superbad', Vanity Fair (2022)](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/superbad-oral-history)
7. [Event: The Last House on the Left Q&A, ComingSoon.net (2009)](https://www.comingsoon.net/horror/news/712657-event-the-last-house-on-the-left-qa)
8. [Macisaac, Martha 1984-, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/macisaac-martha-1984-martha-macisaac)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames M to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license