Skye McCole Bartusiak

Skye McCole Bartusiak (September 28, 1992 – July 19, 2014) was an American child actress and child model. She appeared in The Patriot, Don't Say a Word (2001), as Rose Wilder in Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2002), as Megan Matheson on season 2 of 24 (2002–03), Boogeyman (2005), and Kill Your Darlings (2006).

Early life Skye McCole Bartusiak was born on September 28, 1992, in Houston, Texas, to parents Helen (née McCole, actress, director and producer; 1956–2015) and Donald Bartusiak. Her brother, Stephen Dylan (1985–2023), was also a child model.

She attended St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal School and Lutheran South Academy in Houston, and she graduated from Laurel Springs School in Ojai, California, in 2010.

Career Bartusiak first starred in Stephen King's Storm of the Century as young Pippa Hatcher. In 2000, she appeared in The Patriot as the youngest child of a militia leader portrayed by Mel Gibson. She played the young Marilyn Monroe in the TV miniseries Blonde and the psychiatrist's daughter in Don't Say a Word, both in 2001. She also tried her hand at theater, playing in The Miracle Worker with Hilary Swank at the Charlotte Repertory Theatre in North Carolina.

In 2003, Bartusiak returned to period drama with Love Comes Softly, and a year later, she played young Jackie in Against the Ropes with Meg Ryan. and took a lead role as Sunshine in the 2006 film Kill Your Darlings, playing a troubled teen willing to do anything to get the attention of her busy father.

Death On July 19, 2014, Bartusiak died at the age of 21 in her apartment behind her parents' Houston home. Bartusiak's mother, Helen, later reported that she was healthy and did not abuse substances but had recently been experiencing epileptic seizures, which she believed had likely played a role in her daughter's death. That October, however, Bartusiak's primary cause of death was ruled as an accidental drug overdose of hydrocodone and carisoprodol combined with Difluoroethane inhalation.

A memorial service was held in Houston six days later; her brother Stephen told mourners: "If you want to know what makes Skye happy, go out and plant a tree."

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 The Cider House Rules Hazel 2000 The Prophet's Game Adele Highsmith (child) 2000 The Patriot Susan Martin 2001 Don't Say a Word Jessie Conrad 2001 Riding in Cars with Boys Amelia, age 8 2001 The Affair of the Necklace Dove Scenes deleted 2002 Flashpoint Lizzie 2003 Love Comes Softly Missie Davis 2003 The Vest Sara Short film 2004 Against the Ropes Little Jackie Kallen 2005 Boogeyman Franny Roberts 2006 Kill Your Darlings Sunshine 2006 Once Not Far from Home The Little Girl Short film 2006 Razor Sharp Isis/Ice-6 Short film 2008 A Fix Natalie Coleman Short film 2008 Pineapple Alex 2009 Wild About Harry Daisy Goodhart 2011 Good Day for It Rachel 2011 University of Penn Relay Carnival Director 2012 Twelve Hungry Men Jesse Short film 2012 Dr. Oscar Griffith: Hollywood Psychiatrist The Pop Star / Rachel Short film 2012 Sick Boy Lucy

Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Storm of the Century Pippa Hatcher 2 episodes 1999 JAG Rachel Sherkston Episode: "Shakedown" 1999 Judging Amy Marcy Noble Episode: "Presumed Innocent" 1999 Witness Protection Suzie Batton HBO movie 2000 Providence Jessie Episode: "Taking a Chance on Love" 2000 Frasier Girl with Drawing Episode: "The Three Faces of Frasier" 2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jennifer Episode: "Legacy" 2000 The Darkling Casey Obold TV film 2001 Touched by an Angel Sarah Episode: "The Birthday Present" 2001 Blonde Young Norma Jeane Baker TV film 2002 Firestarter: Rekindled Young Charlie McGee TV film 2002 Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Rose Wilder TV film 2002–03 24 Megan Matheson Recurring role (season 2) 2003 Love Comes Softly Missie Davis TV film 2004 George Lopez L'il Bit 2 episodes 2005 House Mary Carroll Episode: "Kids" 2005 Lost Young Kate Austen (voice) Episode: "Born to Run"; uncredited 2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Susan Lester Episode: "Bite Me" 2007 Close to Home Amber Episode: "Fall from Grace"