Emily Joanna Carey Bio
Emily Joanna Carey (born 30 April 2003) is an English actor who began performing on stage as a child and progressed to recurring television roles and supporting parts in major films. They built a profile as a young actor who frequently portrayed younger versions of iconic characters before expanding into leading roles on television and voice work in animated features.
Early Life and Background
Emily Joanna Carey was born in the London Borough of Barnet on 30 April 2003. From a young age they spent time backstage with family: their grandmother worked as a West End wardrobe supervisor, and Carey has described helping pair costumes as an early introduction to theatrical life.
They were scouted by an agent at around eight years old and later took weekend classes through MX Masterclass after being invited by Michael Xavier, a connection made through early stage work. That combination of early scouting, family exposure to theatre, and formal weekend training provided a foundation for a professional stage and screen career.
Path to Celebrity
Carey’s initial visibility came through West End and open-air theatre productions, where they developed stagecraft in musical and dramatic roles. Early casting in prominent stage productions led to screen auditions and a transition from theatre to television and film projects.
As Carey moved into television, they steadily accumulated credits that showcased range across drama, fantasy and youth-oriented projects. They also signed with IMG Models in 2019, broadening their professional profile beyond acting and underscoring early industry recognition.
Emily Joanna Carey Career
Early Career (2012–2016)
Carey began performing professionally on stage in productions including the West End production of Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and as Marta von Trapp in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. These early stage roles established their presence in London theatre and led to further casting opportunities.
They made the transition to television in 2014 when they joined the cast of BBC One’s Casualty as Grace Beauchamp, a role they played through 2017 and later reprised in 2021. During this period Carey also appeared in a recorded music video and secured supporting appearances on television dramas, building steady screen experience while still a teenager.
Breakthrough (2017–2024)
Carey’s feature film debut came in 2017 with a credited appearance as young Diana Prince in the DC Universe film Wonder Woman, a role that brought international visibility due to the film’s large audience. The following year they were cast as young Lara Croft in the 2018 Tomb Raider reboot, again taking a younger version of an established franchise character and reinforcing a pattern that connected Carey to major studio projects.
Beyond these high-profile young-character portrayals, Carey expanded into projects with greater narrative weight and recurring television visibility. In 2020 they appeared as Mika Cavanaugh in the BBC iPlayer series Get Even, a teen drama that reached international audiences through Netflix distribution, and they played the title role in the Netflix film Anastasia: Once Upon a Time, which broadened their screen lead experience.
Carey also developed a body of voice work for animation during this period, portraying Anne Frank in Where Is Anne Frank and voicing Mila in Monster Family 2. These animated roles demonstrated their adaptability to different performance mediums and contributed to a diversified resume that includes stage, television, film and voice acting.
A notable television milestone arrived in 2022 when Carey was cast as the young Alicent Hightower in the HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones adapted from George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. The part paired Carey with an established ensemble and placed them in a prominent high-profile series with international reach, with the older version of the character played by Olivia Cooke.
In 2024 Carey led the Netflix adaptation of Holly Smale’s young adult novel Geek Girl as Harriet Manners, a role that marked a move into leading television drama aimed at young-adult audiences. The series debut in May 2024 expanded Carey’s profile as a lead performer on a global streaming platform, and in April 2025 Netflix announced a renewal for a second season with Carey confirmed to return, signaling ongoing engagement with the project.
Notable Works and Milestones
Across stage, television and film Carey is known for a mix of early West End theatre work, a recurring role on the long-running BBC series Casualty, portrayals of young versions of major franchise characters in Wonder Woman and Tomb Raider, voice roles in animated features, and a high-profile television role in House of the Dragon. Signing with IMG Models in 2019 and moving into lead roles on streaming platforms mark standing milestones in a career that began in childhood and has shifted toward leading parts in adult-oriented projects.
Emily Joanna Carey Family
Public records and verified profiles note Carey’s family connection to the West End through their grandmother, who worked as a wardrobe supervisor; further family details are not publicly documented in authoritative sources. That early family exposure to theatre contributed to Carey’s familiarity with stage production and backstage processes from a young age.
Personal Life
Carey is publicly identified as autistic and uses they/them pronouns. They identify as queer and non-binary, and they have engaged in charitable activity, including support for campaigns such as The Children’s Trust #MyBrave initiative.
Carey’s public profile emphasizes their professional work and advocacy for representation and accessibility in the arts; beyond their stated identity and charitable involvement, personally private information such as family specifics or partnership status is not presented in verified public records used here.