Emily Carey Bio
Emily Joanna Carey (born 30 April 2003) is an English actor who began performing on the West End as a child and moved into television and film work. They are known for roles that range from long-running television drama to high-profile franchise films and recent leading roles in streaming series.
Early Life and Background
Emily Joanna Carey was born on 30 April 2003 in the London Borough of Barnet and grew up in East Sussex. They were raised by their mother, Sarah MacDonnell, who worked as a talent agent and formerly acted, and spent much of their childhood backstage with family members employed in theatre.
Carey was educated at the independent co-educational Claremont School until the age of 14, leaving in part for mental health reasons while continuing to pursue performance opportunities. Early exposure to theatre through family connections, including a grandmother who worked as a West End wardrobe supervisor, helped make acting a natural path for them.
Path to Celebrity
Carey’s professional stage career began very young: they made a West End debut in Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane at the age of nine and soon appeared as Marta von Trapp in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Those early stage credits established practical experience in large-scale productions and trained them in the disciplines of live performance.
Transitioning from stage to screen, Carey secured television work that built steadily from supporting appearances to regular and leading roles. Modeling representation followed as Carey signed with IMG Models in 2019, broadening their public profile while they continued to develop on-screen credits.
Emily Carey Career
Early Career (2012–2017)
Carey began their professional career in 2012 with West End and open-air theatre roles that showcased their stage training and versatility. In 2014 they joined the cast of the BBC medical drama Casualty as Grace Beauchamp, a regular role they played through 2017 and later reprised in 2021, with storylines that included a long-running recovery arc which Carey researched to ensure an accurate portrayal.
During this period they also appeared in the ITV series Houdini & Doyle and earned recognition among young performers; publications noted their profile among top child actors. Those years established Carey as a reliable young performer across television and theatre prior to their first screen appearances in major feature films.
Wonder Woman and Tomb Raider Breakthrough (2017–2018)
Carey made their feature film debut as the young Diana Prince in the DC film Wonder Woman (2017), a role that required studying the adult character to match speech and mannerisms. The film’s critical and commercial success exposed Carey’s work to an international audience and demonstrated their ability to support large-studio productions.
They followed with the role of a young Lara Croft in Tomb Raider (2018), further establishing Carey’s capacity to portray younger incarnations of iconic characters in major franchises. Those small but visible film parts helped bridge their stage and television background with mainstream cinema opportunities.
Television Lead Roles and Voice Work (2020–2022)
Carey secured their first leading television role in the BBC and Netflix teen drama Get Even (2020), playing Mika Cavanaugh in a series that addressed bullying and social media harm. In tandem with on-screen roles, Carey expanded into feature animation voice work, voicing Anne Frank in Where Is Anne Frank (2021) and Mila in Monster Family 2 (2021), marking a deliberate move into vocal performance for film.
Those projects demonstrated Carey’s range across genres and formats, from teen drama to animated features, and established their adaptability between on-camera and voice roles heading into more prominent dramatic opportunities.
House of the Dragon Breakthrough (2022)
Carey achieved a career breakthrough with their portrayal of young Alicent Hightower in the HBO series House of the Dragon (2022), the Game of Thrones prequel adapted from Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin. Their performance drew praise from critics, with reviewers calling the work carefully composed and noting a strong, convincing portrayal that helped define the younger stage of a central character.
The role increased Carey’s international visibility and positioned them as a performer capable of handling emotionally complex material within a large ensemble and high-profile production, expanding the range of roles offered to them in subsequent years.
Geek Girl Era (2024–Present)
Carey starred as Harriet Manners in the Netflix teen drama Geek Girl (2024), a leading role adapted from Holly Smale’s novel that Carey described as personally meaningful. Their portrayal received favorable responses from reviewers, who highlighted the authenticity and emotional resonance of the performance.
Following Geek Girl, Carey was confirmed to return as Harriet Manners for the series’ second season and to take part in several film and television projects announced alongside that return, signaling an active period of screen work and continuing momentum in both streaming drama and film development.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carey’s acting style blends stage-trained clarity with a naturalistic screen presence, allowing them to transition between theatrical projection and subtle on-camera work. Their strengths include credible portrayals of younger versions of established characters, thoughtful preparation for role continuity, and an ability to bring emotional nuance to ensemble and lead parts across genres.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include a West End debut at age nine, a multi-year run on the BBC series Casualty, feature-film debuts in major studio productions, a praised turn in House of the Dragon, and a lead role in the Netflix series Geek Girl. Carey’s expansion into voice work and modeling representation with IMG Models are additional markers of a diversified career to date.
Emily Carey Career Wins
Rather than traditional awards totals, Carey’s career highlights consist of a steady progression from stage to screen, notable franchise film appearances, a breakthrough dramatic role on a major HBO series, voice credits in animated features, and a recent leading role on a global streaming platform. These credits represent verifiable milestones across theatre, television, film, and voice work.
House of the Dragon Highlights
Carey’s work as young Alicent Hightower stands out as a defining television performance that broadened their profile internationally and attracted critical commentary praising the composure and depth of the portrayal. The role contributed directly to offers for further leading dramatic work and to their casting in prominent streaming projects.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Other significant performances include the BBC medical drama Casualty, the lead role in the teen drama Get Even, and voice work in Where Is Anne Frank and Monster Family 2. Early stage roles in Shrek the Musical and The Sound of Music remain foundational credits in their development as an actor.
Emily Carey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Carey comes from a family with theatrical ties: their mother, Sarah MacDonnell, worked as a talent agent and actor, and their grandmother served as a wardrobe supervisor in the West End. Regular exposure to theatre from early childhood gave Carey familiarity with performance and backstage life that influenced career choices.
Personal Life
Carey is autistic, identifies as queer and non-binary, and uses they/them pronouns. Publicly shared personal relationships reported in media include a past relationship with musician Kellimarie Willis and, in 2024, a relationship with English actress Jessica Revell.
2025 Season Performance
Looking to 2025, Carey is slated to return as Harriet Manners for the second series of Geek Girl and is due to appear in the films Becoming Capa and Oddly Flowers, as well as portraying Victoria Chase in the television adaptation of the video game Life Is Strange. These confirmed projects indicate a balance of returning streaming work, feature film roles, and a new series adaptation that will keep Carey visible across multiple platforms.
With that slate, Carey’s outlook into 2025 is aligned with continued expansion into leading and varied roles, building on stage foundations while increasing presence in international television and film markets.