Rachel Hilson Bio
Rachel Naomi Hilson (born 1995) is an American actress and writer known for her breakout television work and film roles. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she began acting and dancing at a young age and launched her screen career in 2010 with a recurring role on The Good Wife. Hilson has since appeared in series such as Rise, This Is Us, and Love, Victor, and has taken on leading roles in projects including the Max crime thriller series Duster (2025). She studied at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she crafted a unique curriculum combining writing and performance. Hilson is recognized for her versatility across drama, comedy, and genre projects and continues to build a growing presence in television and film.
Early Life and Background
Rachel Naomi Hilson was born in 1995 in Baltimore, Maryland to Anita and Robert Hilson. She has a sister named Kimberly. Hilson began dancing at age 3, and while she had many aspirations throughout her childhood, her passion for dance remained constant. She dedicated herself to Nutcrackers, spring recitals, dance camps, and recreating scenes from the 2000 movie Center Stage as Eva.
Hilson was discovered by an agent at age 12 and decided to pursue acting. That summer, her mother convinced her to attend the Broadway Artist Alliance in New York. She was then recruited by Nancy Carson of the Carson-Adler Agency, who would later become her agent, to dance in the children’s musical series LazyTown. After traveling to Iceland with her mother for the tapings, Hilson signed with Carson a few months later.
She auditioned for and was accepted into the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she continued dancing and acting while also participating in sports. Hilson credited her high school theater program with helping her overcome her shyness. She later attended New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she created her own curriculum. Throughout college, she performed in several theatre productions including Hamlet. She graduated in 2018 with a concentration in Writing and Performing Race.
Path to Actress
Living in Baltimore, Hilson and her mother would take bus rides to New York for auditions. One of the first auditions she booked was the recurring role of Nisa Dalmar on The Good Wife when she was 15 years old. This marked the beginning of her professional acting career in 2010.
Over the next decade, Hilson appeared in episodes of numerous television series including Royal Pains, Elementary, Nurse Jackie, The Affair, Madam Secretary, The Americans, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and First Wives Club. These guest roles helped her build experience and establish herself in the competitive entertainment industry.
Rachel Hilson Career
Early Career (2010–2017)
Hilson launched her professional acting career in 2010 with her recurring role as Nisa Dalmar on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife. This early role provided her with valuable on-screen experience and marked the beginning of her journey in television. Over the following years, she steadily built her resume with appearances across various popular television series.
In 2017, Hilson achieved a significant milestone when she starred opposite Halle Berry in her first feature film, Kings, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She described the project as a dream come true. That same year, she also had a recurring role as Harmony on NBC’s short-lived musical drama Rise.
Breakthrough (2018–Present)
In 2019, Hilson took on a notable recurring role on the critically acclaimed NBC drama This Is Us, playing the teenage version of Beth Pearson, portrayed by Susan Kelechi Watson. This role brought her wider recognition and demonstrated her ability to embody established characters with nuance and authenticity.
That same year, in August 2019, Hilson replaced Johnny Sequoyah as Mia in Love, Victor, the Hulu teen drama serving as a sequel to the 2018 film Love, Simon. This marked her first role as a series regular, representing a significant step forward in her career. She continued in the role across subsequent seasons of the series.
On August 21, 2021, Hilson joined the cast of HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, further expanding her portfolio of premium cable and streaming work. In 2025, she took on a co-leading role in the Max crime thriller series Duster, playing FBI agent Nina Hayes opposite Josh Holloway. This project represented her most prominent role to date and showcased her versatility in genre storytelling.
Notable Works and Milestones
Throughout her career, Rachel Hilson has demonstrated remarkable range across drama, comedy, and thriller genres. Her journey from a young dancer in Baltimore to a series regular on major streaming platforms reflects her dedication to the craft. Key milestones include her debut on The Good Wife at age 15, her first feature film role alongside Halle Berry in Kings, her acclaimed work on This Is Us, her series-regular breakthrough on Love, Victor, and her co-leading role in Duster. Her educational background in Writing and Performing Race from NYU has informed her approach to performance, adding depth to her portrayal of complex characters.
Rachel Hilson Family
Rachel Naomi Hilson was born to Anita and Robert Hilson in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a sister named Kimberly. Her family supported her passion for performing arts from an early age, with her mother playing a particularly instrumental role in her career development by encouraging her to attend the Broadway Artist Alliance program in New York.
Personal Life
Hilson has spoken publicly about how her high school theater program helped her overcome childhood shyness. She attended New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she designed her own interdisciplinary curriculum with a concentration in Writing and Performing Race. During her college years, she worked part-time as a bread salesman, even serving actress Lupita Nyong’o at one point. She graduated in 2018. Beyond her professional work, Hilson remains active in the entertainment industry, continuing to build her presence through television and film projects.