Thirteen years of network TV grind bought her a directing career that's now busier than her acting ever was.
At a glance
- Known for
- Dr. Allison Cameron on House, Emma Swan on Once Upon a Time
- Before fame
- Appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Kids with Michael Jordan at age 13
- Off-screen
- Runs a book club podcast focused on emerging literary voices
Rise to Fame
A 13-year-old from suburban Illinois landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Kids next to Michael Jordan. She'd already been modeling for JCPenney and selling Rice Krispies in commercials. Her feature debut came two years later, playing Sharon Stone's daughter in Intersection, and by 21 she was leading a horror sequel.
None of that mattered until House. She got cast as Dr. Allison Cameron in 2004, the idealist foil to Hugh Laurie's misanthrope, and stayed for six seasons. The role didn't win her awards, but it made her a recognizable face on a show that pulled massive ratings. She left in 2009, and within two years ABC handed her the lead in Once Upon a Time as Emma Swan, a role she held for another six seasons. That's 13 years of network television without a real break.
In the Spotlight
The pivot happened quietly. She directed an episode of Euphoria in 2019, her first TV directing credit. Then came Dr. Death, where she directed six episodes across two seasons and took an executive producer credit. Yellowjackets, Tracker, One of Us Is Lying. The directing resume now reads longer than most actors' filmographies.
She's still acting. She plays the First Lady in Netflix's The Night Agent Season 3 and shows up in Ryan Murphy's All's Fair. On CBS's Tracker, she both acts and directs, which tells you everything about how she operates now. Her production company is named after her college apartment. Not exactly empire branding, but the output speaks for itself.
Side Notes
Her dad was an Illinois high school band director who won Teacher of the Year from the state board of education. She was an All-State clarinet player, sang in choir, and cheered. The Steppenwolf Theatre training program accepted her in its inaugural year. None of this screams Hollywood, which is sort of the point.
She has a pattern of dating co-stars. Jesse Spencer from House (engaged at the Eiffel Tower, called it off, kept working together). Sebastian Stan from Once Upon a Time (a year, no drama). She married actor Gerardo Celasco quietly enough that fans only caught it when she called him her husband on Instagram in 2022. For someone who spent a decade as the romantic lead on a fairy tale show, she keeps her actual romance remarkably boring.