Emily Rudd
Emily Ellen Rudd is an American actress born February 24, 1993, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, best known for portraying Cindy Berman in Netflix's Fear Street horror trilogy (2021) and Nami in the streaming service's live-action adaptation of the manga series One Piece (2023–present).[1][2][3] Rudd grew up in a small town on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where she developed an early interest in acting through local theater productions.[2] After high school, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment, initially supporting herself with two jobs while taking on her first professional acting gigs in music videos, which provided crucial on-set experience and exposure.[2] Her television debut came in 2017 with the Lifetime film Sea Change, followed by guest appearances in anthology series such as Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (2018) and The Romanoffs (2018).[1] Rudd's breakthrough arrived with the Fear Street films, directed by Leigh Janiak, where she played Cindy Berman in the 1978 installment and her ancestor Abigail Berman in the 1666 prequel segment, earning praise for her performance in the slasher-inspired camp setting.[2][4] Subsequent roles solidified her presence in genre television and film, including Clara in the second season of Amazon Prime's Hunters (2023) and Sophie in the romantic sci-fi comedy Moonshot (2022).[1] Her casting as the clever navigator Nami in One Piece marked a major international milestone, with the series—produced under the supervision of creator Eiichiro Oda—debuting to strong viewership and critical acclaim for its faithful adaptation of the long-running manga.[3][5] In 2024, she voiced Marcille Donato in the English dub of the anime adaptation Delicious in Dungeon, and is set to appear in the 2026 survival thriller Whalefall alongside Elisabeth Shue and Jane Levy.[6][7]Early life
Upbringing and family
Emily Rudd was born on February 24, 1993, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[8] She is the daughter of Jeffrey Rudd and Michelle Rudd (née Keating). Her father, Jeffrey Rudd, died on February 12, 2025.[9] Rudd also has an older brother, Dan.[8] Rudd spent her childhood in Prescott, a small border town between Minnesota and Wisconsin, where her family resided.[10] Her upbringing occurred in a supportive family environment that fostered creativity and artistic expression from an early age.[11] As a teenager, Rudd received early exposure to the arts through participation in local theater productions and modeling gigs, which helped nurture her passion for performance.[12] Her interest in acting developed during this childhood involvement in theater.[13]Education and initial interests
Emily Rudd attended Spring Valley High School in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, where she developed an early passion for the performing arts.[14][15] During high school, she actively participated in drama club activities and theatrical productions, honing her skills in acting and performance.[16] She also participated in sports such as karate, gymnastics, and horseback riding during her youth.[17] These experiences, supported by her family's encouragement of creative pursuits, laid the foundation for her artistic inclinations.[11] Following high school, Rudd pursued formal training in theater at Normandale Community College, earning an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree in Theatre Performance.[18] This education emphasized practical acting techniques and stage work, preparing her for professional opportunities in the industry. She supplemented her college studies with private coaching at Nancy Banks Studio to further refine her craft.[19] Rudd's initial interests extended beyond formal education into hands-on creative projects that introduced her to on-camera work. She appeared in a short promotional film for Best Buy, portraying a Geek Squad agent, which marked one of her early forays into commercial performance.[20] Additionally, she featured in several music videos during the early 2010s, including Royksopp's "I Had This Thing" (2015) and Boy & Bear's "Three Headed Woman" (2013), allowing her to explore narrative roles in a musical context and build her on-screen presence.[21] These endeavors bridged her academic training with emerging acting aspirations, showcasing her versatility before transitioning to scripted television and film roles.Career
Early career and breakthroughs
Rudd's professional journey in acting commenced in the mid-2010s, where she built foundational experience through appearances in music videos for artists including 3LAU and Boy & Bear, alongside short films and modeling assignments with local photographers.[11] These early endeavors honed her on-set skills and helped establish connections with directors, while commercial work for brands further sharpened her ability to convey emotion on camera.[11] Drawing from her college degree in theater performance, Rudd applied disciplined training in character development to these initial projects, transitioning from non-speaking parts to more narrative-driven opportunities.[20] Her entry into scripted television occurred in 2017 with the lead role of Miranda Merchant, a young woman uncovering family secrets on a remote island, in the Lifetime original movie Sea Change. This marked her first substantial on-screen presence in a feature-length production. The following year, she secured guest roles in prominent anthology series, portraying a character in an episode of Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams and Ella Hopkins in The Romanoffs, both of which showcased her versatility in science fiction and dramatic narratives.[11] Rudd's breakthrough arrived in 2021 with the Netflix horror trilogy Fear Street, directed by Leigh Janiak, where she took on the dual roles of Cindy Berman in Part Two: 1978—a resourceful camp counselor confronting supernatural terror—and her ancestor Abigail Berman in Part Three: 1666, a colonial figure enduring witch-hunt horrors.[22] The ensemble films, adapting R.L. Stine's novels, earned critical praise for their inventive storytelling and queer representation, with Rudd's performances highlighted for their emotional depth and physical commitment, propelling her into the horror genre and broadening her industry recognition.[11] This success facilitated her shift toward more prominent roles in high-profile streaming productions.Major roles and recent projects
Following her breakthrough performance in the Fear Street trilogy, Emily Rudd appeared as Ginny in the romantic sci-fi comedy Moonshot (2022) and as Clara, Jonah's fiancée, in seven episodes of the second season of Amazon Prime's Hunters (2023). These roles further demonstrated her range in romantic and dramatic genres.[1] Rudd's most prominent role to date came as Nami, the cunning navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, in Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece, which debuted in August 2023 and quickly became one of the platform's most-watched series.[23] Her portrayal captured the character's intelligence, loyalty, and fiery determination, earning widespread acclaim from fans and critics for its fidelity to Eiichiro Oda's manga while adding emotional depth to Nami's backstory. Season 2 production, filmed primarily in South Africa, wrapped in February 2025; the season has generated positive buzz for its expanded ensemble and practical sets.[24] In 2024, Rudd ventured into voice acting as Marcille Donato, the anxious half-elf mage, in the English dub of the Netflix anime series Delicious in Dungeon, based on Ryoko Kui's manga. This role highlighted her vocal range in delivering Marcille's blend of humor, fear, and determination during the party's fantastical dungeon quests, marking a significant step into animated projects and appealing to anime enthusiasts.[7] Rudd is part of the cast in the survival thriller Whalefall, slated for release on October 16, 2026, by 20th Century Studios. The film follows a scuba diver swallowed by a massive sperm whale, adapted from Daniel Kraus's 2023 novel. Filming began in June 2025 under director Brian Duffield, with co-stars including Elisabeth Shue, Jane Levy, John Ortiz, Austin Abrams, and Josh Brolin.[6] Her rising profile has led to increased public engagements, including an appearance at GalaxyCon St. Louis in October 2025, where she participated in panels and photo ops, discussing her genre-spanning work from horror to adventure. This versatility across sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller formats has solidified Rudd's reputation as an adaptable performer in both live-action and animated media.Filmography
Film
Emily Rudd's feature film credits primarily consist of roles in horror, comedy, and thriller genres, with her breakthrough coming through the Netflix Fear Street trilogy.[25]| Year | Title | Role | Genre and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fear Street Part One: 1994 | Cindy Berman | Horror; lead role in ensemble cast, directed by Leigh Janiak for Netflix.[26] |
| 2021 | Fear Street Part Two: 1978 | Cindy Berman | Horror; lead role, directed by Leigh Janiak for Netflix.[27] |
| 2021 | Fear Street Part Three: 1666 | Cindy Berman / Abigail | Horror; lead role in ensemble cast, directed by Leigh Janiak for Netflix.[28] |
| 2022 | Moonshot | Ginny | Romantic comedy; lead role opposite Cole Sprouse, directed by Christopher Winterbauer for HBO Max. |
| 2023 | Leo | Sammy's Mom (voice) | Animated comedy; supporting voice role, directed by Mark Marek for Netflix. |
| 2026 | Whalefall | TBA | Survival thriller; supporting role in ensemble cast with Josh Brolin and Jane Levy, directed by Brian Duffield for 20th Century Studios, filming as of 2025.[6] |
Television
Rudd made her television debut in anthology formats, portraying supporting characters in sci-fi and drama episodes before securing recurring roles in ongoing series. Her small-screen work spans guest spots, limited arcs, and lead positions in both live-action and animated projects, often highlighting her versatility in portraying resilient young women navigating complex relationships and high-stakes environments.| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes | Network/Streamer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams | Kim | 1 ("Safe and Sound") | Amazon Prime Video | Guest role as a high school student dealing with social dynamics in a futuristic setting. []https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6980876/ |
| 2018 | The Romanoffs | Ella Hopkins | 1 ("Expectation") | Amazon Prime Video | Guest appearance as the pregnant daughter in a family drama exploring interpersonal tensions. []https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7548890/ |
| 2020 | Dynasty | Heidi | 4 | The CW | Recurring role as Liam's ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, appearing in season 3 arcs focused on family custody issues. []https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11881576/ |
| 2023 | Hunters | Clara | 7 | Amazon Prime Video | Recurring in season 2 as Jonah's fiancée, contributing to the thriller's conspiracy narrative without major spoilers. []https://deadline.com/2021/07/hunters-tommy-martinez-emily-rudd-udo-kier-season-2-recurring-1234796192/ |
| 2023–present | One Piece | Nami | 8+ (main cast, ongoing) | Netflix | Lead role in the live-action adaptation as the clever navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, central to the adventure across multiple seasons. []https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/one-piece-cast-live-action-netflix |
| 2024–present | Delicious in Dungeon | Marcille Donato (voice) | 24 (English dub, season 1 complete; ongoing) | Netflix | Voice role as an elf mage in the fantasy anime series, emphasizing her character's analytical and cautious personality in group quests. []https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Delicious-in-Dungeon/Marcille-Donato/ |