About Emily VanCamp
Born 1986. Emily VanCamp is a Canadian actor and ballet dancer.
Emily Irene VanCamp (; born May 12, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She gained acclaim and international recognition for portraying the lead role of Emily Thorne on the ABC series Revenge (2011–2015). She also starred on The WB drama series Everwood (2002–2006), the ABC family drama series Brothers & Sisters (2007–2010), and the Fox medical drama series The Resident (2018–2022).
VanCamp has also appeared in various films, including Black Irish (2007), Carriers (2009), Norman (2010), The Girl in the Book (2015), and Boundaries (2016), as well as other television series such as Glory Days (2002). Since 2014, she has portrayed Sharon Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Early life VanCamp was born on May 12, 1986, in Port Perry, Ontario. Her father is an animal nutritionist, and her first job was working for him, delivering food to clients in and around her hometown. VanCamp started to dance at age three.
Career 1998–2002: Career beginnings In 1998, VanCamp became interested in acting after visiting her sister Katie on the set of the film Ladies Room. found an agent, and worked on a few commercials. She then was cast in the second part of a special three-part episode of the Canadian children's horror anthology television series Are You Afraid of the Dark? called "The Silver Sight", in which she played opposite a 17-year-old Elisha Cuthbert. VanCamp's character was present in one scene and did not speak any dialogue.
VanCamp followed this with a role as a teenage Jackie Bouvier in the Emmy-nominated CBS TV movie Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis and a guest spot on the YTV sitcom Radio Active. The following year saw the release of her first theatrical film, the lesbian-themed drama Lost and Delirious, in which she played a supporting role as Jessica Paré's sister, and another television guest spot in an episode of the short-lived medical horror series All Souls, where she played a hit-and-run victim with spinal trauma. VanCamp also had roles in the miniseries Dice, directed by Rachel Talalay, and in the TV film Redeemer, directed by Graeme Clifford, which aired in early 2002.
2003–2010: Breakthrough and television work VanCamp's breakthrough came at age 15 when she was cast as Sam Dolan, a series regular role, in the WB mid-season show Glory Days (known in Europe as Demontown), the third TV series from Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. The horror mystery received mildly positive reviews, but was a ratings disappointment and was cancelled after nine episodes. VanCamp's performance as the lead character's younger sister caught the eye of former Dawson's Creek writer Greg Berlanti. He cast her in his forthcoming first show, Everwood, also for the WB. The Jon Robin Baitz–created series chronicles the lives of the Walkers, a wealthy family who owns a food company. After their patriarch dies, it is revealed he has a secret child from a long-standing affair. Initially, it was believed that Rebecca Harper, played by VanCamp, is the secret child, but this was proven otherwise later in the series.
VanCamp remained a regular on Brothers & Sisters during the show's first four seasons and returned as a guest for a few episodes in the fifth and final season to wrap up her character's storyline. While working on the show, she found the time to star in the independent drama Norman in mid-2008, which earned her awards from the San Diego Film Festival and the Breckenridge Festival of Film, her only wins to date. The film has her playing the girlfriend of main character Norman Long, played by Dan Byrd, who pretends he is dying of cancer. VanCamp also starred in the two-part TV film Ben Hur, the latest adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, in which she played Ben-Hur's wife Esther.
2011–present: Revenge and other projects
VanCamp starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame film Beyond the Blackboard, based on the true story of Stacey Bess, whom VanCamp plays. The film aired on CBS on April 24, 2011. She was then cast as Amanda Clarke / Emily Thorne in the ABC drama Revenge, which was given a series order in May 2011. As the first TV show VanCamp truly headlined, Revenge gave her a significant amount of recognition, including multiple Teen Choice Awards nominations.
VanCamp co-starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Sharon Carter, a potential loyal friend of Chris Evans' titular hero and the great-niece of Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell. The film was shot from April through June 2013 and was released on April 4, 2014. VanCamp reprised her role in the 2016 sequel Captain America: Civil War, the 2021 Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the animated series What If...?
VanCamp starred in the independent drama The Girl in the Book, which started filming in mid-June 2013 in New York City. Based on a true story, the film centers on VanCamp's character Alice, a 28-year-old assistant book editor and aspiring writer. To fund its post-production, the film's producers launched a crowdfunding Kickstarter campaign on June 17, 2013, which successfully surpassed its $65,000 goal on July 1.
In 2016, she starred in the French-Canadian independent drama Boundaries, also known as "Pays" in French, which was her first bilingual role where she spoke in fluent French.
In March 2017, VanCamp was cast as nurse practitioner Nicolette "Nic" Nevin, the female lead in the Fox medical drama The Resident, whose character has a complicated romantic history and relationship with the main character, Dr. Conrad Hawkins, played by Matt Czuchry. In May 2017, Fox ordered the pilot to series. In 2021, VanCamp left The Resident after four seasons, to focus on her family, although she did return for the fifth-season finale.
Personal life VanCamp has three sisters. She speaks French fluently and has said she "feels at home" when she hears the language. She studied and trained in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap dance as a child, which she credits with helping her through her fight scenes on Revenge.
VanCamp began dating English actor and Revenge co-star Josh Bowman in late 2011. On May 11, 2017, the couple announced they were engaged. They married on December 15, 2018, in the Bahamas. In 2021, VanCamp announced the birth of their first child, a daughter, on her Instagram account. In 2024, VanCamp gave birth to their second daughter. VanCamp is an equal pay supporter and is involved in charitable efforts to help endangered tigers.
Filmography Film
Television
Awards and nominations
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Family & relationships
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Emily VanCamp?
Canadian actress
When was Emily VanCamp born?
Emily VanCamp was born on 12 May 1986 in Port Perry.
What is Emily VanCamp's occupation?
Emily VanCamp is an actor and ballet dancer.
What nationality is Emily VanCamp?
Emily VanCamp is Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Emily VanCamp. https://biography.guide/emily-vancamp/
MLA: "Emily VanCamp." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/emily-vancamp/.
Chicago: "Emily VanCamp." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/emily-vancamp/.
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