Emily Bett Rickards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emily Bett Rickards
Rickards at the GalaxyCon Austin convention in 2023
Born	(1991-07-24) July 24, 1991 (age 33) British Columbia, Canada
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2009–present
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Emily Bett Rickards (born July 24, 1991) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for playing Felicity Smoak in the TV show Arrow. This was her first big TV role. She also played Felicity in other shows like The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl. She even voiced the character in the cartoon series Vixen.

Early Life and Acting Start

Emily Bett Rickards was born and grew up in British Columbia, Canada. Her mother is Dr. Diane Greig.

From a young age, Emily loved musical theatre and dance. She finished high school early. Then, she went to the Vancouver Film School to study acting. After finishing her studies, she found an agent at an open audition. She also trained her voice at the Alida Vocal Studio. Emily's first professional job was in 2009. She appeared in the music video for the Nickelback song "Never Gonna Be Alone".

Acting Career Highlights

Rickards at PaleyFest in 2015

Becoming Felicity Smoak in the Arrowverse

Emily Rickards got her big break in 2012. This was when she was cast as Felicity Smoak in the TV series Arrow. The show is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow.

She was first hired for just one episode. But her co-star Stephen Amell and other people loved her performance. So, she became a regular star for the rest of the first season. Because her character was so popular, she became a main cast member from the second season onwards.

In 2013, Arrow producer Marc Guggenheim said they were lucky to cast Emily. He said she "just lit up the screen." In 2019, Emily announced she would leave Arrow after its seventh season. However, she returned as a guest star for the show's final episode.

Emily received a lot of praise for her role. Many called Felicity a "fan favourite" character. Critics often said Emily and her character were key to the show's success. She was nominated for many awards, including Teen Choice and Leo Awards. In 2016, her portrayal of Felicity was ranked among the top 50 favorite female characters by The Hollywood Reporter.

Emily also played Felicity in other shows connected to Arrow. These shows are part of what's called the Arrowverse. She appeared in The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl. She also voiced Felicity in the animated show Vixen. In 2013, she played Felicity in a short online series called Blood Rush.

Film Roles and Projects

In 2014, Emily Rickards was cast in Cowgirls 'n Angels: Dakota's Summer. She played Kristen Rose, the sister of the main character. The movie first showed at the 2014 Dallas International Film Festival.

In 2015, she had a supporting role in the movie Brooklyn. This film was nominated for an Oscar. In 2016, she appeared in Slumber. She also had a role in Axis, which won an award at the 2017 Newport Beach Film Festival. Emily also appeared in a short superhero film called Sidekick.

In 2018, she was in the comedy movie Funny Story. This film won several awards at different film festivals. Emily was nominated for 'Leading Actress in a Feature' at the Southampton International Film Festival. In 2019, she appeared in the indie film We Need to Talk. She won 'Best Actress in a Feature' at the FirstGlance Film Festival in 2020 for this role.

In 2024, Emily reunited with her Arrow co-star Stephen Amell in the western movie Calamity Jane. She will also play the main role of Mildred Burke in Queen of the Ring, a movie about the famous female wrestler.

Other Creative Works

In 2016, Emily appeared in a Canadian web series called Paranormal Solutions, Inc.. She also guest-starred in an episode of the comedy show Comedy Bang! Bang!.

In 2018, Emily performed in a play called Reborning in Vancouver. She later reprised her role in the same play in New York City in 2019. In 2018, she narrated an audiobook called The Wicked Ones. This book is part of The Mortal Instruments series.

Helping Others

Emily Bett Rickards is also involved in charity work.

In 2016, she started a T-shirt campaign. All the money raised went to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA).

During Arrow season four, her character became paralyzed. She later regained the ability to walk using a special microchip. Emily filmed a PSA with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. This PSA promoted new treatments for spinal injuries.

In 2019, the Vancouver Film School created the "Emily Bett Rickards Acting Scholarship." This scholarship provides full funding for one student to attend the school's acting programs. It also gives $250,000 in partial funding for other students. Emily helps choose the students who receive these scholarships.

Filmography

Film

Television

Web

Music videos

Stage

Discography

Awards and Nominations

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Emily Bett Rickards para niños