Biography
Claire Holt's success in the teen fantasy realm in her native Australia was the perfect jumping off point to a promising career in America. She first made waves with a starring role on the hit series "H20: Just Add Water" (Network 10, 2006-2010), as one of three teenaged girls who led double lives as mermaids. She followed it up with a featured role in "Mean Girls 2" (ABC Family, 2011), as a not-so-bright, promiscuous teenager, before going on to land a recurring role on the teen drama "Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family, 2010- ), as the loyal friend of a high school student with dark, possibly murderous, secrets. Holt then landed an even juicier role on the supernatural drama "The Vampire Diaries" (The CW, 2009-17). Holt's portrayal of beautiful and manipulative "Original" vampire Rebekah was exactly the edge she needed to gain a whole new fan base and set her on a path to becoming one of Hollywood's fastest rising stars. Claire Rhiannon Holt was born on June 11, 1988 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. From an early age, she enjoyed singing, playing the piano and guitar, and was a member of the school choir. A 2005 graduate of Stuartholme High School in Queensland, she first appeared in commercials before launching her acting career on Network 10's popular teen series "H20: Just Add Water," about three teenage girls who transform into mermaids when they come into contact with water. Holt's character, Emma Gilbert, was the most confident and responsible out of the three mermaids, as well as possessed the power to freeze water, and to control clouds, ice and snow. After leaving the series, Holt appeared in the ABC Family made-for-TV movie "Mean Girls 2," a sequel to the blockbuster hit comedy "Mean Girls" (2004) about high school female cliques starring Lindsay Lohan. In the sequel, Holt played a slow-witted blonde with a raging libido. Having had much success on teen fantasy series, Holt continued to make inroads with a recurring role on the drama "Pretty Little Liars," about four girls who run the risk of having their secrets revealed by a mysterious figure who sends them cryptic notes. In 2011, Holt joined the cast of The CW's supernatural drama "The Vampire Diaries," about teenaged Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) who is torn between two vampire brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley ) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). Holt's character, Rebekah, instantly became a fan favorite due in no small part to her queen bee antics and her often humorous desire to enjoy high school despite being a vampire. Typical of Rebekah's behavior she held Elena, Stefan and others captive at the local high school, forcing them to play a manipulative and painful game of truth or dare. In early 2013, Holt joined the cast of a spin-off series "The Originals," along with co-stars Joseph Morgan, who played her sociopathic vampire brother Klaus, and Phoebe Tonkin, who played a werewolf. After the first season, Holt's role on "The Original" moved to recurring status as the actress moved on to star in the '60s-set police procedural series "Aquarius" (NBC 2015-16). Holt also co-starred in survival horror film "47 Meters Down" (2017) opposite Mandy Moore.
