Claire Holt has built a career hopping from one supernatural world to another, and she’s made it look effortless. Born June 11, 1988, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Claire Rhiannon Holt grew up far from the Hollywood spotlight. As a kid, she was more focused on sports and school than auditions and red carpets.

In fact, Holt was a competitive athlete in her youth. She played water polo, swam, and was involved in a variety of school activities. Acting wasn’t originally the master plan, but like many future stars, she stumbled into it when opportunity knocked—and she was smart enough to answer the door.

Her big break came in 2006 when she was cast as Emma Gilbert in the Australian teen fantasy series H2O: Just Add Water. The show followed three teenage girls who turn into mermaids whenever they touch water, which made everyday activities like showers and swimming pools suddenly very stressful. As the level-headed and disciplined Emma, Holt quickly became a fan favorite. The series was a hit internationally, and for a generation of viewers, she became forever associated with mermaid tails and moonlit transformations.

After two seasons, Holt left the show to pursue other opportunities, determined not to be typecast as the “mermaid girl” forever. That decision paid off. In 2011, she landed a role that would introduce her to an entirely new audience—Rebekah Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries.

As Rebekah, Holt traded fins for fangs. The character was part of the powerful Original vampire family and quickly became one of the show’s most memorable figures. Rebekah could be sweet, ruthless, vulnerable, or terrifying, sometimes all within the same episode. Holt’s performance gave the character depth and helped make her a fan favorite.

She later reprised the role in the spin-off series The Originals, where Rebekah’s story was explored in greater detail. Across both series, Holt built a strong following among fans of supernatural dramas.

Outside the vampire universe, Holt took on a variety of film and television projects. She appeared in the crime drama series Aquarius alongside David Duchovny, though the show struggled with ratings and didn’t last long. She also starred in the thriller 47 Meters Down (2017), a shark-attack film that performed surprisingly well at the box office despite mixed reviews. It wasn’t exactly Oscar bait, but it kept audiences on the edge of their seats—and probably out of the ocean for a while.

Off-screen, Holt is known for her love of fitness. She enjoys yoga, Pilates, and running, and she’s spoken openly about how exercise helps her manage stress and anxiety. She has also used her platform to talk about mental health, sharing her own experiences and encouraging others to seek help when needed.

In her personal life, she married real estate executive Andrew Joblon in 2018, and the couple has children together. Motherhood has become a major part of her life, and she often shares glimpses of her family on social media.

Holt is also a devoted dog lover, and her pets frequently make appearances online. One thing she doesn’t love, however, is seafood—an amusing detail considering she once played a mermaid. It turns out she prefers her fish strictly as fictional co-stars.

From Australian teen fantasy to American supernatural dramas, Claire Holt has shown she can adapt to different roles and audiences. Whether she’s swimming through moonlit waters or commanding a room full of vampires, she’s built a career on versatility, charm, and a willingness to try new things.