# Emily Swallow
**Emily Swallow** is an American actress known for playing the Armorer in the Disney+ live-action [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) series *The Mandalorian* and *The Book of Boba Fett*, and Amara, also called the Darkness, on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s *Supernatural*. She works across television, voice acting, video games, and stage, and began her career on Broadway and in regional theater.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979, Washington, D.C.; grew up in Sterling, Virginia, and Jacksonville, Florida[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/) |
| Training | BA in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Virginia (2001); MFA, NYU Tisch Graduate Acting Program[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/) |
| Signature roles | The Armorer in *The Mandalorian* (2019–2023, 9 episodes) and *The Book of Boba Fett*; Amara/The Darkness in *Supernatural* (2015–2020)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/) |
| Other series work | FBI Agent Kim Fischer on *The Mentalist*; Dr. Michelle Robidaux on *Monday Mornings*; Natalie Pierce on *SEAL Team* (2019–2021, 15 episodes)[3](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/) |
| Voice and game work | Lisa Tepes in Netflix's *Castlevania* and *Castlevania: Nocturne*; Puck in Prime Video's *Secret Level*; voice and motion capture for Emily in *The Last of Us Part II*[4](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble2/emily-swallow) |
| Stage honors | Ovation Awards for *The Country House* (2014) and *Cry It Out* (2019); Falstaff Award for Best Female Performer, 2010, as Kate in *The Taming of the Shrew* at the Old Globe[5](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/) |
## Early life and education
Swallow was born in Washington, D.C., in 1979 and grew up in [Sterling, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/sterling-virginia), and [Jacksonville, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacksonville-florida)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/). Performing was part of her childhood; she sang in a church choir and appeared in plays at Theatre Jacksonville in middle and high school, but she did not consider acting as a career at that stage[6](https://www.jacksonvillemag.com/2015/10/01/caught-act/). At Stanton College Preparatory School she began acting in college, amateur, and professional theater productions[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/).
She enrolled at the [University of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-virginia) intending a career in the foreign service, earning a BA in Middle Eastern Studies in 2001 and interning at the State Department[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/). An acting teacher at UVA noticed her talent for acting and singing and encouraged her to pursue further training[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/). While at UVA she appeared in productions of *The Wiz*, *Into the Woods*, and *A Chorus Line*[7](https://www.uvamagazine.org/articles/uva_grad_thrives_as_armorer_in_the_mandalorian). After graduating she moved to New York and was accepted into the MFA program at NYU's Tisch Graduate Acting Program[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/). She has said the multidisciplinary nature of her major shaped how she chooses projects[7](https://www.uvamagazine.org/articles/uva_grad_thrives_as_armorer_in_the_mandalorian).
## Stage career
Swallow's early professional work was in theater. She appeared on Broadway in the musical *High Fidelity* and off-Broadway in [John Patrick Shanley](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-patrick-shanley) and Henry Krieger's *Romantic Poetry* at Manhattan Theatre Club, *Measure for Pleasure* at the Public Theater, and *The Black Eyed* at New York Theatre Workshop[3](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/). Regional credits include *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof*, *The Taming of the Shrew*, *King Lear*, *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, and *Lobby Hero*[3](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/).
Her stage work has drawn awards. She won the Falstaff Award for Best Female Performer in 2010 for playing Kate in *The Taming of the Shrew* at the Old Globe in San Diego[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/). She appeared in the world premiere of Donald Margulies' *The Country House* at the Geffen Playhouse, which earned her a 2014 Ovation Award, and in *Cry It Out* at the Echo Theater Company, which earned a 2019 Ovation Award[5](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1). In 2013 she created the role of Flo opposite [Mark Rylance](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-rylance) in *Nice Fish*, a world premiere written by Rylance and poet Louis Jenkins at the Guthrie Theatre[3](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/). In 2016 she was part of the LA Drama Critics' Circle Award-winning production of Ayad Akhtar's *Disgraced* at the Mark Taper Forum[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/), and in 2018 she played opposite [Tom Hanks](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-hanks) in the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles production of *Henry IV*[5](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1). In 2012 she and singer-comedienne Jac Huberman created the stage show *Jac N Swallow*, performed in New York at the Laurie Beechman Theater and Joe's Pub[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/).
## Television
Swallow's first television role was in *Guiding Light*, followed by guest parts in *Southland*, *Ringer*, *The Good Wife*, *NCIS*, *Flight of the Conchords*, *Medium*, and *Rizzoli & Isles*[8](https://thehubproductions.com/bio-emily-swallow/). She was a series regular as Dr. Michelle Robidaux on [David E. Kelley](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-e-kelley) and [Sanjay Gupta](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-gupta)'s TNT medical drama *Monday Mornings*, and played FBI Agent Kim Fischer on CBS's *The Mentalist*[3](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/). For the Fischer role, a 14-episode stint, she drew on her Middle Eastern Studies background[6](https://www.jacksonvillemag.com/2015/10/01/caught-act/). She later recurred on ABC's *How to Get Away with Murder*, appeared opposite [Matt LeBlanc](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-leblanc) in *Man with a Plan*, and played Natalie Pierce on CBS's *SEAL Team* from 2019 to 2021[5](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/).
**Supernatural.** Swallow joined The CW's *Supernatural* in its eleventh season as Amara, also known as the Darkness, a primordial being and sister of God, and played the role from 2015 to 2020[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/) • [7](https://www.uvamagazine.org/articles/uva_grad_thrives_as_armorer_in_the_mandalorian). She has described connecting to the character through Amara's vulnerability and her frustration at not being heard, and returned for the long-running series' final season[7](https://www.uvamagazine.org/articles/uva_grad_thrives_as_armorer_in_the_mandalorian) • [5](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1).
**Star Wars.** StarWars.com announced on December 12, 2018, that Swallow had been cast in *The Mandalorian*, Jon Favreau's live-action Star Wars series for Disney+[9](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Emily_Swallow). The audition process was secretive; the character description said only that she was the leader of a group of people in hiding and that she was masked[9](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Emily_Swallow). Her theater background in mask work prepared her for the part[9](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Emily_Swallow). She was asked to perform with a British accent at the audition, and after landing the role she combined British and Mid-Atlantic accent elements in her performance, convincing many viewers she was British[10](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/). She played the Armorer across the series' run from 2019 to 2023 in nine episodes, and reprised the role in *The Book of Boba Fett*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/).
## Voice and video game work
Swallow voices Dracula's wife Lisa Tepes in Netflix's animated *Castlevania* and its sequel series *Castlevania: Nocturne*[4](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble2/emily-swallow). She voiced Puck in the "PAC-MAN: Circle" episode of the Prime Video anthology *Secret Level*[4](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble2/emily-swallow). In video games she did voice and motion-capture work for the character Emily in *The Last of Us Part II* (2020)[4](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble2/emily-swallow). She has also taught a course on genre acting, covering science fiction, horror, superhero, supernatural, and video game projects, at UCLA[11](https://www.nycastings.com/versatility-in-acting-emily-swallow-on-her-expansive-career/).
## Personal life
Swallow married actor Chad Kimball on August 26, 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/).
## References
1. [Emily Swallow, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/)
2. [Emily Swallow, Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/bio/)
3. [Emily Swallow, Geffen Playhouse](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/emily-swallow/)
4. [Emily Swallow, Interact Theatre Company](https://www.interactla.org/ensemble2/emily-swallow)
5. [About, Emily Swallow official site](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/blank-1)
6. [Caught in the Act, Jacksonville Magazine (October 1, 2015)](https://www.jacksonvillemag.com/2015/10/01/caught-act/)
7. [UVA grad thrives as Armorer in The Mandalorian, Virginia Magazine](https://www.uvamagazine.org/articles/uva_grad_thrives_as_armorer_in_the_mandalorian)
8. [Bio, Emily Swallow, The Hub Productions](https://thehubproductions.com/bio-emily-swallow/)
9. [Emily Swallow, Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Emily_Swallow)
10. [Emily Swallow, The Armorer, official site](https://www.officialemilyswallow.com/)
11. [Versatility in Acting: Emily Swallow on Her Expansive Career, NYCastings](https://www.nycastings.com/versatility-in-acting-emily-swallow-on-her-expansive-career/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Sp to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license