# Galadriel Stineman
**Galadriel Stineman** (full name Margaret Elizabeth Galadriel Stineman; born 1990) is an American actress, producer, and acting coach known for playing Gwen Tennyson in *[Ben 10: Alien Swarm](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-10-alien-swarm)* (2009), Cassidy Finch in a multi-season arc on ABC's *The Middle*, and providing the voice and appearance of Ashley Brown in the 2015 [PlayStation 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-4) horror game *Until Dawn*.[1](https://superstarsbio.com/bios/galadriel-stineman/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724) • [3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) • [4](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/galadriel-stineman/umc.cpc.6ajzmkpnq2x06tah0u5ufnotz)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, in Kentucky, USA; some databases list Cincinnati, Ohio[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/galadriel-stineman/) • [6](https://www.theTVDB.com/people/393502-galadriel-stineman) |
| Signature roles | Gwen Tennyson in *Ben 10: Alien Swarm* (2009); Cassidy Finch on *The Middle*; Ashley Brown in *Until Dawn* (2015)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724) • [3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) |
| Education | B.A. in Communications, Northern Kentucky University[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) |
| Name origin | Named after the character Galadriel in *The Lord of the Rings*, which her mother read while pregnant[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/) |
| Producing | Producer on *Plus One at an Amish Wedding* (2022) and the *Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries* films and series (2025–2026)[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/) |
| Writing | Author of two books, *Love Against the Autumn Sky* and *Planted in Christmas*[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) |
| Other work | Career consulting since 2017; acting coach at Stineman/Joy Studios in Los Angeles[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/?showAllCredits=true) • [3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) |
## Early life and name
Stineman was born in 1990. Most entertainment databases, including TV Insider, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes, give her birthplace as Kentucky, while TheTVDB and [TV Time](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-time) list [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati), Ohio.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/galadriel-stineman/) • [6](https://www.theTVDB.com/people/393502-galadriel-stineman) Her full name is Margaret Elizabeth Galadriel Stineman.[1](https://superstarsbio.com/bios/galadriel-stineman/) According to her IMDb trivia entry, she was named after the character [Galadriel](https://www.edgepedia.org/galadriel) in *The Lord of the Rings*, which her mother read while pregnant; her nicknames are Gee and Gala.[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/)
She graduated from [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-kentucky-university) with a B.A. in Communications and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff)
## Television and film career
**Early roles.** Stineman's screen career began around 2009 with the television movie *Ben 10: Alien Swarm*, in which she played Gwen Tennyson.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724) Early film credits include *Junkyard Dog* (2010, as Audra), *Betrayed at 17* (2011, as Brooke Brandeis), *Walking the Halls* (2012, as Emma), and *Operation Cupcake* (2012, as Kim Carson).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724) • [6](https://www.theTVDB.com/people/393502-galadriel-stineman)
**The Middle.** Apple TV's profile names Cassidy Finch on *The Middle* alongside Gwen Tennyson as the roles she is best known for.[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/galadriel-stineman/umc.cpc.6ajzmkpnq2x06tah0u5ufnotz) Cassidy was Axl Heck's tutor, a love interest introduced in season 4, and Stineman's guest appearances on the series ran from 2011 through 2017 across a multi-season arc.[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/galadriel-stineman/umc.cpc.6ajzmkpnq2x06tah0u5ufnotz) • [6](https://www.theTVDB.com/people/393502-galadriel-stineman) In a 2026 interview she described Cassidy as the role she is best known for.[9](https://www.jubileecast.com/articles/35687/20260402/galadriel-stineman-talks-sugarcreek-amish-mysteries-faith-and-finding-belonging-in-uptv-s-new-series.htm)
**Guest appearances.** Her guest and recurring television credits include *True Blood*, *Glee*, *Shameless*, *NCIS*, *NCIS: Los Angeles*, *Bones*, *Good Luck Charlie*, *Austin & Ally*, *Rizzoli & Isles*, *Major Crimes*, *Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders*, *The Kids Are Alright*, *This Is Us*, *9-1-1*, and *Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage* (2024, as Cynthia).[10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/galadriel-stineman/credits/3030107927/) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/)
**Amish-themed films.** Since 2017 she has appeared frequently in made-for-television films set in Amish communities, including *Runaway Romance* (2018), *Paint by Murder* (2018), *From the Heart* (2020), *Plus One at an Amish Wedding* (2022), and *Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise* (2025). In a 2026 interview she said Cheryl Cooper, her lead role in the UPtv series *Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries*, was "probably my fifth or sixth character in an Amish project," and she attributed the run of similar roles to a production team that specializes in the genre.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724) • [9](https://www.jubileecast.com/articles/35687/20260402/galadriel-stineman-talks-sugarcreek-amish-mysteries-faith-and-finding-belonging-in-uptv-s-new-series.htm) The series premiered on UP Faith & Family on April 16 and on UPtv on April 23, 2026.[9](https://www.jubileecast.com/articles/35687/20260402/galadriel-stineman-talks-sugarcreek-amish-mysteries-faith-and-finding-belonging-in-uptv-s-new-series.htm)
## Until Dawn
In 2015 Stineman provided the voice and appearance for Ashley Brown, one of the eight playable characters in *Until Dawn*, an interactive drama horror game developed by [Supermassive Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/supermassive-games) and released on PlayStation 4; her studio biography describes the game as a BAFTA-winning breakout hit.[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) • [4](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/galadriel-stineman/umc.cpc.6ajzmkpnq2x06tah0u5ufnotz)
In a 2017 interview quoted in a [Concordia University](https://www.edgepedia.org/concordia-university) master's thesis on gender in games, Stineman reflected on her character's body design: "I know they used a pretty typical Barbie-type body on us. [...] It would have been nice to use our actual body types in the game."[11](https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/983664/1/Waldie_MA_S2018.pdf)
## Producing, writing, and coaching
Stineman has moved into production, with producer credits on *Plus One at an Amish Wedding* (2022), *Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise* (2025), and the *Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries* series (2026), and associate producer credits on *Hometown Remedy* (2023), *Murder, Anyone?* (2022), and *La Receta Del Amor* (2023).[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/) She has also worked as a script consultant on *I See You* (2019) and *Finding Love in Sisters* (2024).[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/?showAllCredits=true)
She has authored two books, *Love Against the Autumn Sky* and *Planted in Christmas*, and has appeared in more than 20 national commercials.[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) Her IMDb biography adds that her novels were published under the pen name Willa Frederic and that she has screenplays and treatments in development.[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/?showAllCredits=true) In 2017 she began offering career consulting for actors, covering topics such as building a team of representatives and re-branding after a genre-specific role.[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/?showAllCredits=true) She and her husband, the actor Kevin Joy, run Stineman/Joy Studios in Los Angeles, where she works as an acting coach; the couple have two children.[3](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/)
## References
1. [Galadriel Stineman – Biography, Facts & Life Story, Super Stars Bio](https://superstarsbio.com/bios/galadriel-stineman/)
2. [Galadriel Stineman Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/771072724)
3. [Staff – Galadriel Stineman, Stineman/Joy Studios](https://www.stinemanjoystudios.com/staff)
4. [Galadriel Stineman Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/galadriel-stineman/umc.cpc.6ajzmkpnq2x06tah0u5ufnotz)
5. [Galadriel Stineman – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/galadriel-stineman/)
6. [Galadriel Stineman, TheTVDB.com](https://www.theTVDB.com/people/393502-galadriel-stineman)
7. [Galadriel Stineman, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/)
8. [Galadriel Stineman, IMDb (all credits)](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3004687/?showAllCredits=true)
9. [Galadriel Stineman Talks "Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries," Faith, and Finding Belonging in UPtv's New Series, JubileeCast](https://www.jubileecast.com/articles/35687/20260402/galadriel-stineman-talks-sugarcreek-amish-mysteries-faith-and-finding-belonging-in-uptv-s-new-series.htm)
10. [Galadriel Stineman List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/galadriel-stineman/credits/3030107927/)
11. [Waldie, M.A. thesis (2018), Concordia University Spectrum](https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/983664/1/Waldie_MA_S2018.pdf)
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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