# Italia Ricci
**Italia Ricci** (born Stephanie Italia Ricci in 1986, in [Richmond Hill, Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/richmond-hill-ontario), Canada) is a Canadian-American actress best known for playing April Carver in the ABC Family drama *Chasing Life* (2014–2015) and Emily Rhodes in the political thriller *Designated Survivor* (2016–2019)[1](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/italia-ricci-33399.php) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/). Her full legal name is Stephanie-Italia Ricci; she began going by Italia professionally after her first agent suggested using the middle name[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada[1](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/italia-ricci-33399.php) |
| Education | Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; drama graduate, class of 2008 (Artsci'08)[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor) |
| Screen debut | *American Pie Presents: Beta House* (2007), as Laura Johnson[4](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-431674/filmografia/) |
| Breakthrough role | April Carver, *Chasing Life* (ABC Family, 2014–2015), her first lead TV role[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor) |
| Longest role | Emily Rhodes, *Designated Survivor*, 53 episodes, 2016–2019[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/) |
| Marriage | Married actor Robbie Amell on October 15, 2016; one son, Robert Amell V (born 2019)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/) |
| Nominations | 2015 Golden Maple Award (Newcomer of the Year) and 2015 Teen Choice Award (Choice Summer TV Star: Female)[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/italia-ricci/bio/3030575617/) |
## Early life and education
Ricci grew up in Richmond Hill, in the [Greater Toronto Area](https://www.edgepedia.org/greater-toronto-area), and is of Italian descent[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/). She attended Queen's University in [Kingston, Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/kingston-ontario), where she studied drama and sent audition tapes to Los Angeles casting directors from her dorm room; without a United States work visa the tapes could not lead to roles, and she has described them as a way of gauging whether to move to Los Angeles after graduation or continue toward law school[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor). She graduated in 2008 and moved to Los Angeles[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor).
## Early career
Her screen debut came in the direct-to-video comedy *American Pie Presents: Beta House* (2007), in which she played [Laura Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/laura-johnson)[4](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-431674/filmografia/). Through the late 2000s and early 2010s she built a resume of guest and recurring parts on North American television, including episodes of *House*, *How I Met Your Mother* (as "Hot Woman #1"), *Greek*, *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, and recurring roles as Chase Ravenwood on [Disney XD](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-xd)'s *Aaron Stone*, Sasha on [Comedy Central](https://www.edgepedia.org/comedy-central)'s *Secret Girlfriend*, and Maggie Winnock on Cartoon Network's *Unnatural History*[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/italia-ricci/). She also appeared in Joseph Gordon-Levitt's film *Don Jon* (2013) as Gina[4](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-431674/filmografia/).
## Chasing Life
**First lead role.** In 2014 Ricci was cast as April Carver, an aspiring journalist at a Boston newspaper diagnosed with leukemia, in *Chasing Life*, an ABC Family drama adapted from the Mexican telenovela *Terminales*[8](https://www.excelsior.com.mx/periodico/flip-funcion/02-02-2015/portada.pdf) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/chasing_life/s01). She has said the role was her first lead and the first part substantial enough to lose herself in, after years of playing what she called stereotypical "hot girl" parts[3](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor) • [10](https://www.scifivision.com/interviews/2070-italia-ricci-stars-in-chasing-life-premiering-610). She booked the role after a screen test against two other actresses, receiving the call on October 9, 2012[10](https://www.scifivision.com/interviews/2070-italia-ricci-stars-in-chasing-life-premiering-610).
The series ran two seasons and 34 episodes from 2014 to 2015[11](https://www.filmaffinity.com/uk/film973041.html). Critics singled out her performance: Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus for season 1 states that "Italia Ricci's believable leading performance makes Chasing Life worth following" (75% Tomatometer from 16 reviews)[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/chasing_life/s01), and TVLine named her its Performer of the Week for the July 8, 2014 episode in which April reveals her diagnosis to her family[12](https://www.tvline.com/news/italia-ricci-performance-chasing-life-cancer-confession-531827/). The role also carried advocacy work: Ricci became a Stand Up To Cancer ambassador and has described responding to messages from patients and families who said the show gave a voice to their experience[13](https://globalnews.ca/video/4435839/italia-ricci-is-proud-to-stand-up-to-cancer/) • [14](https://okmagazine.com/news/chasing-life-italia-ricci-interview/).
## Designated Survivor and later television
From 2016 to 2019 Ricci played Emily Rhodes, Special Advisor to President Tom Kirkman ([Kiefer Sutherland](https://www.edgepedia.org/kiefer-sutherland)), in ABC's political thriller *Designated Survivor*, appearing in 53 episodes across the series' run, which ended on Netflix[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/) • [13](https://globalnews.ca/video/4435839/italia-ricci-is-proud-to-stand-up-to-cancer/). Between these two series she played the villainous Siobhan Smythe, also known as [Silver Banshee](https://www.edgepedia.org/silver-banshee), in five episodes of *Supergirl* in 2016[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/).
Later television work includes Dr. Sydney Burke in the Netflix science-fiction series *[The Imperfects](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-imperfects)* (2022, 10 episodes), a guest role as Taryn Wilkie on *The Good Doctor*, and an appearance as MC in *Tracker* in 2025[15](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/italia-ricci) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/).
## Film and television movies
Ricci has worked steadily in television movies, particularly for [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel), where she has played lead roles in five originals: *Rome in Love* (2019, as Amelia Tate), *Love in Winterland* (2020, as Ally), *Don't Go Breaking My Heart* (2021, as Miranda Faraday), *Catch Me If You Claus* (2023, as Avery Quinn), and *Trading Up Christmas* (2024, as Michelle)[15](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/italia-ricci). Her other film credits include *[The Remaining](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-remaining)* (2014), *Dean Slater: Resident Advisor* (2013), and the Lifetime movie *Fatal Memories* (2015, as Sutton Roberts)[4](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-431674/filmografia/). In 2025 she played Naomi Riley in the horror film *The Confession*, and she is credited as executive producer of the 2026 television movie *The Boy with My Son's Face*, in which she also plays Susan Webster[16](https://crypticrock.com/interview-italia-ricci/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/).
## Personal life
Ricci met the Canadian actor [Robbie Amell](https://www.edgepedia.org/robbie-amell), her husband, at a golf club in Vaughan, Ontario, where she was working concierge while he was filming *[Cheaper by the Dozen 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/cheaper-by-the-dozen-2)*; they reconnected years later on the set of *American Pie Presents: Beta House* and began dating in 2008[17](https://mycitylife.ca/people/italia-ricci/) • [1](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/italia-ricci-33399.php). They became engaged on August 20, 2014, married on October 15, 2016, and have one son, Robert Amell V, born 2019[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/). She is a cousin of the actor [Stephen Amell](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-amell)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/). She and Amell became American citizens in 2020[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/).
## References
1. [Italia Ricci Biography, The Famous People](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/italia-ricci-33399.php)
2. [Italia Ricci, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/)
3. [Drama Grad Italia Ricci Enjoying Success on TV's Designated Survivor, Queen's Alumni](https://www.queensu.ca/alumni/news/drama-grad-italia-ricci-enjoying-success-on-tvs-designated-survivor)
4. [Italia Ricci filmografía, SensaCine](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-431674/filmografia/)
5. [Italia Ricci Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2680758/bio/)
6. [Italia Ricci Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/italia-ricci/bio/3030575617/)
7. [Italia Ricci, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/italia-ricci/)
8. [Excelsior, Función, 2 February 2015](https://www.excelsior.com.mx/periodico/flip-funcion/02-02-2015/portada.pdf)
9. [Chasing Life: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/chasing_life/s01)
10. [Italia Ricci Stars in Chasing Life, SciFi Vision](https://www.scifivision.com/interviews/2070-italia-ricci-stars-in-chasing-life-premiering-610)
11. [Chasing Life (TV Series), FilmAffinity](https://www.filmaffinity.com/uk/film973041.html)
12. [TVLine's Performer Of The Week: Chasing Life's Italia Ricci](https://www.tvline.com/news/italia-ricci-performance-chasing-life-cancer-confession-531827/)
13. [Italia Ricci Is Proud To 'Stand Up To Cancer', Global News](https://globalnews.ca/video/4435839/italia-ricci-is-proud-to-stand-up-to-cancer/)
14. [Chasing Life: Italia Ricci Reveals Why Playing April is 'Terrifying', OK! Magazine](https://okmagazine.com/news/chasing-life-italia-ricci-interview/)
15. [Italia Ricci, HallmarkPedia](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/italia-ricci)
16. [Interview – Italia Ricci, Cryptic Rock](https://crypticrock.com/interview-italia-ricci/)
17. [Italia Ricci, City Life Vaughan](https://mycitylife.ca/people/italia-ricci/)
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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 › Canadian actors › Surnames R to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; 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