Rya Kihlstedt

Rya Kihlstedt was born on July 23, 1970 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a modest suburb that would later serve as the backdrop for her early artistic inspirations. After graduating from Skidmore College with a liberal arts degree, she embarked on a professional acting career that quickly gained momentum with her 1993 debut opposite Rutger Hauer in the thriller 'Arctic Blue'. The breakthrough role that introduced her to mainstream audiences arrived in 1997, when she portrayed the cunning thief Alice Ribbons in the family comedy 'Home Alone 3', a part that showcased her versatility and comic timing. The following year she appeared in the disaster epic 'Deep Impact', cementing her reputation as a reliable supporting actress capable of handling large‑scale productions. Throughout the late 1990s she balanced film work with television appearances, including a notable turn as Lizzie Elmsworth in the BBC adaptation of 'The Buccaneers' and a guest spot on the miniseries 'Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III'. In 2001 she stepped away from the screen for a decade to focus on motherhood, raising two children with her husband, fellow actor Gil Bellows, a decision that would later inform the depth of her later performances. Returning to acting in 2009, Kihlstedt reunited with longtime friend Carla Gugino in the indie comedy 'Women in Trouble' and its sequel 'Elektra Luxx', marking a successful comeback that led to a string of guest‑star roles on popular series such as 'Covert Affairs', 'Criminal Minds', and 'CSI'. Her television career reached new heights with recurring roles as Dr. Michelle Ross on 'Dexter' (2011) and as powerful record‑producer Marilyn Rhodes on 'Nashville' (2012‑2013), performances praised for their nuanced emotional range. From 2015 onward she anchored several high‑profile projects, headlining the horror‑themed 'The Atticus Institute', portraying Erica Kravid in the sci‑fi miniseries 'Heroes Reborn', and joining the Star Wars universe as the Fourth Sister in 'Obi‑Wan Kenobi', a role she later reprised in the 2024 audio series 'Tales of the Empire'. Most recently she antagonized audiences as Ally Allston in 'Superman & Lois' (2022) and lent her voice to the video‑game character Kate Laswell in 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' (2019), demonstrating her adaptability across media formats. In addition to her screen work, Kihlstedt remains connected to her artistic roots through collaborations with her sister, violinist Carla Kihlstedt, and continues to support independent filmmakers, reinforcing her reputation as a dedicated and multifaceted artist.