Olivia Holt

Olivia Hastings Holt is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and executive producer born on August 5, 1997, in Germantown, Tennessee, to Mark and Kim Holt. When she was three years old, her family relocated to Nesbit, Mississippi, where she was raised after a brief period in Memphis, Tennessee. Holt spent seven years studying gymnastics during her childhood and was homeschooled for a portion of her education before graduating from Oak Park High School in 2015. In 2011, she moved to Los Angeles with her family.

Holt began her professional career in local theater and television commercials, appearing in ads for brands including Hasbro, Mattel, Bratz dolls, Littlest Pet Shop, and Kidz Bop 14 starting around age ten. Her gymnastics background contributed to her being cast in the Disney XD martial arts comedy series Kickin' It, which premiered on June 13, 2011. She played Kim Crawford as a main cast member through seasons one to three and returned as a guest in three episodes of season four. She starred in the 2012 Disney Channel Original Movie Girl vs. Monster as Skylar Lewis, a teenager who discovers her family's history as monster hunters. Holt then transitioned to the Disney Channel half-hour comedy I Didn't Do It, which premiered on January 17, 2014, and ran for two seasons until October 16, 2015. She played Lindy Watson, described as a nerdy, athletic social outcast among a group of five friends.

Holt expanded into film during this period, joining the cast of Same Kind of Different as Me in November 2014, a drama directed by Michael Carney and co-starring Greg Kinnear and Renée Zellweger, who portray her character's parents. The film was released in October 2017. She also appeared on stage at Pasadena Playhouse from December 10, 2014, to January 4, 2015, playing Aurora in Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight. In November 2015, she was cast in the lead role of the indie comedy Class Rank, directed by Eric Stoltz, which was released in 2017. She starred alongside Ross Lynch in Status Update, directed by Scott Speer, which filmed in Vancouver, Canada, in 2016 and was released in 2018. Holt also had voice roles in Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast in 2014 and Gnome Alone in 2017.

In January 2017, Holt was cast as Tandy Bowen, also known as Dagger, in the Freeform and Marvel Comics series Cloak & Dagger. The series premiered in June 2018 and ran for two seasons before being canceled in May 2019. She and co-star Aubrey Joseph reprised their roles in the animated Disney XD series Spider-Man and in a crossover episode of the Hulu series Runaways. In 2021, Holt took on the role of Kate Wallis in Cruel Summer, a psychological thriller set between 1993 and 1995 that premiered on Freeform on April 20, 2021. She also recorded a cover of The Smashing Pumpkins song "Today" for the series. Holt is set to return to Cruel Summer for its third season, which is in development at Hulu and Freeform, and will serve as an executive producer for the first time alongside Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple of Iron Ocean Productions, with Cori Uchida and Adam Lash as showrunners.

Holt made her Broadway debut from April 10 to June 4, 2023, playing Roxie Hart in Chicago, the role for which her database record is verified.

Alongside her acting work, Holt has pursued a music career. She recorded three songs for Girl vs. Monster, and won a 2013 Radio Disney Music Award for Best Crush Song for "Had Me @ Hello," which was featured in the film. Her song "Carry On" served as the theme for the 2014 Disneynature film Bears. In October 2014, she signed a record deal with Hollywood Records. Her debut single, "Phoenix," was released on May 13, 2016, followed by her debut EP, Olivia, on July 15, 2016, on Hollywood Records. That same year she embarked on the Rise of a Phoenix Tour with Ryland Lynch, Isac Elliot, and Forever in Your Mind. Her single "Generous," written by Fransisca Hall and MoZella and directed by Chris Applebaum, was released on September 22, 2017, and reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In 2018, she collaborated with Martin Jensen on "16 Steps" and with Nicky Romero on "Distance." Her 2020 single "Love U Again," featuring R3hab, reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. A compilation EP titled In My Feelings was released on June 11, 2021, and on June 25, 2021, she released the single "Next," co-written with Meghan Trainor. Holt parted ways with Hollywood Records in November 2021.

Beyond performing, Holt has worked in brand partnerships, serving as a spokesperson and part owner for mobile gaming company PlayMG beginning in 2013 and as a brand ambassador for Neutrogena beginning in March 2016.