Bella Shepard
Bella Shepard | |
|---|---|
 Shepard in 2025 | |
| Born | December 17, 2001 Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Notable work | Wolf Pack Star Trek: Starfleet Academy |
Bella Shepard (born 17 December 2001) is an American actor.
Life and career
[edit]Bella Shepard was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and grew up in Waterford, Flint, and Grand Blanc.[1] She started her career as a child actress, debuting in a small speaking role in the 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful after her grandmother had submitted her photo for an open call. She later appeared in the television series My Haunted House in 2015, shortly after moving to Los Angeles.[2] That same year, she had a role in Life in Pieces. She also appeared in Grace and Frankie.[3]
From 2018 to 2019, the adult Shepard was part of the main cast of the series A Girl Named Jo, where she played Alice Hargrave, a role she described as evolving significantly over the show's three seasons. She noted that the series aimed to introduce themes related to the civil rights movement to a younger audience. Shepard appeared in the seventh season of Orange Is the New Black, portraying a younger version of Aleida Diaz. She prepared for the role by studying Elizabeth Rodriguez's performance and working on the character's dialect.[2]
Shepard continued her career with additional episodic roles, including a 2022 appearance on iCarly. In 2023, she received a leading role in the eight‑episode television series Wolf Pack.
Since 2026, she has portrayed Genesis Lythe, an ambitious cadet at the titular Starfleet Academy, in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Her character belongs to the Dar‑Sha, a new species distinguished by facial ridges and the absence of eyebrows. Shepard has said that Star Trek feels nostalgic to her because her grandparents watched the original 1960s Star Trek series.[1]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Quadling Child | |
| 2014 | Greenfingers | Bella | Short film |
| 2015 | Drunk Custody | Jenny | |
| A Litte Power | Emily | ||
| 2016 | Pop Music | Jessie | |
| 2017 | Troubled Waters | Britney | |
| Once Upon A Cycle | Maddy | ||
| 2018 | Anonymous 616 | Emily | |
| 2019 | Ring of Silence | Leila | |
| Enigma | Hannah | ||
| 2021 | Witch Hunt | Kelly | |
| Maxx Speed | Aurora Velasco | ||
| 2023 | Honeycomb | Allison | |
| 2024 | The Merry Gentlemen | Shelby | |
| 2026 | Jump | In production in Queensland |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Homes of Horror | Kayla | Episode: "My Haunted House" |
| Life in Pieces | Lexie | 2 episodes | |
| 2018 | Grace and Frankie | Young Girl | Episode: "The Pop-Ups" |
| 2018–2019 | A Girl Named Jo | Alice Hargrave | Main cast |
| 2019 | On the Ropes | Jackie Rodríguez | Main cast |
| Orange Is the New Black | Young Aleida Diaz | Episode: "Minority Deport" | |
| The Secret Lives of Cheerleaders | Shay Rodríguez | TV movie | |
| 2020 | The Wilds | Regan | Episode: "Day Six" |
| 2021 | Two Sides | Mika | Main cast (season 2) |
| 2022 | iCarly | Tati | Episode: "iGuess Everyone Just Hate Me Now" |
| 2023 | Wolf Pack | Blake Navarro | Main cast |
| 2026–present | Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Genesis Lytte | Main cast |
References
[edit]- 1 2 Krug, Kurt Anthony (13 January 2026). "Royal Oak native Bella Shepard boldly goes into uncharted territory on new 'Star Trek' series". The Oakland Press. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
- 1 2 Shepard, Bella (3 June 2019). "Bella Shepard". tresamagazine.com (Interview). Interviewed by Stevenson, Amelia. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
- ↑ Shepard, Bella (12 March 2019). "Interview with stunning actress Bella Shepard". naludamagazine.com (Interview). Retrieved 18 June 2026.
External links
[edit]
