Emily Head is a British actress best known for playing the manipulative Carli D'Amato in the BAFTA-winning Channel 4 comedy The Inbetweeners (2008–2010) and Rebecca Welton's sharp-tongued assistant Keeley — wait, Rebecca's nemesis — in Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Born on 18 July 1988 in London, she is the daughter of celebrated actor Anthony Head, best known as Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, making her one of British TV's most recognisable second-generation talents.
Who is Emily Head and where does she come from?
Emily Head grew up in a performing-arts household. Her father Anthony Head had a prolific career spanning theatre, film, and television, and her mother Sarah Fisher is a talent agent. Emily attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), one of the UK's most prestigious drama conservatoires. Her sister Daisy Head is also an actress, known for roles in Guilt and Chance. The family connection to the entertainment industry gave Emily early exposure to professional performance, though she has built her own distinct career through a series of well-chosen television roles.
What is Emily Head best known for? The Inbetweeners and beyond
Emily Head's breakthrough came in 2008 when she was cast as Carli D'Amato in The Inbetweeners, the E4/Channel 4 sitcom about socially awkward sixth-form boys. Carli served as the object of Will McKenzie's (Simon Bird) friend's obsession — specifically Simon Cooper's (Joe Thomas) — and her cool indifference became one of the show's running jokes across all three series and both feature films (2011 and 2014). The show averaged over 3 million viewers per episode and won the BAFTA for Best Sitcom in 2010. Beyond The Inbetweeners, Head appeared in Waterloo Road (2014–2015) as Vicki MacDonald, the BBC school drama that regularly drew 4–5 million viewers, and in various stage productions. In 2021 she joined the global hit Ted Lasso, playing Rebeca, a character in the orbit of AFC Richmond's owner Rebecca Welton.
| Year | Production | Role | Network/Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2010 | The Inbetweeners | Carli D'Amato | E4 / Channel 4 |
| 2011 | The Inbetweeners Movie | Carli D'Amato | Film (Universal) |
| 2014 | The Inbetweeners 2 | Carli D'Amato | Film (Universal) |
| 2014–2015 | Waterloo Road | Vicki MacDonald | BBC One |
| 2021 | Ted Lasso | Rebeca | Apple TV+ |
How has Emily Head's career evolved in recent years?
After Waterloo Road ended, Emily Head diversified into theatre and smaller screen projects, avoiding the trap of being defined solely by Carli D'Amato. Her casting in Ted Lasso — a show that became a global cultural phenomenon, winning seven Emmy Awards in 2021 — signalled a clear step up in international profile. She has spoken in interviews about consciously selecting roles that challenge the 'cold girl' archetype she embodied in The Inbetweeners, demonstrating an awareness of how early typecasting can constrain a career. With Ted Lasso's third season airing in 2023, Head's visibility on a streaming platform reaching over 100 countries has meaningfully broadened her audience beyond British television.