Hollywood has no shortage of actors who try to crack the code of transitioning from international television to American stardom, but Claire Holt made it look entirely effortless. With her piercing blue eyes, effortless athletic prowess, and a natural ability to balance fierce, intimidating power with deep emotional vulnerability, the Australian powerhouse has built an incredibly loyal, cross-continental fanbase.

While these days Holt dominates the digital landscape as a highly successful lifestyle entrepreneur, mother of three, and relatable internet favorite, her acting resume contains some of the most nostalgic and culturally dominant television milestones of the 21st century. Whether you first met her as a teenage mermaid or a thousand-year-old Original vampire, there is no denying her screen presence.

To honor her birthday today, we are diving into the archives to rank the 5 most recognized, celebrated, and definitive roles of Claire Holt’s career.

1. Rebekah Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries & The Originals

There was never any question about the top spot. In 2011, Holt walked onto the set of The CW’s flagship supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries as Rebekah Mikaelson, the fiercely protective, deeply insecure, and brutally lethal Original vampire. What was initially intended to be a brief guest arc turned into a decade-long franchise-defining performance.

Holt infused a thousand-year-old monster with a desperate, heartbreaking desire to simply be human and be loved. Her chemistry with her on-screen brothers (Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies) was so electric that it launched the massively successful spinoff The Originals, running for five seasons and cementing Rebekah as an immortal icon of modern fantasy television.

2. Emma Gilbert in H2O: Just Add Water (2006–2008)

Before she was terrorizing Mystic Falls, Holt was fueling the childhood nostalgia of an entire generation of millennial and Gen-Z viewers. Alongside real-life best friend Phoebe Tonkin and Cariba Heine, Holt starred in the Australian smash-hit teen fantasy H2O: Just Add Water. Playing Emma Gilbert, the hyper-organized, athletic voice of reason who accidentally transforms into a mermaid with the power to freeze water, Holt became an overnight international star. The show was syndicated in over 120 countries, creating a massive foundational fanbase that followed her to Hollywood.

3. Lisa in 47 Meters Down (2017)

In 2017, Holt took a massive bite out of the Hollywood box office by headlining the intense, claustrophobic survival horror hit 47 Meters Down. Starring opposite Mandy Moore, Holt played Lisa, a vacationing sister trapped in a shark cage that snaps and plunges to the ocean floor. The film was a massive commercial triumph, raking in over $62 million on a modest $5 million budget. Holt carried the grueling, physically demanding underwater performance with a raw, breathless terror that kept audiences white-knuckled from start to finish.

4. Officer Charmain Tully in Aquarius (2015–2016)

For fans who only associated her with teenage genre programming, NBC’s gritty, 1960s historical crime drama Aquarius served as a sharp reminder of Holt’s serious dramatic range. Sharing the screen with David Duchovny, Holt portrayed Charmain Tully, a pioneering female police officer fighting rampant, systemic sexism within the LAPD while trying to infiltrate Charles Manson’s notorious cult. Holt’s nuanced performance was widely praised by critics, showcasing her ability to thrive in prestige network procedurals.

5. Samara Cook in Pretty Little Liars (2011)

Though her time in Rosewood was brief, Holt’s recurring guest run in the second season of Pretty Little Liars left a lasting impression on the fandom. Playing Samara Cook, an articulate, proud, and fiercely supportive LGBTQ+ student who becomes a romantic interest for Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell), Holt brought a grounded, drama-free maturity to a notoriously chaotic show. Her appearance remains a celebrated, comforting chapter in the series’ massive history.