Emma Ishta

Born on November 16, 1990, in Brookfield, Queensland, Australia, Emma Ishta Douglas-Powell began her career in modeling at the age of 13. She signed with IMG Models at 15 and relocated to New York in 2009, traveling to cities such as Sydney, Paris, and London for her modeling assignments. Her early career also included studies as a vocalist at the Queensland Conservatory of Music, which she deferred to pursue her modeling endeavors. This early exposure to the creative industries laid the groundwork for her transition into acting.

Ishta’s acting career commenced in 2014 with guest roles in television series such as ‘Black Box,’ ‘Power,’ and ‘Manhattan Love Story.’ A significant turning point occurred in May 2014 when she was cast in the lead role of Kirsten Clark in the Freeform drama series ‘Stitchers,’ which premiered in June 2015 and ran for three seasons until 2017. During this period, she also made her film debut in ‘I Smile Back’ (2015). Her career continued to progress with appearances in notable television shows including ‘The Good Cop’ (2018), ‘Blue Bloods’ (2019), ‘FBI’ (2021), and ‘Chicago Med’ (2020-2024), where she held a guest role for four episodes.

Beyond acting, Ishta has expanded her involvement in production and direction. She served as an executive producer for the short films ‘Shadow Puppet’ (2019) and ‘The Separatists’ (2018). In 2022, she took on roles as both producer and director for the television series ‘Gimme a Break,’ appearing in four episodes. Her recent work includes playing Kayleigh in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ (2025) and Gayle Eden in ‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie’ (2023), further diversifying her filmography. Ishta married playwright Daniel James McCabe in 2012, and they have one child.