Emily Joy was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She immigrated to Australia in 2001. A trained dancer, Emily became involved with acting in high school where she won the Drama and Service to Performing Arts awards in her final year at Brisbane State High School. Emily completed the NIDA Young Actors Studio program in 2008. She was then accepted into the Acting program at the Southbank Institute of Technology (now University of Canberra) and over three years' intensive study attained an Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts. Upon graduation she secured the role of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and went on to win the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2011 Gold Coast Area Theatre Awards.