Emily Keefe was born in Red Bank, New Jersey to Linda Citerella, a middle school History teacher, and James Keefe. She is of Irish, Italian, and Scottish decent. She has two step-sisters, Amanda and Lindsay Asaro from her Stepfather, Sal. Originally attracted to musical theatre in high school, Emily landed her first film role at 19 years old and has been screen acting ever since. She studied Acting, Performance Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.