Rachael Bella was born in a small town in South Dakota where she lived until she was three years old. (Her parents divorced shortly after her birth.) At three, she moved to New York where her mother finished college, began graduate school, but then became ill. After that, Rachael's only respite from school and the tiny apartment in which they lived, was her once-weekly musical theater class, the high point of her life. At the age of eight, she sang a solo at her theater school's recital. Her singing won her praise and brought her to the attention of several New York agents. She signed with one, hoping to work on the stage, but while she waited for child roles to become available, she began going to film auditions and was cast in a series of movie roles. Over time, she discovered that, even more than music, acting, was her passion.