Gianna Simone

Gianna Simone is an American actress, model, and producer born on December 22, 1989. She is best known for her film and television appearances, including roles in feature films such as Star Trek Into Darkness, Mother's Day, I Can Only Imagine, and Unbroken: Path to Redemption.

Simone was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in East Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Wilbraham. After facing abuse as a child, she entered Boston's foster care system at age thirteen. Although her father, Anthony Baxter, was unable to care for her at the time, he later served as a positive influence who encouraged her focus on acting. Around the time she entered foster care, Simone joined a gym and met owner Kathy DeMarco, who became her mentor and introduced her to a non-denominational Christian church. DeMarco planned to adopt Simone but passed away before the adoption could occur. Simone attended Boston Latin Academy.

At around age sixteen, Simone began pursuing a career in modeling despite opposition from agencies. For several years, she secured modeling work independently without agency representation. In 2009, she signed her first contract with Maggie Inc. in Boston. She went on to appear in advertisements for brands such as the American Dental Association, Carolina Herrera, Elie Saab, Hasbro, New Balance, Reebok, and Vera Wang. At age 20, she appeared on the cover of Boston magazine.

Encouraged by colleagues to try acting, Simone focused on the discipline while studying at Bunker Hill Community College and soon joined the Screen Actors Guild. At age 21, she relocated to Los Angeles. Her film credits include Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), 90 Minutes in Heaven (2015), God's Not Dead 2 (2016), Mother's Day (2016), I Can Only Imagine (2018), Unbroken: Path to Redemption, God Bless the Broke Road, and Run the Race. On television, she has appeared in series such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Chuck, and Hitting the Breaks, the latter of which she co-produced with Pure Flix Entertainment through her company GS Productions. In 2015, she created the series Love Gianna, launched on YouTube by REBL HQ.

Simone received fashion recognition in 2016 when Livingly included her in its red carpet fashion rankings following the Cannes Film Festival and Teen Choice Awards. She was also listed in Vogue Germany's Best Dressed list from the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

Beyond her entertainment career, Simone founded the Gianna Simone Foundation, managed by the National Christian Foundation, to aid abused and neglected people and animals, including youth in Los Angeles and Rwandan genocide survivors. She collaborates with Wings of Rescue to transport adoptable pets to shelters and homes, and serves on the board of The Plantrician Project. Of Italian descent, Simone resides in Los Angeles, identifies as a Christian and vegan, and participates in extreme sports, aerial arts, and target shooting.