Rachel Varela was born in Meridian, MS and graduated from Tulane University with a BA in Theater and Digital Media Production. She has been acting since she was seven, performing in over thirty theater productions and appearing in Jack Reacher 2, A&E TV series, Breakout Kings, and ABC TV series, Red Band Society, and multiple short films. She was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Meridian and Second Alt. for the State of Mississippi and enjoys playing tennis in her spare time. She is the daughter of a Filipino immigrant and of Spanish descent.