Emma Kenney

Kenney began a relationship with Conrad Hughes Hilton III in 2024. Hilton is a businessman and heir to the Hilton family legacy.

Her parents are Gillian Kenney, a criminal defense lawyer, and Kevin Kenney, a sports writer who worked for the New York Post and later for Fox Sports.

Kenney began taking improv classes at age five and signed with a manager at age eight after being discovered at a class showcase. She also attended acting classes and appeared in student films while developing her skills as a performer.

In 2009, her short film The New Girl in Town made her the youngest filmmaker to become a finalist at the New Jersey International Film Festival at Rutgers University. She directed the film at age eight and later wrote about 50 short-film scripts, according to a biographical profile.

Kenney won the role of Debbie Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless as a child. She played the character from 2011 through 2021, appearing in 134 episodes as Debbie grew up during the show's run.

On the series, Kenney played the daughter of William H. Macy's character, Frank Gallagher. The role became her breakthrough television performance and established her as a prominent child actor.

In 2018, Kenney joined the tenth season of Roseanne as Harris Conner-Healy, the granddaughter of the sitcom's central character. She appeared with original cast members including Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Sara Gilbert, who played Harris's television mother, Darlene Conner-Healy.

After ABC cancelled the revival, Kenney continued as Harris in The Conners. The spin-off ran from 2018 to 2025, with Kenney appearing in 112 episodes. She filmed scenes for Roseanne and Shameless simultaneously.

Kenney's film credits include Epic, in which she voiced the Marigold Girl, as well as Robert the Bruce, Murder at Yellowstone City, My Love Affair with Marriage, and Back to Lyla. She has also appeared in television projects including Boardwalk Empire, Happy's Place, and the television film Day Camp.

She is a co-founder of Yogi's House, a Los Angeles-based dog rescue that has saved hundreds of dogs since it was founded. Her animal advocacy has also included a video for PETA about the danger of leaving dogs in hot cars.