Who are Ryan Kiera Armstrong's parents? Actor gets cast as new lead in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Ryan Kiera Armstrong is adding another classic to her growing filmography, as she joins the reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She first burst into the acting scene in It Chapter Two as Victoria Fuller and Minnie May Barry in the TV series Anne with an E. More recently, the 15-year-old actress starred in the latest Star Wars installment, Skeleton Crew.
The teen star isn't the only actor in the family. Ryan Kiera Armstrong's parents are Berta Bacic and Dean Armstrong. While her mom is a doctor, her father is an actor with a degree in Education and Performing Arts from Queen's University, per his IMDb page. Dean Armstrong was in Saw 3D, Insomnia, Chapelwaite, and Sullivan's Crossing.
In the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot, Armstrong will be a co-lead opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar, who will be reprising her signature role as Buffy Summers. Her casting was announced on Thursday, May 15, 2025, via a video shared by Gellar, Armstrong and Hulu on Instagram.
The project remains untitled and is only referred to as the next chapter in the Buffyverse but is expected to premiere sometime in 2026. Nora and Lila Zuckerman team up to write the script for the pilot episode, with Oscar winner Chloé Zhao serving as the director.
Sarah Michelle Gellar talks about casting Ryan Kiera Armstrong in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar only has good words to say about Ryan Kiera Armstrong and her casting in the upcoming reboot. The joint Instagram post Gellar, Armstrong and Hulu shared on Thursday, May 14, 2025, saw the two actresses on a video call. Gellar broke the casting news to the tearful young star, inviting her to the new journey that is going to be the reboot.
Sara Michelle Gellar also mentioned being impressed with Ryan Kiera Armstrong's audition for the project and that there was nobody else in any of their eyes.
She added that the teen star was their "chosen one" to help her save the world. In the caption of her post, Gellar wrote:
"From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room."
Ryan Kiera Armstrong also shared a clip of a Deadline article announcing her casting in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot on her Instagram on Thursday. The Skeleton Crew star expressed being "beyond thankful and excited" about being part of the project in the caption. She also mentioned that she's excited to star with Gellar in the reboot before thanking the people who helped her on the journey.
She has also updated her Instagram bio, adding the word "slayer" as an ode to her upcoming role in the project. There's still a lot of unknown about the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. But per the new Slayer description from TV Line, Armstrong will play a "cerebral 16-year-old named Nova," who's smart but a loner. However, the outlet mentioned that the name could be just a placeholder.
Stay tuned for more Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot news and updates as the year progresses.
