From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Rya Kihlstedt (born July 23, 1970) is an American actress. Kihlstedt was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is a 1991 graduate of Skidmore College in Theatre Arts. She is also of Swedish descent. She has two children (Ava Emanuelle born 1999, and Giovanni born 2001) with her actor husband Gil Bellows. She is the sister of Oakland-based violinist, Carla Kihlstedt.