Emily Jean Stone was born on November 6, 1988, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Krista Jean Stone (née Yeager), a homemaker, and Jeffrey Charles Stone, the founder and CEO of a general-contracting company.[1][2] Stone lived on the grounds of the Camelback Inn resort from the age of 12 to 15.[3][4] She has a younger brother, Spencer.[5] Her paternal grandfather, Conrad Ostberg Sten, was from a Swedish family that anglicized their surname to "Stone" when a immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island. She also has German, English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry.[6]


Stone appeared in sixteen productions at Valley Youth Theatre
As an infant, Stone had baby colic and cried frequently; she consequently developed nodules and calluses on her vocal cords while she was a child.[7] Stone has described herself as having been "loud" and "bossy" while growing up.[8] She was educated at Sequoya Elementary School and attended Cocopah Middle School for the sixth grade. Although she did not like school, she has stated that her controlling nature meant that "I made sure I got all As".[9] Stone suffered panic attacks as a child,[10] which she says caused a decline in her social skills.[11] She underwent therapy but states that it was her participation in local theater plays that helped cure the attacks.[10]