Who Does Ellie Ricker Play On Blue Bloods?

More famous actors have shown up on "Blue Bloods" than even the show's most dedicated viewers may remember. Ever since it began, the CBS series has stuck relatively close to a procedural format that requires an endless rotation of guest stars. The fact that the show has produced nearly 300 episodes throughout its time on the air has, in turn, resulted in it spotlighting more than its fair share of memorable minor characters.

Among the show's ever-growing list of guest stars is Ellie Ricker. The actor, whose other screen credits include a 2016 TV movie adaptation of "Anne of Green Gables" starring Martin Sheen, appears in a major capacity in one noteworthy Season 12 installment of "Blue Bloods." The episode in question, titled "True Blue," features a subplot involving a scandalous death at a well-funded private school and Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) and Maria Baez's (Marisa Ramirez) investigation into it.

During their mission to uncover the truth behind the potential murder, the two fan-favorite "Blue Bloods" characters eventually cross paths with Ricker's character, Nadia Atonov, the daughter of a powerful foreign official. Shortly after she makes her screen debut, it becomes clear to Danny, Baez, and the show's viewers that Nadia may know more about the recent death at her school than she'd like everyone to believe.

It doesn't take long for Danny Reagan and Maria Baez to determine that Kayla, the murdered student at the center of "True Blue," was secretly in a relationship with the head of her school, Mr. Anderson (Ty Jones), at the time of her death. It's this realization that eventually leads the "Blue Bloods" pair to Ellie Ricker's Nadia. Investigating rumors that Mr. Anderson had also engaged in a relationship with her, Danny and Maria interrogate Nadia using the love letters that Anderson secretly wrote to Kayla. However, while Nadia's panicked, passionate reaction confirms Danny and Maria's belief that she'd also been taken advantage of by the head of her school, they're unable to predict what happens next.

Enraged and heartbroken over Mr. Anderson's behavior, Nadia briefly takes him hostage with a gun. Thankfully, Danny is able to defuse the situation, and Nadia admits that she accidentally killed Kayla after discovering that Mr. Anderson had gotten her fellow classmate pregnant. Danny and Maria subsequently place both Nadia and Mr. Anderson under arrest. In doing so, they bring their investigation to a straightforward but tragic close.

Ricker, for her part, makes the most of her limited screentime — leaning all the way in to Nadia's intense desperation and guilt. It seems safe to say that she, as well as her character's storyline, made a lasting impression on "Blue Bloods" fans, too. After all, "True Blue" currently boasts an impressive 8.0 score on IMDb, based on 265 user-submitted ratings.