Amanda Peet

Amanda Peet (born January 11, 1972) is an American actress, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. After studying with Uta Hagen at Columbia University, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles on television, before making her film debut in 1995. Featured roles in films such as The Whole Nine Yards (2000) brought her recognition and she was named one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" in 2000. Since then, she has appeared in a variety of films, including Something's Gotta Give (2003), Syriana (2005), and 2012 (2009).

Early life

Peet was born in New York City, the daughter of Penny (née Levy), a social worker, and Charles Peet, a corporate lawyer. The two are now divorced. Her father is a Quaker and her mother is Jewish. Peet attended Friends Seminary, then studied history at and graduated from Columbia University, where she auditioned for acting teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen's class. During her four-year period of study with Hagen, Peet appeared in the off-Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing.

Career

Peet's first screen performance was in a television commercial for Skittles. Her early roles included a guest role on the television series Law & Order, playing a character similar to Patty Hearst. She made her film debut in Animal Room (1995). For much of the late 1990s, Peet maintained a steady acting career in relatively obscure independent films. Her first major role was as "Jack" in the 1999 WB network series Jack & Jill (which aired for two seasons). She also appeared in the eighth-season finale of Seinfeld ("The Summer of George") as a waitress whom Jerry Seinfeld meets.

Peet's first role in a widely-released feature film came in 2000, with The Whole Nine Yards, starring Bruce Willis. That same year, she was voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People magazine. Peet then portrayed a psychologist and romantic interest of Jason Biggs in the movie Saving Silverman (2001). Next, she had a minor role in the thriller Changing Lanes (2002) as Ben Affleck's wife. In 2003, Peet co-starred in the commercially successful romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give, playing Diane Keaton's daughter and, at one point, Jack Nicholson's girlfriend.

In 2005, Peet appeared in the play This Is How It Goes, filling in for Marisa Tomei at the last minute after six days of rehearsal.[citation needed] The same year, she also co-starred in big screen projects such as Syriana and A Lot Like Love. In February 2006, she performed in Neil Simon's Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park. Later in 2006, she starred in Griffin and Phoenix, where she played a terminally-ill woman living life to the fullest. Peet was a member of the cast of the television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which premiered on NBC on September 18, 2006. She starred with Matthew Perry, with whom she had worked in The Whole Nine Yards and The Whole Ten Yards, and Sarah Paulson, with whom she previously co-starred in Jack & Jill. In Studio 60, Peet's character Jordan McDeere was the newly-appointed president of the National Broadcasting System (NBS).

Peet at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2007's The Ex, a comedy co-starring Zach Braff, Peet played an attorney who stays home to raise a new baby. She next appeared as an FBI agent in The X-Files: I Want to Believe in 2008. Peet starred as Kate Curtis in 2012, a 2009 disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich, alongside John Cusack. In 2010's Please Give, Peet played a bratty employee of Skintology Spa in New York City; the film, also starring Rebecca Hall, Elise Ivy and Catherine Keener, was both written and directed by Nicole Holofcener and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin Film Festival.

Personal life

Peet married screenwriter David Benioff on September 30, 2006, in New York City and gave birth to a daughter, Frances Pen, on February 20, 2007.[8] After announcing the pregnancy in December 2009, Peet gave birth to her second daughter, Molly June, on April 19, 2010. The family lives in Manhattan and Beverly Hills. Peet was maid of honor at Lauren Holly's marriage in 2001 with Francis Greco.

In 2008, Peet volunteered to be a spokeswoman for Every Child By Two (ECBT), a non-profit organization that advocates childhood vaccination. Peet began working with the group after becoming concerned by the "amount of misinformation floating around [about vaccines], particularly in Hollywood." In an interview with Cookie, Peet stated: "Frankly, I feel that parents who don't vaccinate their children are parasites," referring to the benefit unvaccinated children derive from herd immunity and the concern that dropping vaccination rates may put all children at increased risk of preventable disease. Peet's comments stirred controversy; in response, she apologized for using the term "parasites", but affirmed her position on the importance and safety of vaccinations.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes

1995 Animal Room Debbie

1996 One Fine Day Celia

She's the One Molly

Winterlude

Virginity

1997 Touch Me Bridgette

Grind Patty

Sax and Violins

1998 Playing by Heart Amber

Southie Marianne Silva

Origin of the Species Julia

1999 Body Shots Jane Bannister

Two Ninas Nina Harris

Jump Lisa

Simply Irresistible Chris

2000 Takedown Karen

Whipped Mia

The Whole Nine Yards Jill

Isn't She Great Debbie

2001 Saving Silverman Judith Fessbeggler

2002 Igby Goes Down Rachel

Changing Lanes Cynthia Delano Banek

High Crimes Jackie

2003 Something's Gotta Give Marin

Identity Paris

2004 The Whole Ten Yards Jill

2005 Syriana Julia Woodman

A Lot Like Love Emily Friehl

Melinda and Melinda Susan

2006 Griffin & Phoenix Sarah Phoenix

2007 The Ex Sofia Kowalski

Battle for Terra Maria (voice)

Martian Child Harlee

2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe FBI Agent Dakota Whitney

Five Dollars a Day Maggie

What Doesn't Kill You Stacy Reilly

2009 Important Things With Demetri Martin Actress

2012 Kate

2010 Please Give Mary

Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Ranger Voice

Gulliver's Travels

Television

Seinfeld - Lanette

Law & Order - Leslie Harlan

Central Park West - Robyn Gainer

Jack & Jill - Jacqueline "Jack" Barrett

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Jordan McDeere

Entourage - Herself

How I Met Your Mother Episode-Jenkins - Jenkins