In many respects, Amy Adams was perfect casting for the starring role of Giselle in the 2007 Walt Disney film “Enchanted.” Up to that point, Amy had steadily built a strong career at embodying wallflower-type characters who at some point recognized an opportunity to find liberation. Two examples stand out: her turn as Brenda, the young lady who falls madly in love with Leo DiCaprio’s Frank Abagnale in “Catch Me If You Can,” and her repressed character Susan in “Talladega Nights,” who suddenly finds an exhilarating connection with Ricky Bobby.
But Amy is far from merely a character actress prone to typecast. She is an Academy Award nominee, for Best Supporting Actress in “Junebug,” and time and again she has adeptly proven impressive skills in both comedy and drama, as “Talladega Nights” and her guest appearances on “The Office” have shown. Indeed, Amy could pass as Jenna Fischer’s sister in a future project.
Amy was born on a U.S. military base in Italy in 1974 and spent most of her childhood in Colorado. The family moved to Minnesota where Amy worked in a dinner-theater ensemble. She landed a part in “Drop Dead Gorgeous” in 1998, which was filming in all parts of Minnesota. Her comic timing and the bonus of a dancing ability prompted a move to California the same year. For the next few years Amy worked tirelessly – whether in cameos on “That ‘70s Show” or “Charmed,” or in movies like “Psycho Beach Party.” While learning about the inner workings of the entertainment industry, Amy’s perseverance finally paid off in her first big-budget film helmed by no one less than Steven Spielberg. But it was the indie “Junebug” in 2005 that finally brought Amy into her own – and an Oscar nomination with it. From there, Amy’s exposure grew along with her paychecks and order on the credits list.
The role in “Enchanted” was not only a test of whether Amy could shoulder a leading role, but it cemented her genuine talents as an entertainer. For her fans and to the overall film community, Amy Adams can be counted on as not only an upcoming star, but as a reliable figure on both the indie scene and more mainstream projects. Lately her work in “American Hustle” earned rave reviews. She has proven her success and commitment to both worlds, and we look forward to more things from her.
In 2018, Amy gave a stunning performance HBO’s “Sharp Objects.” Here was our take at the time: “The amazing Amy Adams should probably just have the Emmy delivered to her now; her performance as Camille was that impressive. Yet newcomer Eliza Scanlen also delivers a haunting and memorable performance as Camille’s teenage sister Amma. The one-two punch of these actresses carries a series that was often painful to watch but delivered the goods in the end. With her piercing eyes and devilish charm, Scanlen’s vibrant portrayal of Amma is the perfect complement to Adams’ hot mess of a character.”
In 2021, Amy starred in “The Woman in the Window.”
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Amy Adams on the Screen
Leading up to “Catch Me If You Can” in 2002, Amy debuted with “Drop Dead Gorgeous” in 1999, followed by “Psycho Beach Party,” “The Chromium Hook” and “Cruel Intentions 2.” She’s in the indie films “The Slaughter Rule” and the Christina Ricci vehicle “Pumpkin,” as well as the Matthew Perry comedy “Serving Sara.” Following her work with Steven Spielberg, there’s “The Last Run” opposite Fred Savage, the Dermot Mulroney/Debra Messing romance “The Wedding Date,” and her breakout performance in “Junebug” that same year. 2007 brought “Enchanted” and “Charlie Wilson’s War,” and Amy opened 2008 at Sundance with “Sunshine Cleaning,” co-starring Emily Blunt. More recently, Amy earned Oscar nominations for her work in “Doubt” and “The Fighter,” starred in the new Muppets movie, and plays Lois Lane in “Man of Steel.”
Amy Adams in “Enchanted.”
Amy Says
On perseverance:
“I have worked with some of the meanest people in the world. You can’t do anything to intimidate me.”
On character identification:
“I think that I’ve always been attracted to characters who are positive and come from a very innocent place.”