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Sunday, January 27, 2013

MOVIE SUPERSTARS: American Amanda Peet


Amanda Peet

Amanda Peet at the 21st annual Light up a Life benefit in 2009
Born January 11, 1972 (age 41)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1995–present
Spouse(s) David Benioff (2006–present; 2 children)
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 2000 comedy film The Whole Nine Yards brought her wider recognition.[1]
She has appeared in a variety of films, including the 2001 comedy Saving Silverman, the 2003 romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give, the 2003 psychological thriller film Identity, the 2005 action-thriller Syriana, the 2006 comedy-drama remake Griffin & Phoenix, the 2007 romantic comedy The Ex, the 2008 science fiction film The X-Files: I Want to Believe and the 2009 disaster adventure drama 2012. She has also appeared in the 1999 drama series Jack & Jill and the 2006 drama series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

Early life

Peet was born in New York City, the daughter of Penny (née Levy), a social worker, and Charles Peet, a corporate lawyer.[2] Her parents are divorced. Her father is a Quaker and her mother is Jewish.[3][4] Peet attended Friends Seminary, then studied history at and graduated from Columbia University,[5][dead link] where she auditioned for acting teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen's class.[6] During her four-year period of study with Hagen, Peet appeared in the off-Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing with Stephen Lang.[6]

Career

Early work, 1995–1999

Peet's first screen performance was in a television commercial for Skittles. She made her film debut in the drama film Animal Room (1995), which was starring Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Lillard. For much of the late 1990s, Peet maintained a steady acting career in relatively obscure independent films. Her next feature film was One Fine Day. The film was released in late 1996, and she co-appeared with George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer. Also that year, she portrayed a supporting role in the romantic comedy film She's the One, opposite Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz.
After several small and supporting roles in 1998's Origin of the Species, Southie and Playing by Heart, Peet had her first major role as Jacqueline Barrett in the 1999 WB network series Jack & Jill (which aired for two seasons). Her character was played by Amelia Heinle in the pilot. However, Heinle was replaced by Peet after the series was picked up. She also appeared in the eighth-season finale of Seinfeld ("The Summer of George")[7] as a waitress whom Jerry Seinfeld meets. In 1999, Peet was cast opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the fantasy romantic comedy Simply Irresistible. Her character in the film was Chris, the former girlfriend of Sean Patrick Flanery's character, Tom.

Career transition and early 2000s

Peet had a supporting role in the biographical film Isn't She Great, in which she appeared with Bette Midler and Nathan Lane. The film was released in January 2000. Peet's first role in a widely-released feature film came in 2000, with the mafia comedy film The Whole Nine Yards, starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry. She portrayed the character of Jill St. Claire, who had a nude scene in the film. The film received several favorable reviews from critics[8] and was a big hit at the worldwide box office, with a $106,371,651 gross.[9] Critic Roger Ebert called Peet's performance "Perfect" because "it exactly matches what is required, and then adds a level of heedless glee."[10] She received a nomination for the "Favorite Supporting Actress: Comedy" award at the 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards and for the "Choice Film Liar" award at the 2000 Teen Choice Awards. That same year, landed the starring role, Mia, in the independent film Whipped, won the Young Hollywood Award at the category of "Best New Style Maker", and was voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People magazine.
Peet appeared, playing a psychologist and romantic interest of Jason Biggs's character in the American comedy Saving Silverman (2001). The film was largely panned by critics,[11] but had a minor box office success grossing over $26 million worldwide.[12] Jack Black and Steve Zahn also co-starred in the film. Later, she appeared as Rachel in the 2002 American comedy-drama film Igby Goes Down. In an interview, she explained her character in the film: "She's not very successful at it and she certainly doesn't seduce the right things" and "She seduces all the wrong things and is seduced by all the wrong things, as well."[13]
Peet portrayed a supporting role in the thriller film Changing Lanes (2002) as Ben Affleck's wife. In 2003, Peet co-starred with Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves in the romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give, directed by Nancy Meyers. Her role was Marin Barry, the daughter of Keaton's character, who is a 29-year-old auctioneer, working for Christie's. The film was a commercial and critical success and was nominated for and won several awards. Peet appeared in the 2003 horror and psychological thriller film Identity. She played the role of Paris Nevada, a Las Vegas prostitute who is killed by Timmy (played by Bret Loehr) at the end of the movie. Identity afforded her the chance to work with such actors as John Cusack, Ray Liotta and John Hawkes.[14] The film was a modest box office success worldwide however received much critical acclaim.[14] The following year, she starred in The Whole Ten Yards, the sequel to The Whole Nine Yards. The film was not well received by critics and audience.[15]

2005–2007

In 2005, Peet appeared in the play This Is How It Goes,[16] filling in for Marisa Tomei at the last minute after six days of rehearsal.[6] The same year, was released Woody Allen's tragicomedy Melinda and Melinda – starring Peet – which was given a limited release in the United States on March 18, 2005. Peet had the lead role with Ashton Kutcher in the romantic comedy film A Lot Like Love. The film is about two people whose relationship slowly evolves from lust to friendship to romance over the course of seven years. A Lot Like Love received mixed reviews and was a box office success. Los Angeles Times stated that Peet "is charming and charismatic without being cloying or artificial." Her on screen chemistry with Kutcher was either criticized or praised by a number of critics. Peet was nominated for the "Choice Movie Actress: Comedy" at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards.
She co-starred alongside George Clooney in the thriller film Syriana, which was based loosely on former Central Intelligence Agency agent Robert Baer and his memoirs of being an agent in the Middle East. In Syriana her character was Julie Woodman, the wife of Brian (played by Matt Damon). The film was released theatrically in November 2005.
In February 2006, she performed in Neil Simon's Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park. Later in 2006, she starred in the romantic drama film Griffin & Phoenix, a remake of a 1976 ABC TV movie, where she played the role of Sarah Phoenix, 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). In 2007, she received a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her performance in the show.
In 2007's The Ex, a romantic comedy, Peet played an attorney who stays home to raise a new baby. The film was released on May 11, 2007 and also starred Zach Braff, Charles Grodin and Jason Bateman. The film generally received negative reviews from critics[17] and had an international gross of $5,142,074.[18]

2008–present

Peet at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival.
She next appeared as an FBI agent in The X-Files: I Want to Believe in 2008.[19][20][21] She was cast in Nigel Cole's low-budget independent Five Dollars a Day (2008), in which she starred as a beautiful young woman named Maggie, who is the girlfriend of Alessandro Nivola's character. The film opened at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. Actors Christopher Walken and Sharon Stone also co-starred in the film. Also that year, Peet released the crime drama film What Doesn't Kill You, in a limited release. Her character was Stacy Reilly. The film received generally favorable reviews[22] and Peet's performance was praised by Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly, who wrote that she "is terrific as Brian's worn-down wife, sick of seeing her man disappear before her eyes."[23]
Peet starred in 2012, a 2009 disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich, alongside John Cusack and Danny Glover. In the film, she portrayed the character of Kate Curtis, a medical student and Jackson's ex-wife.[24][25][26] The film received mixed or average reviews from critics,[27] but had a $769,679,473 worldwide gross,[28] becoming Peet's biggest success at the box office.[29] In an interview with Femail, she said about the film: "this movie is like going on a roller coaster. Though I can't anymore myself, I get sick! But it's a controlled way of scaring yourself. So in a safe, controlled environment, you can really enjoy being scared. In a masochistic way."[30]
In 2010's independent comedy-drama film Please Give, Peet co-starred with Catherine Keener and Rebecca Hall; she played a self-centered cosmetologist named Mary. Please Give received a limited release in March 2010 after it was screened out of competition at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival. The film received critical acclaim; Ethan Alter of Film Journal International wrote that Peet "does career-best work here [the film]."[31] Peet and the other Please Give cast members received a Gotham Award nomination for Best Ensemble Cast.[32] She guest appeared in the television series How I Met Your Mother episode "Jenkins", playing the title character.[33]
Peet next provided the voice for Rayna, one of the main characters of the 2010 animated educational sci-fi adventure film Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey, which was opened on January 13, 2010 in the United States. Peet joined the cast of the live-action family adventure film Gulliver's Travels. She appears with Jack Black, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt.[34] The film was released on December 22, 2010 in 3D.[35] Her character is Darcy Silverman, Jack's editor, and potential love interest.[36]
Peet has been cast as a lead in NBC's Bent.[37]

Personal life

Peet at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
Peet married screenwriter David Benioff on September 30, 2006, in New York City.[38] They have two children; Frances Pen "Frankie", born in 2007[39] and Molly June, born in 2010.[40] The family lives in Manhattan and Beverly Hills. Peet was maid of honor at Lauren Holly's marriage in 2001 to Francis Greco.[41]

Activism

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."[42] 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.[42] 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.[43][44]
The 3rd Annual Independent Investigative Group IIG Awards recognizing the promotion of science in popular media was held on May 18, 2009. The IIG presented an award to Peet for her work campaigning for vaccines.[45]

Filmography

Film and Television
Year Title Role Notes
1995 Animal Room Debbie
1995 Law & Order Leslie Harlan Episode: "Hot Pursuit"
1996 Winterlude
Short film
1996 Virginity
Short film
1996 The Single Guy Kathy Episode: "Wedding"
1996 C.P.W. Robyn Gainer 6 episodes
1996 She's the One Molly
1996 One Fine Day Celia
1997 Sax and Violins

1997 Spin City Shelly McCory Episode: "Snowbound"
1997 Grind Patty
1997 Seinfeld Lanette Episode: "The Summer of George"
1997 Touch Me Bridgette
1997 Ellen Foster Julia Hobbs TV movie
1998 Origin of the Species Julia
1998 1999 Nicole
1998 Southie Marianne Silva
1998 Playing by Heart Amber
1999 Partners Beth Harmon Episode: "Pilot"
1999 Simply Irresistible Chris
1999 Jump Lisa
1999 Two Ninas Nina Harris
1999 Body Shots Jane Bannister
1999-2001 Jack & Jill Jacqueline Barrett 32 episodes
2000 Zoe Loses It Zoe Short film
2000 Isn't She Great Debbie
2000 The Whole Nine Yards Jill St. Claire
2000 Track Down Karen
2000 Whipped Mia
2001 Date Squad Belkis Felcher Short film
2001 Saving Silverman Judith
2002 High Crimes Jackie
2002 Changing Lanes Cynthia Delano Banek
2002 Igby Goes Down Rachel
2003 Whatever We Do Patty Short film
2003 Identity Paris
2003 Something's Gotta Give Marin
2004 The Whole Ten Yards Jill
2004 Melinda and Melinda Susan
2005 A Lot Like Love Emily Friehl
2005 Syriana Julie Woodman
2006 Griffin and Phoenix Phoenix
2006 The Ex Sofia Kowalski
2006-2007 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Jordan McDeere 22 episodes
2007 Battle for Terra Maria Montez (voice)
2007 Martian Child Harlee
2008 $5 a Day Maggie
2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe ASAC Dakota Whitney
2008 What Doesn't Kill You Stacy Reilly
2009 Important Things with Demetri Martin Actress Episode: "Timing"
2009 Wainy Days Jill Episode: "Jill"
2009 2012 Kate Curtis
2010 Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Ranger (voice)
2010 How I Met Your Mother Jenkins Episode: "Jenkins"
2010 Please Give Mary
2010 Gulliver's Travels Darcy Silverman
2011 Bent Alex Meyers TV series
2012 To the Wonder
Scenes cut[46]
2012 The Good Wife Captain Hellinger

References

  1. ^ "Amanda Peet". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  2. ^ Amanda Peet Biography (1972-)
  3. ^ Flatley, Guy (August 31, 2000). "AMANDA PEET--A GIRL WHO'S BEST WHEN SHE'S BAAAAD!". MovieCrazed. Archived from the original on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
  4. ^ Cohen, Benyamin; Bradford R. Pilcher (11-12/2005). "WINTER MOVIE PREVIEW: Amanda Peet". American Jewish Life Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-06-16. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
  5. ^ Dicker, Ron (May 13, 2007). "In `Ex,' Peet's Career, Parenting Coincide". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
  6. ^ a b c "Amanda Peet- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  7. ^ "The Seinfeld Chronicles | News". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  8. ^ "The Whole Nine Yards". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  9. ^ "The Whole Nine Yards". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  10. ^ "The Whole Nine Yards". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  11. ^ "Saving Silverman". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  12. ^ "Saving Silverman". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  13. ^ "Amanda Peet Talks About "Igby Goes Down"". Movies.about.com. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  14. ^ a b "Identity". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  15. ^ "The Whole Ten Yards (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  16. ^ "Amanda Peet joins the cast of Neil LaBute play". USA Today. March 7, 2005. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  17. ^ "The Ex". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  18. ^ "The Ex". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  19. ^ "Threesome mark spots for 'X-Files'".[dead link]
  20. ^ Shen, Maxine (July 20, 2008). "THE TRUTH IS NOT OUT THERE". New York Post. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  21. ^ "Peet, Connolly, Xzibit join 'X-Files' movie cast". Qa.in.movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  22. ^ "What Doesn't Kill You". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  23. ^ "What Doesn't Kill You (2008)". Entertainment Weekly. December 3, 2008. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  24. ^ "Amanda Peet Joins Cast of Emmerich's '2012'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  25. ^ Simmons, Leslie; Borys Kit (June 13, 2008). "Amanda Peet is 2012 lead". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  26. ^ "Amanda Peet boards Emmerich’s ‘2012’". Screeninglog.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  27. ^ "2012". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  28. ^ "2012". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  29. ^ "Amanda Peet". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  30. ^ "Amanda Peet 2010 Interview". Femail.com. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  31. ^ "Film Review: Please Give". Film Journal International. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  32. ^ "Gotham Awards Nominees Announced!". Shadowandact.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  33. ^ "Amanda Peet to Guest Star on How I Met Your Mother". Tvfanatic.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  34. ^ "Amanda Peet Joins Gulliver's Travels Remake". Reelzchannel.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  35. ^ "Jack Black charts hilarity in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’". Hollywoodnews.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  36. ^ "Amanda Peet Joins Gulliver's Travels". Empireonline.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  37. ^ "Amanda Peet Cast in NBC Sitcom Pilot". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  38. ^ Amanda Peet Weds Screenwriter Beau - Marriage, Amanda Peet : People.com
  39. ^ "Amanda Peet Has a Girl". People Magazine. February 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
  40. ^ Catherine Bell, on Catherine Bell Introduces Son Ronan. "Amanda Peet Welcomes Daughter Molly June – Moms & Babies – Moms & Babies - People.com". Celebritybabies.people.com. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  41. ^ "Lauren Holly: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved October 6 2012.
  42. ^ McNeil, Donald (January 12, 2009). "Book Is Rallying Resistance to the Antivaccine Crusade". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-01-14. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  43. ^ "IIG | The IIG Awards". Iigwest.com. August 21, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
  44. ^ "Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen & Amanda Peet Also Cut From Terrence Malick's 'To The Wonder'". The Playlist. August 29, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-30.
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