Amanda Peet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amanda Peet
Peet at the premiere screening of Transparent, September 2014
Born	(1972-01-11) January 11, 1972 (age 53) New York City, U.S.
Education	Columbia University (BA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	David Benioff ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	3
Relatives	Stephen Friedman (father-in-law) Samuel Roxy Rothafel (great-grandfather) Samuel Levy (great-grandfather)

Amanda Peet (born January 11, 1972) is an American actress. She started her career with small roles on TV shows before acting in her first movie, Animal Room (1995). She became more widely known for her role as Jill St. Claire in The Whole Nine Yards (2000).

Since then, Amanda has appeared in many films. These include Saving Silverman (2001), High Crimes (2002), Something's Gotta Give (2003), Syriana (2005), 2012 (2009), and Gulliver's Travels (2010).

On television, she played Jacqueline Barrett in Jack & Jill (1999–2001). She also starred as Jordan McDeere in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007) and Tina Morris in Togetherness (2015–2016). More recently, she played Betty Broderick in Dirty John (2020) and Beth Gallagher in Fatal Attraction (2023). In 2021, she helped create and produce The Chair for Netflix. Amanda Peet is married to writer David Benioff and they have three children.

Early Life and Education

Amanda Peet was born in New York City. Her mother, Penny, was a social worker, and her father, Charles Peet Jr., was a lawyer. Her parents later divorced. Amanda's father is a Quaker, and her mother is Jewish.

When she was seven, Amanda moved with her family to London. They returned to New York four years later. At 13, she joined an acting program at HB Studio. She went to Friends Seminary in Manhattan and later graduated from Columbia University. She earned a degree in American history. While in college, she took an acting class with teacher Uta Hagen. This class inspired her to become an actress. She studied with Hagen for four years. During this time, she appeared in a play called Awake and Sing!.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Film and TV (1995–2004)

Amanda Peet's first appearances were in a TV commercial for Skittles. She also had a small role in The Larry Sanders Show in 1992. Her first movie was the drama Animal Room (1995). She also appeared in an episode of Law & Order in 1995.

In the late 1990s, Peet acted in many independent films. She appeared in One Fine Day (1996) with George Clooney. She was also in She's the One (1996) with Jennifer Aniston. In 1998, she was part of the cast in Playing by Heart.

Her first big role was Jacqueline Barrett in the TV series Jack & Jill. This show ran from 1999 to 2001. She also had a guest role in Seinfeld as a waitress. In 1999, Peet starred in the romantic comedy Simply Irresistible.

In 2000, Peet appeared in Isn't She Great. Her first role in a widely released movie was Jill St. Claire in The Whole Nine Yards. This movie also starred Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry. It was a big success, earning over US$106 million worldwide. Critics praised Peet's performance. She was nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award. People magazine named her one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 2000.

Peet played a psychologist in the comedy Saving Silverman (2001). She also played a character facing challenges in the movie Igby Goes Down (2002). In the thriller Changing Lanes (2002), she played the wife of a lawyer. Also in 2002, she was in High Crimes with Ashley Judd.

In 2003, Peet starred in the romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give. She acted alongside Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. This film was very popular and earned US$125 million in North America. She also appeared in the thriller Identity with John Cusack. In 2004, Peet was in The Whole Ten Yards, a sequel to The Whole Nine Yards.

Continuing Success (2005–2010)

In 2005, Amanda Peet starred in the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love with Ashton Kutcher. She played a woman who becomes a successful photographer. Critics noted her charming performance. She also appeared in Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda and the thriller Syriana.

Peet at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2006, Peet performed in the Broadway play Barefoot in the Park. She then starred in the romantic drama Griffin & Phoenix. In this film, she played a woman living life to the fullest despite being very ill. She also starred in the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007). She played the president of entertainment programming. For this role, she was nominated for a Satellite Award.

In 2007, Peet starred in the romantic comedy The Ex. In 2008, she appeared in the mystery drama The X-Files: I Want to Believe as an FBI agent. She was also in Five Dollars a Day and What Doesn't Kill You. Critics praised her role in What Doesn't Kill You.

In 2009, Peet reunited with John Cusack in the disaster film 2012. She played his estranged wife. This movie was a huge success, earning over US$769 million worldwide. In 2010, she starred in the dramedy Please Give. Her performance was highly praised. She also provided a voice for the animated film Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey. Later that year, she starred in Gulliver's Travels with Jack Black.

Television Roles and Writing (2011–Present)

In 2012, Peet starred in the TV series Bent as a recently divorced lawyer. She also had a recurring role in The Good Wife (2012–13). In 2013, she wrote her first play, The Commons of Pensacola. She also appeared in the film Identity Thief and the comedy Trust Me. She was also in the dramedy The Way, Way Back.

From 2015 to 2016, Peet played Tina Morris in the HBO series Togetherness. This show was praised for its storytelling and acting. From 2016 to 2020, Peet appeared in Brockmire as the owner of a baseball team. In 2020, she played Betty Broderick in the second season of Dirty John.

In 2021, Netflix released The Chair. Amanda Peet wrote and helped produce this six-episode comedy-drama series. In 2025, she starred in and produced Fantasy Life. She also began co-starring in the Apple TV+ series Your Friends and Neighbors.

Other Interests and Activities

Peet at a benefit for pediatrics in Washington Heights, Manhattan, October 2009

Advocacy Work

In 2008, Amanda Peet became a spokeswoman for Every Child By Two (ECBT). This group supports childhood vaccinations. Peet became involved because she was concerned about false information about vaccines. She believes that vaccinations are very important for children's health. In 2009, she received an award from the Independent Investigative Group (IIG) for her work promoting science and vaccines.

Writing Books and Plays

Peet has co-written a children's book called Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein. This book is about a Jewish girl during the Christmas season. It was released in 2015. She also wrote a play called Our Very Own Carlin McCullough. This play was performed in Los Angeles in 2018 and received good reviews.

Personal Life and Family

Amanda Peet married screenwriter David Benioff on September 30, 2006, in New York City. David Benioff is the son of Stephen Friedman. They have three children together. The family lives in Manhattan and Beverly Hills, California.

Amanda Peet is a friend of actor Peter Dinklage. She met him years ago through mutual friends.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Amanda Peet para niños