Amanda Seales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amanda Seales
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![]() Seales in 2019
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Born |
Amanda Ingrid Seales
July 1, 1981 Inglewood, California, U.S.
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Education | State University of New York, Purchase (BA) Columbia University (MA) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1992–present |
Comedy career | |
Medium | |
Genres | Stand-up comedy |
Amanda Ingrid Seales (born July 1, 1981), formerly known by the stage name Amanda Diva, is an American actress. From 2017 to 2021, she starred in the HBO comedy series Insecure. In 2019, HBO released her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin. Then, in 2020, Seales launched Smart Funny & Black, a comedy gameshow that showcases Black culture, history, and experience. Seales was also one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show, The Real.
Contents
Early life
Amanda Seales was born in Inglewood, CA on July 1, 1981. Her mother was born and raised in Mt. Moritz, Grenada. Her father is African-American. As a result, both she and her mother are dual citizens of the US and Grenada. She moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1989, where she later attended Dr. Phillips High School. She graduated from SUNY-Purchase, then acquired a master's degree in African-American studies with a concentration in Hip hop from Columbia University.
Career
Film and television
Seales's first film was a minor role as Katy in the 1993 movie Cop and a Half. The next year Seales was featured on the Nickelodeon sitcom My Brother and Me (1994) as Deonne Wilburn. In 2002 she appeared on Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam. Seales became publicly known as "VJ Amanda Diva" on MTV2 Sucker Free Countdown on Sundays. In 2016 she appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series Insecure, as Tiffany DuBois. Also in 2016, Seales began hosting her own show on truTV called Greatest Ever.
On January 26, 2019, HBO debuted her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin'. Bring the Funny is a comedy competition series that premiered on July 9, 2019, on NBC. Seales hosts, alongside judges Kenan Thompson, Chrissy Teigen, and Jeff Foxworthy.
Throughout 2019, Seales served as a frequent guest host for the syndicated daytime talk show The Real. On January 6, 2020, Seales was promoted from guest co-host to permanent co-host. She departed the series after six months of co-hosting, citing her dissatisfaction with the inability to openly speak on recent social issues as a reason. In September 2020, Seales accused The Real of stealing ideas from her show Smart Funny & Black, saying The Real's segment "Black Lives Matter University" featured a logo that closely resembled Smart Funny & Black's emblem.
In June 2020, Seales hosted the BET Awards 2020.
In February 2022, Seales was cast in the three-part documentary series Everything's Gonna Be All White, airing on Showtime.
Music
In 2007, Seales replaced Natalie Stewart of the musical duo Floetry on tour with Marsha Ambrosius, and in December of that same year Seales (as Amanda Diva) released her first extended play (EP) Life Experience. In 2008, she was featured on the song "Manwomanboogie" on Q-Tip's Grammy-nominated album The Renaissance. On March 3, 2009, Seales released Spandex, Rhymes & Soul.
Podcast
Seales hosts a weekly podcast titled Small Doses.
Game show
She created and hosts the touring variety game show, Smart Funny & Black, where her love of games and music, was used to serve as a safe space for the Black voice and celebrates the many contributions Black Americans have made to history and pop culture and more.
Radio
On April 18, 2022, Seales began co-hosting a new weekly radio show, Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black Radio on SiriusXM, alongside Taj Rani and JeremiahLikeTheBible, featuring topics such as games, celebrity interviews and African-American culture.
Discography
EPs
Title | Album details |
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Life Experience |
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Spandex, Rhymes & Soul |
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Madame Monochrome |
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Mixtapes
Title | Album details |
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F******* |
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Technicolor Lover |
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Guest appearances
Title | Year | Album | Artist(s) |
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"Manwomanboogie" | 2008 | The Renaissance | Q-Tip |
"Get Right" | 2010 | Rebel Without Applause | Johnny Polygon |
"Blvd Broad" | |||
"You Belong to Me" | Catch-Up | ||
"Beautiful Things" | LIFE | Kenichiro Nishihara | |
"Proud 2 Be" | 2012 | C**** on Steroids | N.O.R.E., M-1 |
Music videos
Title | Year | Director(s) |
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"Neon" (featuring Johnny Polygon) |
2009 | Lyn-don McCray |
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1993 | Cop and a Half | Katy | |
2006 | Freedomland | Angry Female Tenant | |
2011 | Identical | Poet #2 | |
2016 | Ladies Book Club | Helena | TV movie |
2018 | The Story of Our Times | Shancy | TV movie |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1994–95 | My Brother and Me | Deonne Wilburn | Recurring Cast |
2002–05 | Def Poetry Jam | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.5" & "#5.8" |
2010 | Undateable | Herself | Main Guest |
2011 | Independent Lens | Herself | Episode: "Deaf Jam" |
2012 | MTV's Hip Hop POV | Herself/Co-Host | Main Co-Host |
Made | Herself/Made Coach | Episode: "Professional Actress: Rita" | |
2013 | Big Evening Buzz | Herself/Panelist | Episode: "Dido" |
Master of the Mix | Herself/Host | Main Host: Season 3 | |
Big Morning Buzz Live | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Panelist | |
2015 | The View | Herself/Guest Co-Host | Episode: "Episode #18.85" |
2015–17 | Get Your Life | Herself | Main Cast |
2016 | Comedy Knockout | Herself | 1 episode |
2016–17 | Greatest Ever | Herself/Host | Main Host |
2016–21 | Insecure | Tiffany DuBois | Recurring Cast |
2017 | Hood Adjacent with James Davis | Herself | Episode: "Black Twitter" |
@midnight | Herself | Episode: "Episode #4.42" & "#4.136" | |
Gay of Thrones | Herself | 1 episode | |
2017–20 | The Real | Herself/Co-Host | Guest Co-Host: Season 4, Main Co-Host: Season 6 |
2018 | Black-ish | Barbara | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
Animals. | Tia/Waitress 1 (voice) | Episode: "Rats" | |
2018–19 | Hip Hop Squares | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Panelist: Season 5-6 |
2019 | Bring the Funny | Herself/Host | Main Host |
Camp Confessions | Herself | 1 episode | |
2019–21 | To Tell the Truth | Herself/Panelist | Guest Panelist: Season 4-5 & 7 |
2020 | Floored | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Beware the Bears" |
BET Awards | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
Hollywood Game Night | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Twitch & Shout" | |
Match Game | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Episode #5.8" | |
2021 | Fast Foodies | Herself | Episode: "Amanda Seales" |
Finding Magic Mike | Herself | Episode: "A Talented Man" | |
2022 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "Wrestling While Black" |
Everything's Gonna Be All White | Herself | Main Guest | |
Inventions That Changed History | Herself | Recurring Guest | |
Celebrity Game Face | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Cedric The Entertainer Busts Kevin's Chops" | |
Wheel of Fortune | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Amanda Seales, Snoop Dogg, Mark Duplass" | |
Mickey Mouse Funhouse | Annie the Giant (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
Sherman's Showcase | Faith Evans | Episode: "Fashion!" | |
2022–23 | 25 Words or Less | Herself/Contestant | Recurring Contestant: Season 3-5 |
2022–24 | Pictionary | Herself/Team Captain | Recurring Team Captain: Season 1, Guest Team Captain: Season 2 |
2023 | See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Herself | Recurring Guest |
The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Will Sasso vs. Amanda Seales and Dulé Hill vs. Francia Raisa" | |
Name That Tune | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Lightning & Glitter!" | |
Celebrity Squares | Herself/Contestant | Recurring Guest | |
Celebrity Jeopardy! | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Quarter Final #9: Kyra Sedgwick, Mo Rocca and Amanda Seales" | |
Crimson Hearts Collide | Kelsey | Main Cast |
Documentary
Year | Title |
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2007 | Beef 4 |
2008 | Big Pun: The Legacy |
2014 | Bottoms Up |