Amy Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amy Adams
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Adams in 2016
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| Born |
Amy Lou Adams
August 20, 1974 Aviano, Italy
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Darren Le Gallo
(m. 2015) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
Amy Lou Adams (born August 20, 1974) is a famous American actress. She is known for playing many different kinds of characters, from funny to serious. She has been one of the world's highest-paid actresses several times. Amy Adams has won many awards, including two Golden Globe Awards. She has also been nominated for six Academy Awards, which are also known as the Oscars.
Amy Adams started her career as a dancer in dinner theaters from 1994 to 1998. Her first movie role was a small part in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999). She also appeared in TV shows and played "mean girl" roles in smaller movies. Her first big role was in Steven Spielberg's film Catch Me If You Can (2002). After this, she didn't get many jobs for a year.
Her big break came when she played a talkative pregnant woman in the movie Junebug (2005). For this role, she received her first Academy Award nomination. She became a leading actress with the musical fantasy film Enchanted (2007). In this movie, she played a cheerful princess-to-be.
Later, she took on more confident roles. These included a part in the sports film The Fighter (2010) and the drama The Master (2012). From 2013 to 2017, she played Lois Lane in superhero movies like Man of Steel. She won two Golden Globe Awards in a row. One was for playing a con artist in American Hustle (2013). The other was for playing painter Margaret Keane in Big Eyes (2014).
She also received praise for her roles in the science fiction film Arrival (2016). She played a reporter in the TV show Sharp Objects (2018). And she played Lynne Cheney in the movie Vice (2018). Amy Adams has also acted on stage. In 2014, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Where Amy Adams Grew Up
Amy Adams was born in Aviano, Italy, on August 20, 1974. Her parents, Kathryn and Richard Adams, were Americans. Her father was in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Italy. She has four brothers and two sisters. Her family moved often because of her father's army job. When she was eight, they settled in Castle Rock, Colorado.
After leaving the army, her father became a singer in nightclubs. Amy loved going to his shows. Her family was not rich. They enjoyed camping and hiking together. Her parents would often write skits, and Amy always played the main character.
School and Early Interests
Amy Adams was raised as a Mormon until her parents divorced in 1985. They then left the church. Amy didn't have strong religious beliefs herself. But she felt her upbringing taught her about love and kindness. After the divorce, her father moved to Arizona. Amy and her siblings stayed with their mother. Her mother became a bodybuilder and took her children to the gym with her.
Amy went to Douglas County High School. She wasn't very interested in schoolwork. But she loved creative arts and sang in the school choir. She also did track and gymnastics. She dreamed of becoming a ballerina and trained at a local dance company. She didn't like high school much and mostly kept to herself.
Starting Her Career Path
After high school, Amy and her mother moved to Atlanta. Amy did not go to college, which disappointed her parents. She later wished she had gone to college. At 18, Amy realized she wasn't good enough to be a professional ballerina. She found musical theater more interesting. One of her first stage roles was in a local play called Annie. She did this as a volunteer. To earn money, she worked at a Gap store. She also worked as a waitress at Hooters. She left that job once she saved enough money to buy a used car.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting in Dinner Theater (1994–2004)
Amy Adams began her acting career in 1994. She was a dancer in a dinner theater show called A Chorus Line in Boulder, Colorado. This job meant she had to serve food before performing on stage. She enjoyed singing and dancing. But she didn't like waitressing. She lost that job but continued to perform in other dinner theaters.
In 1995, a theater director named Michael Brindisi saw her perform. He offered her a job at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Amy moved there and worked for three years. She liked the steady work and learned a lot.
While at Chanhassen, Amy acted in her first short film. Soon after, she auditioned for the Hollywood movie Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999). This movie was a comedy about beauty pageants. Amy got a supporting role as a cheerleader. An actress in the film, Kirstie Alley, encouraged Amy to try for a film career. So, Amy moved to Los Angeles in 1999. She found it tough at first.
In Los Angeles, Amy auditioned for many roles. She got a lead role in a TV series called Manchester Prep. But the show was canceled. She then had a supporting role in Psycho Beach Party (2000). From 2000 to 2002, Amy appeared in many TV shows. These included That '70s Show, Charmed, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Her first big role was in Steven Spielberg's movie Catch Me If You Can (2002). She played Brenda Strong, a nurse who falls in love with the main character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. This movie made her feel more confident. However, even with the film's success, her career didn't take off right away. She didn't have work for a year after the movie came out. She almost quit acting. Instead, she took acting classes to improve her skills.
Becoming a Star (2005–2007)
Amy Adams was 30 years old and feeling discouraged. She thought about quitting acting after finishing the movie Junebug (2005). This independent film had a small budget. In the movie, she played Ashley Johnsten, a cheerful and talkative pregnant woman. The director, Phil Morrison, was impressed by Amy's acting. She felt a strong connection to the character. She even dyed her hair red for the role and decided to keep it that color.
Junebug was shown at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Amy won a special award there. Critics loved her performance. One called it "one of the most delicately funny and heartbreaking performances". Another said her acting was "radiant". For this role, Amy won several awards and was nominated for an Academy Award.
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In 2005, Amy also had small roles in two other movies. She also joined the TV show The Office for a few episodes. In 2006, she played a love interest in the comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
In 2007, Amy Adams starred as Giselle in the musical romantic comedy Enchanted. Giselle is a very optimistic and joyful character, like a Disney Princess. Amy was one of 250 actresses who auditioned for the role. The studio wanted a bigger star, but the director insisted on Amy. She had to wear a heavy ball gown that weighed 45 pounds and sometimes fell over! She sang three songs for the movie's soundtrack. Critics praised her performance, saying she was "fresh and winning". Many saw this as her breakthrough role. Enchanted was a huge success, earning over $340 million worldwide. Amy was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
After Enchanted, Amy played Bonnie Bach in the movie Charlie Wilson's War (2007). She played the assistant to a congressman, played by Tom Hanks.
Taking on Different Roles (2008–2012)
In 2008, Amy Adams starred in Sunshine Cleaning, a comedy-drama about two sisters. She also starred in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, a comedy set in 1939. In this movie, she played an aspiring American actress in London. Critics compared her charming performance to her role in Enchanted.
Amy then starred in Doubt, a movie based on a play. She played an innocent nun. The director chose Amy because he found her innocent yet smart. She felt connected to her character's ability to see the good in people. She learned a lot working with famous actors like Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Critics praised her acting, saying she showed "distressed compassion" and "wide-eyed innocence". She was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for this role.
Amy often played innocent, cheerful women in her early roles. She said she liked playing characters who were joyful and hopeful. She believed that even if they seemed similar, these characters were actually very different. She said, "Naïveté is not stupidity, and innocent people are often very complex."
In 2009, Amy Adams played the aviator Amelia Earhart in the fantasy adventure film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. This was the first movie to film inside the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. The director said this role showed Amy's wide acting range. Amy felt it was the first time she played a confident character. Critics praised her performance. One called her "a sparkling screen presence".
That same year, Amy starred in Julie & Julia. She played Julie Powell, a government secretary who decides to blog about recipes from Julia Child's cookbook. To prepare, Amy took cooking classes. Both Night at the Museum and Julie & Julia were very successful movies.
In 2010, Amy starred in the romantic comedy Leap Year. Her next movie, the boxing drama The Fighter, was much more popular. She played Charlene Fleming, the tough girlfriend of a boxer. This role was very different for her. She had to find her character's strength in quiet moments. Critics praised her, saying she was "as tough, tender, smart, and funny as she was ethereal and delightful in Enchanted". She received Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations for this supporting role. After this, she wanted to play more serious roles.
In 2011, Amy Adams starred in the Disney musical The Muppets with the famous puppets. She sang seven songs for the movie's soundtrack. The next year, she acted in a stage musical called Into the Woods in New York City. It was her first time on a New York stage in 13 years. She found it challenging but wanted to try something new.
Amy took on another strong female role in the drama The Master (2012). She played Peggy Dodd, the tough wife of a cult leader. This was her third and last movie with Philip Seymour Hoffman, whom she admired greatly. Critics compared her character to Lady Macbeth and praised her "discrete menace". Amy received Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations for this supporting role.
Her second movie in 2012 was Trouble with the Curve. She played the daughter of a baseball scout, played by Clint Eastwood. Amy learned how to catch, pitch, and swing a baseball bat for the role.
An Established Actress (2013–2019)
Amy Adams had tried out for the role of Lois Lane in two previous Superman movies but didn't get the part. Finally, she got to play Lois Lane in Zack Snyder's 2013 movie, Man of Steel. She played Lois Lane as both tough and vulnerable. The movie was a big success, earning over $660 million. Amy then appeared in Her, a drama about a lonely man who falls in love with an artificial intelligence. Amy played his close friend.
Amy had more success when she worked again with director David O. Russell in the crime comedy American Hustle. She co-starred with Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence. The filming was difficult for Amy, and she later said the director was hard on her. But American Hustle was highly praised by critics. One critic said Amy "goes deeper here than she's ever been allowed to". She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. She also received her fifth Oscar nomination. Both Her and American Hustle were named among the best films of 2013.
After a small role in Lullaby, Amy Adams starred in Big Eyes (2014). This movie was about the artist Margaret Keane, whose husband claimed credit for her famous "big-eyed waifs" paintings. Amy had initially turned down the role because she didn't want to play another innocent woman. But after her daughter was born in 2010, she found strength in the character. She practiced painting and studied Keane's work. Critics praised her "potent blend of intuitive fire and sensitive vulnerability". She won her second Golden Globe Award in a row for this role.
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After a year away from movies, Amy Adams had three films released in 2016. She played Lois Lane again in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. This movie earned over $870 million, making it her highest-grossing film so far. In her next two movies, Arrival and Nocturnal Animals, Amy played smart women who kept their emotions guarded.
Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is considered one of Amy Adams's best films. She played Louise Banks, a linguist who works for the U.S. government to understand the language of aliens. Amy liked the idea of playing a smart female lead. She also connected with the movie's message of unity. She watched documentaries about linguistics to prepare. Critics called her performance "mesmerizingly open" and "finely calibrated". Arrival was a success, earning over $200 million. Amy received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for Best Actress. Many people were surprised she didn't get an Oscar nomination for it. She played Lois Lane for the third time in Justice League (2017).
In 2018, Amy Adams returned to TV in Sharp Objects, an HBO miniseries. She was also an executive producer and starred as Camille Preaker, a reporter. Both the show and Amy's acting received great reviews. One critic called her performance "transfixing". Another said she was "operating at the peak of her abilities".
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Amy Adams and Christian Bale worked together for the third time in the political comedy Vice (2018). They played former vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney, and his wife, Lynne. Amy read Lynne's books to prepare for the role. Even though she didn't agree with Lynne's political views, she tried to understand her character with empathy. Critics praised her strong performance. Amy received Golden Globe nominations for both Sharp Objects and Vice. For Sharp Objects, she was nominated for an Emmy Award. For Vice, she received her sixth Oscar and seventh BAFTA nominations.
Recent Work (2020–Present)
Amy Adams started the new decade with the drama Hillbilly Elegy (2020). Critics did not like the movie much. But Amy still received a nomination for the SAG Award for Best Actress. Next, Amy starred as a woman who is afraid of open spaces and witnesses a murder in The Woman in the Window. This movie was filmed in 2018 but was delayed several times. It was finally released on Netflix in 2021.
Amy then played a grieving mother in Dear Evan Hansen, a movie based on a Broadway musical. Both The Woman in the Window and Dear Evan Hansen were not well-received by critics.
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In 2022, Amy Adams performed in her first West End theatre play in London. It was a revival of The Glass Menagerie. She played Amanda, a mother trying to raise her children. Amy used her own mother's strong personality to help her with the role. The play received mixed reviews. Some critics praised her performance, calling it "clear, simple, believable, and quietly heart-breaking". Others found it "muted and unconvincing". She then played Giselle again in Disenchanted, a sequel to Enchanted, which came out on Disney+. She also recorded six songs for its soundtrack. Critics noted Amy's charm but thought the sequel was not as good as the first movie.
In 2019, Amy Adams started her own production company called Bond Group Entertainment with her manager. Amy will next star in a science fiction film called Klara and the Sun. She will also be in a drama film called At the Sea.
Personal Life and Charity Work
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Amy Adams met actor and painter Darren Le Gallo in an acting class in 2001. They started dating a year later. They got engaged in 2008. Amy gave birth to their daughter, Aviana, in 2010. Seven years after their engagement, they got married in a private ceremony in California. Amy has said she appreciates how Darren has supported their family as the main caregiver. They live in Beverly Hills, California. She describes her family life as "pretty low-key". Her routine includes working, taking her daughter to the park, and having weekly date nights with her husband.
Amy Adams doesn't think being a celebrity is very important. She believes that the more people know about her, the less they will believe her characters. She tries to keep her life private and balance her work and family. She works hard to stay unaffected by fame. Amy has talked about feeling insecure when she was younger. She says motherhood has made her calmer. She often sings when she feels stressed at work. She has also spoken out for equal pay for women in the film industry. She believes questions about the gender pay gap should be asked of producers, not just actresses.
Because she had a tough start in the film industry, Amy Adams works with students at New York City's Ghetto Film School. Variety magazine honored her for this work in 2010. She also supports the Trevor Project. This group helps LGBT teenagers who are struggling. In 2013, she helped launch a book called The Beauty Book for Brain Cancer. This book helps raise money for brain cancer charities. In 2020, Amy teamed up with actress Jennifer Garner. They launched a campaign called #SaveWithStories to help children's education during school closures from the COVID-19 pandemic. Amy is also an ambassador for The RightWay Foundation. This charity helps young people who used to be in foster care find jobs and get mental health support. Variety honored her for this work in 2024.
Acting Credits and Awards
Some of Amy Adams's most praised and successful movies include Catch Me If You Can (2002), Junebug (2005), Enchanted (2007), Doubt (2008), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Julie & Julia (2009), The Fighter (2010), The Muppets (2011), The Master (2012), Man of Steel (2013), Her (2013), American Hustle (2013), Big Eyes (2014), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Arrival (2016), Nocturnal Animals (2016), and Justice League (2017).
On television, Amy Adams starred in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects (2018). On stage, she appeared in Into the Woods in 2012 and The Glass Menagerie in 2022.
Amy Adams has been nominated for six Academy Awards. These include Best Supporting Actress for Junebug (2005), Doubt (2008), The Fighter (2010), The Master (2012), and Vice (2018). She was nominated for Best Actress for American Hustle (2013). She has won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical twice. These wins were for American Hustle (2013) and Big Eyes (2014).
See also
In Spanish: Amy Adams para niños
