Amy Ryan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amy Ryan
Ryan at the premiere of Wolfs in 2024
Born	Amy Beth Dziewiontkowski (1968-05-03) May 3, 1968 (age 57) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present
Spouse(s)	Eric Slovin ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list

Amy Beth Dziewiontkowski (born May 3, 1968), known professionally as Amy Ryan, is a talented American actress. She started her acting career on stage in 1987. She made her first appearance on Broadway, which is a famous theater district, in 1993.

Amy Ryan has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play multiple times. This award is one of the highest honors in theater. She was recognized for her roles in plays like Uncle Vanya (2000) and A Streetcar Named Desire (2005). She also received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Doubt: A Parable (2024).

In movies, Amy Ryan became widely known for her role as a struggling single mother in the thriller Gone Baby Gone (2007). For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This is one of the most prestigious awards in film. She has also appeared in many other popular films. These include Birdman (2014) and Bridge of Spies (2015).

On television, Amy Ryan played memorable characters. She was Beadie Russell in the crime series The Wire (2002–2008). She also played Holly Flax in the funny sitcom The Office (2008–2011). More recently, she has been in shows like Only Murders in the Building (2021–2024).

Amy Ryan's Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Amy Beth Dziewiontkowski was born in Flushing, Queens, a part of New York City. Her mother, Pamela, was a nurse, and her father, John, owned a trucking business. Amy has Polish, Irish, and English family roots.

When she was growing up in the 1970s, Amy and her sister Laura used to deliver the Daily News newspaper by bike. From a young age, Amy was interested in performing. She attended the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Center. This is a special camp for young actors in upstate New York.

At 17, Amy graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts. Right after high school, she got a job on a national tour of a play called Biloxi Blues. For the next ten years, she worked steadily in off-Broadway plays. Off-Broadway shows are smaller than Broadway ones but still very important. She decided to use her mother's maiden name, Ryan, as her stage name.

Amy Ryan's Journey in Film and Television

Starting on Stage and Screen (1987–2005)

Amy Ryan made her first off-Broadway appearance in 1987 in a play called A Shayna Maidel. She continued to act in many off-Broadway productions. She also performed in regional theater, which means plays in different parts of the country. In these plays, she created new roles in works by famous writers like Neil LaBute and Arthur Miller.

On Broadway, she played Tess in The Sisters Rosensweig. She also appeared in revivals of classic plays like The Three Sisters and The Women.

Amy Ryan also started working in television. She had a brief role on the soap opera As the World Turns. Then she appeared in popular TV series like I'll Fly Away, ER, and Chicago Hope. She became a regular on The Naked Truth. In 1993, she made her first appearance on Law & Order, a show she would return to several times.

Her talent on stage earned her two nominations for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. These were for her roles in Uncle Vanya in 2000 and A Streetcar Named Desire in 2005.

Amy Ryan's first film role was in Roberta in 1999. She then had small parts in movies like You Can Count on Me and Keane. From 2003 to 2008, she played a big role in the HBO crime drama The Wire. She played Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell. In 2005, she played a sheriff's wife in Capote. But it was her role as a tough welfare mom in Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone that truly brought her national attention.

Becoming a Recognized Star (2006–2017)

Ryan in 2007

After her amazing performance in Gone Baby Gone, Amy Ryan won many awards from film critics. She was named Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review and many other groups. Her performance also earned her nominations for a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Oscar. This Oscar nomination was for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting role at the 80th Academy Awards.

Amy Ryan continued to take on important film roles. She appeared in Changeling (2008), directed by Clint Eastwood. She also starred alongside Matt Damon in Green Zone (2010). She received great reviews for her role in Win Win in 2011.

From 2008 to 2011, she had a popular role on The Office. She played Holly Flax, a kind but quirky human resources representative. She appeared in seasons 5 and 7 of the show. In 2010, Amy Ryan joined the cast of HBO's In Treatment. She played a therapist named Adele.

In 2014, Amy Ryan was part of the main cast of Birdman. This movie won the Best Picture Academy Award. She shared in the cast's Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture victory. In 2015, she played Mary Donovan with Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies.

In 2017, Amy Ryan took on her first leading role in a film called Abundant Acreage Available. Critics praised her performance, saying she was "absolutely magnetic." She also received excellent reviews for her leading role in the 2016 play Love, Love, Love. For this play, she won the Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress.

Recent Work (2018–Present)

In 2018, Amy Ryan co-starred in Beautiful Boy. She acted alongside her The Office co-star Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. In 2019, she was part of the cast of Late Night, a comedy about a female talk show host. She also appeared in the thriller Strange but True.

In 2020, Amy Ryan starred in the Netflix mystery thriller Lost Girls. She played Mari Gilbert, a real-life woman searching for her missing daughter.

From 2021 to 2024, Amy Ryan played Jan Bellows in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. She co-starred with famous actors like Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. In 2023, she appeared in the film Beau Is Afraid with Joaquin Phoenix. In 2024, she took on a main role in the Apple TV+ mystery series Sugar.

Personal Life

Amy Ryan married Eric Slovin in 2011. They have one daughter, who was born in October 2009.

Filmography

Amy Ryan has appeared in many films throughout her career. Here are some of her notable movie roles:

Television Roles

Amy Ryan has also had many important roles on television. Here are some of her well-known TV appearances:

Theatre Performances

Amy Ryan has a strong background in theater. Here are some of the plays she has performed in:

Awards and Nominations

Amy Ryan has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Amy Ryan para niños