Amanda Brugel
Brugel in 2017
Born (1978-03-24) March 24, 1978 (age 45)
Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada
Alma materYork University
OccupationActress
Years active1999–present
PartnerAidan Shipley
Children2

Amanda Brugel (born March 24, 1978) is a Canadian actress. Born and raised in Pointe-Claire (a suburb of Montreal), Quebec, she made her acting debut in the drama film Vendetta (1999). This was followed by roles in the comedy film A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000), the slasher horror film Jason X (2001), the comedy film Sex After Kids (2013), for which she won an ACTRA Award for Best Female Performance, the satirical drama film Maps to the Stars (2014), the independent drama film Room (2015), the superhero film Suicide Squad (2016), the drama film Kodachrome (2017), and the action thriller film Becky (2020).

Brugel starred as Lynnie Jordan in the Showcase soap opera Paradise Falls (2008), Michelle Krasnoff in the Citytv comedy series Seed (2013–2014), Marci Coates in the Space science fiction series Orphan Black (2015), Nina Gomez in the CBC comedy series Kim's Convenience (2016–2021), and Rita Blue in the Hulu dystopian drama series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–present). In 2021, Brugel joined the judging panel of the second season of the reality competition series Canada's Drag Race.[1]

Throughout her career, Brugel has received several accolades, including two Canadian Screen Awards for her work in Kim's Convenience and Canada's Drag Race,[2][3] and an ACTRA Award win and Canadian Comedy Award nomination for her performance in Sex After Kids.[4][5]

Early life

Brugel was born in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada.[6][7] Her mother is English, and immigrated to Canada, while her biological father, whom she never met, is African-American. Her mother would later marry a man of South Asian (or Southeast Asian) and of Jewish descent. He would adopt Brugel, and she has stated that she considers him her father.[8][9]

She started out as a dancer, but quit when she grew to be taller than her partners.[10] She entered the renowned Theatre Program at York University with a Fine Arts talent scholarship, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2000.[11]

Career

In 1999, Brugel made her acting debut in the HBO drama film Vendetta, alongside Christopher Walken.[12] In 2000, she had a role in A Diva's Christmas Carol, a Christmas television film starring Vanessa Williams, Rozonda Thomas, and Kathy Griffin.[13] She made her feature film debut as Geko in the slasher horror film Jason X (2001)[14] and starred in the horror television film Kaw (2007).[15]

Brugel appeared in guest or recurring roles in several television series, including Soul Food (2001), Wild Card (2004), Kojak (2005), Kevin Hill (2005), The Newsroom (2005), Paradise Falls (2008), MVP (2008), Saving Hope (2012), Flashpoint (2012), Nikita (2013), and Covert Affairs (2013).[12][15]

In 2013, she earned critical praise for her starring role as Vanessa in the comedy film Sex After Kids.[16] For her performance, she received an ACTRA Award for Outstanding Female Performance,[4] and a nomination for a Canadian Comedy Award.[5] From 2013 to 2014, she starred as Michelle Krasnoff in the Citytv comedy series Seed.[12][17]

In 2014, Brugel appeared in David Cronenberg's satirical drama film Maps to the Stars, alongside Julianne Moore,[18] and the crime thriller film The Calling, alongside Susan Sarandon.[19] In 2015, she portrayed Marci Coates in several episodes of the Space science fiction series Orphan Black.[20] That same year, she appeared as Officer Parker in the independent drama film Room, which earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture and won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture.[18][21]

In 2016, she appeared in the superhero film Suicide Squad.[22] That same year, she began a recurring role as Pastor Nina Gomez in the CBC comedy series Kim's Convenience, for which she received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Guest Performance, Comedy.[2] In 2017, she appeared in the Netflix drama film Kodachrome.[23]

Brugel had recurring roles as Sita Petronelli in the USA Network drama series Eyewitness (2016)[24] and as Sonia in the CBC comedy series Workin' Moms (2018), for which she was nominated for the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress, Comedy.[25]

Since 2017, Brugel has starred as a housekeeper named Rita, in the Hulu dystopian drama series The Handmaid's Tale, based on Margaret Atwood's acclaimed novel of the same name.[26] As a part of the cast, she has received three nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[27]

From 2019 to 2020, Brugel had a recurring role as Faith Hanlon in the USA Network teen drama series Dare Me.[28] In 2020, she appeared as Eugenia in multiple episodes of the TNT post-apocalyptic drama series Snowpiercer, which is an adaptation of the film of the same name.[29] Also that year, Brugel starred as Kayla in the action thriller film Becky.[25][30]

In 2020, Brugel appeared as a panelist on Canada Reads, advocating for Samra Habib's memoir We Have Always Been Here.[31] She successfully defended the memoir and won the competition.[32]

On June 29, 2021, it was announced that Brugel, along with Brad Goreski, would join the judging panel of Canada's Drag Race for its sophomore season after season one judges Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Stacey McKenzie announced their departures in March and June 2021 respectively. Alongside Goreski and main judge Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brugel served as a rotating judge with Traci Melchor.[1] The group of judges won a Canadian Screen Award for their work on the second season.[3] Before the third season, Brugel was removed from the panel, with no replacement given.

Personal life

Brugel has two children from her previous marriage to Marcel Lewis.[33][34]

In 2013, Brugel founded Brugs Army, a non-profit organization that focuses on improving the lives of women and children.[35][36]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Vendetta Red Lantern Lady TV movie
2000 A Diva's Christmas Carol Olivia TV movie
2001 Jason X Geko
2002 10,000 Black Men Named George Waitress TV movie
Jack & Ella Elizabeth
2003 This Time Around Abby TV movie
Beautiful Girl Connie TV movie
2004 Category 6: Day of Destruction Leslie Singer TV movie
A Question - Short
2005 Devil's Perch Secretary TV movie
2007 Kaw Emma
What If God Were the Sun? Lupe TV movie
2009 The Death of Alice Blue Amanda
2013 Sex After Kids Vanessa
Treading Water Nurse
2014 Maps to the Stars Star! Channel Interviewer
The Calling Officer Vongarner
2015 Room Officer Parker
Charming Christmas Nadine TV movie
2016 Love's Complicated Kate TV movie
Suicide Squad National Security Council
Sadie's Last Days on Earth Detention Teacher
2017 Sometimes the Good Kill Faith TV movie [37]
Kodachrome Doctor
2018 Emmy Emmy Short
2019 Marie Celeste Marie Celeste Short
2020 Becky Kayla
Flashback Evelyn
Sugar Daddy Nancy
2021 Like a House on Fire Audrey
He Murdered Sleep Lady Macbeth Short
2022 Ashgrove Jennifer
2023 Infinity Pool Jennifer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Soul Food Trixie Episode: "Everything Is Unfolding Perfectly"
Leap Years Tamara Episode: "#1.4"
Tracker Uniformed Officer Episode: "The Beast"
2002 The 5th Quadrant Cassandra Morgan Episode: "Wild Animal King/Divining Miss M"
2004 Wild Card Evelyn Episode: "Queen Bea"
Doc Sheree Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues"
2005 Kevin Hill Leanne Wheeden Episode: "Man's Best Friend"
The Newsroom Nurse Episode: "Latent Homosexual Tendencies"
Kojak Theresa Episode: "All That Glitters"
2006 This Is Wonderland Lucy Jamieson Episode: "#3.9"
G-Spot Maureen Episode: "Payne Killer"
Naked Josh Toula Episode: "Planned Parenthood"
2008 MVP Megan Chandler Main cast
Paradise Falls Lynnie Jordan Recurring cast: season 3
2009 Da Kink in My Hair Elize Episode: "Looks Can Be Revealing"
2010 Life Unjarred Kim Episode: "Episode #1.4" & "#1.8"
2011 InSecurity Amanda Episode: "The Spy, the Friend and Her Lover"
2012 The Firm DA Sonia Swain Recurring cast
Saving Hope Lisa Rundel Episode: "Contact"
Flashpoint Trish Episode: "Keep the Peace: Part 1"
2013 The Ron James Show Linda Lanning Episode: "CCON Evolution" & "Truth, Lies and Spin"
Warehouse 13 Amy Episode: "The Big Snag"
Nikita Janet Malcolm Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part"
Covert Affairs Olivia Recurring cast: season 4
2013-14 Seed Michelle Krasnoff Main cast
2015 Orphan Black Marci Coates Recurring cast: season 3
Dark Matter Keeley Episode: "Pilot - Part 1 & 2"
2016 Eyewitness Sita Petronelli Recurring cast
You Got Trumped: The First 100 Days Kelly Recurring cast
2016–21 Kim's Convenience Pastor Nina Gomez Recurring cast
2017– The Handmaid's Tale Rita Blue Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2-
2018 Workin' Moms Sonia Recurring cast: season 2
2019-20 Dare Me Faith Hanlon Recurring cast
2020-21 Snowpiercer Eugenia Recurring cast: season 1-2
Canada's Drag Race Herself/Judge Guest: season 1, main cast: season 2
2021-22 Pretty Hard Cases Det. Karina Duff Recurring cast
2022 Sort Of Gaia guest star 3 episodes
TBA Dark Matter Blaire Recurring role, upcoming series

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2014 ACTRA Award Outstanding Performance – Female Sex After Kids Won [4]
Canadian Comedy Award Best Performance by a Female – Film Nominated [5]
2018 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The Handmaid's Tale Nominated [38]
Gold Derby Award Ensemble of the Year Won [39]
2019 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated [40]
Canadian Screen Award Best Supporting Actress, Comedy Workin' Moms Nominated [41]
2020 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The Handmaid's Tale Nominated [42]
Canadian Screen Award Best Guest Performance, Comedy Kim's Convenience Won [2]
2022 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The Handmaid's Tale Nominated [43]
Canadian Screen Award Best Guest Performance, Comedy Pretty Hard Cases Nominated [3]
Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition
(Shared with Brooke Lynn Hytes, Traci Melchor, and Brad Goreski) 		Canada's Drag Race Won
Best Host in a Web Program or Series
(Shared with Steven McCarthy) 		2021 CAFTCAD Awards Nominated

References

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