Biography:

Amanda Peet (born January 11, 1972) is an American film and television actress.

Early life:

Peet was born in New York City, the daughter of Penny (née Levy), a social worker, and Charles Peet, a corporate lawyer. The two are now divorced. Her father is a Quaker and her mother is Jewish. She has one older sister, who is a doctor. Peet attended Friends Seminary, then studied history at and graduated from Columbia University, where she auditioned for acting teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen's class. During her four-year period of study with Hagen, Peet appeared in the off-Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing.

Career:

Peet's first screen performance was a television commercial for Skittles. Her early roles included a guest role on the television series Law & Order. She made her film debut in Animal Room (1995). Peet maintained a steady acting career in relatively obscure indie movies.

Her first major role was as "Jack" in the 1999 WB network series Jack & Jill (which aired for two seasons). She also appeared in the eighth-season finale of Seinfeld ("The Summer of George") as a waitress whom Jerry Seinfeld meets. Her character is notable for seemingly dating two men at once: Jerry and her apparent roommate ("dude"), Lyle. Peet's first role in a widely-released feature film came in 2000, with The Whole Nine Yards, elevating her status from supporting actress to lead. That same year, she was voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People magazine. Peet was also in the movie Saving Silverman with Jack Black and Steve Zahn. She also starred in Something's Gotta Give in 2003, playing Diane Keaton's daughter, and, at one point, Jack Nicholson's girlfriend but not lover.

In 2005, Peet appeared in the play This Is How It Goes, filling in for Marisa Tomei at the last minute after six days of rehearsal. In the same year, she also co-starred in the films Syriana with Matt Damon, and A Lot Like Love, with Ashton Kutcher. In February 2006, she was performing in Neil Simon's Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park. Peet was a member of the cast of the television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which premiered on NBC on September 18, 2006. She starred with Matthew Perry, with whom she worked in The Whole Nine Yards and The Whole Ten Yards, and Sarah Paulson, with whom she co-starred in Jack & Jill. In the show; Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Peet's character Jordan McDeere was the newly-appointed president of the National Broadcasting System (NBS). In 2006, she also starred along with Dermot Mulroney in a Lifetime movie, Griffin and Phoenix, in which she played a terminally-ill woman living life to the fullest. Her most recent role was in 2007's The Ex, a comedy co-starring Zach Braff in which Peet plays an attorney who stays home to raise a new baby. She will next co-star with Hilary Duff, Amanda Seyfried and Amber Tamblyn in Safety Glass, a film set around the Space Shuttle Challenger launch; filming will begin this fall. She will also play an FBI agent in 2008's Untitled X-Files Sequel.

Personal life:

Peet married screenwriter David Benioff (whom she met on a blind date) on September 30, 2006 in New York City and gave birth to a daughter, Frances Pen, on February 20, 2007. The three live in Manhattan and Los Angeles.

Filmography:

1. Untitled X Files Sequel (2008) (filming)
2. Safety Glass (2008) (post-production)
3. Real Men Cry (2008) (post-production)
4. Five Dollars a Day (2008) (post-production)
5. Martian Child (2007) .... Harlee
6. Terra (2007) (voice) .... Maria
7. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" .... Jordan McDeere (22 episodes, 2006-2007)
8. Fast Track (2006) .... Sofia Kowalski
9. Griffin & Phoenix (2006) .... Phoenix
10. Syriana (2005) .... Julie Woodman
11. A Lot Like Love (2005) .... Emily Friehl
12. Melinda and Melinda (2004) .... Susan
13. The Whole Ten Yards (2004) .... Jill
14. Something's Gotta Give (2003) .... Marin
15. Identity (2003) .... Paris
16. Whatever We Do (2003) .... Patty
17. Igby Goes Down (2002) .... Rachel
18. Changing Lanes (2002) .... Cynthia Delano Banek
19. High Crimes (2002) .... Jackie
20. "Jack & Jill" .... Jacqueline 'Jack' Barrett (32 episodes, 1999-2001)
21. Saving Silverman (2001) .... Judith Fessbeggler
22. Date Squad (2001) (TV) .... Belkis Felcher
23. Whipped (2000) .... Mia
24. Takedown (2000) .... Karen
25. The Whole Nine Yards (2000) .... Jill St. Claire
26. Isn't She Great (2000) .... Debbie
27. Zoe Loses It (2000) .... Zoe
28. Body Shots (1999) .... Jane Bannister
29. Two Ninas (1999) .... Nina Harris
30. Jump (1999) .... Lisa
31. Simply Irresistible (1999) .... Chris
32. "Partners" .... Beth Harmon (1 episode, 1999)
33. Playing by Heart (1998) .... Amber
34. Southie (1998) .... Marianne Silva
35. 1999 (1998) .... Nicole
36. Origin of the Species (1998) .... Julia
37. Ellen Foster (1997) (TV) .... Julia Hobbs
38. Touch Me (1997) .... Bridgette
39. "Seinfeld" .... Linette (1 episode, 1997)
40. Grind (1997) .... Patty
41. "Spin City" .... Shelly McCrory (1 episode, 1997)
42. Sax and Violins (1997)
43. One Fine Day (1996) .... Celia
44. She's the One (1996) .... Molly Donati
45. "Central Park West" .... Robyn Gainer (6 episodes, 1996)
46. "The Single Guy" .... Kathy (1 episode, 1996)
47. Winterlude (1996)
48. Virginity (1996)
49. "One Life to Live" (1968) TV series .... Layle (unknown episodes, 1995)
50. "Law & Order" .... Leslie Harlan (1 episode, 1995)
51. Animal Room (1995) .... Debbie