Childhood & Early Life
Amanda Fuller was born on August 27, 1984, in Los Angeles, California. She was the youngest of the four children in the family. She grew up with three older brothers. Her parents owned a furniture business. One of her brothers, Jeff Fuller, is a producer.
Amanda was interested in show business since childhood. She had her first stint with the entertainment industry when she did a print shoot for her parents’ furniture store, ‘My Kid’s Room.’
Within a few more years, she became more serious about becoming a professional actor. She learned dancing and acting at the ‘Ron Cisneros Studio of Dance’ in Los Angeles. She also had her parents’ support. They took her to film and TV auditions ever since she was 8 years old.
She was an average student, and by the time she entered high school, she had already begun working as an actor. She graduated from the ‘Notre Dame High School.’ Following this, she did not go to college but decided to focus solely on her acting career.
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Career
Amanda began auditioning at the age of 8 and earned her first role in 1993, in the TV series ‘Tales of the City.’ The series featured her in a guest role (‘Lexy’) in the fourth episode of its first season. She then appeared in yet another guest role (‘Jordan’), in the series titled ‘Charlie Grace’ in 1995.
She also made her film debut in 1995, with the role of ‘Crystal Acton’ in the TV film titled ‘Deadly Whispers.’ The following year, she appeared in the film titled ‘The Making of a Hollywood Madam,’ in which she played a guest role yet again.
In 1997, she played the younger version of Jennifer Aniston’s character in the film titled ‘’Til There was You.’ Despite receiving negative reviews from critics, it was a commercial success.
Throughout the late 1990s, she appeared playing small roles in films such as ‘Real Story,’ ‘Whatever it Takes,’ ‘Safety Patrol,’ and ‘The Incredible Genie.’
Her TV career, too, soared in the late 1990s, with guest roles in series such as ‘That 70’s Show,’ ‘The Tom Show,’ and ‘One World.’
She had her first major acting breakthrough when she appeared as one of the lead characters in the 2001 film titled ‘Askari.’ The film featured Amanda as ‘Emma,’ a teenage girl sent to live in Africa after the death of her parents. The film had her sharing the screen with ‘Academy Award’-winning actor Marlee Matlin.
In 2003, she appeared in a key role in the independent film titled ‘The Failures.’ The film was a huge critical success and won awards at many film festivals.
The same year, she appeared in an episode of one of the most successful series of the early 2000s, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ titled ‘Showtime,’ as ‘Eve.’ It was the last season of the hugely successful series, and Amanda received appreciation for her portrayal.
In the mid-2000s, she appeared in key roles in TV films such as ‘Conviction’ and ‘Primal Doubt.’
In 2007, she appeared in a supporting role in the independent film ‘Kush.’ The action thriller was a critical and commercial success.
However, despite a few above-average ratings, she found it difficult to score meaty roles in the 2000s. Her TV roles, too, were highly limited to guest roles in series such as ‘Bones,’ ‘Life,’ and ‘Close to Home.’ However, from time to time, she played crucial roles in some films.
In 2010, she played ‘Erica,’ the lead role, in the revenge thriller ‘Red, White & Blue.’ Her role was that of an emotionally damaged young alcoholic and sex addict. The film received huge critical and commercial acclaim, premiering at the ‘International Film Festival Rotterdam’ and winning the ‘Best Film’ awards at many film festivals.
She played key roles in many films in 2011, such as ‘Freerunner’ and ‘Creature.’ In 2013, she played a supporting role in the black comedy ‘Cheap Thrills.’ The film was made on a shoestring budget and was a critical hit. However, the film did not do well commercially.
She had her major TV break in 2012, when she began appearing as ‘Kristin Baxter’ in the popular sitcom ‘Last Man Standing.’ She happens to be one of the most popular actors on the show currently and has appeared in 70 episodes of the series.
In 2018, she was signed to play a roughneck female prisoner named ‘Madison “Badison” Murphy’ in the hit ‘Netflix’ series ‘Orange Is the New Black.’
Her film career has practically halted of late. She has still been seen in films such as ‘All the Creatures Were Stirring’ (2018) and ‘Fashionista’ (2016).
