Amanda Tapping
Amanda Tapping | |
|---|---|
 Amanda Tapping at Comic Con 2007 | |
| Born | 28 August 1965 |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, Producer, Director |
| Spouse | Alan Kovacs (1994 - present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | http://www.amandatapping.com/ |
Amanda Tapping (born 28 August 1965 in Rochford, Essex) is an English-born Canadian actress, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Currently, she stars as Dr. Helen Magnus in the Syfy Channel series Sanctuary.
Early life and education
Born in Rochford, Essex, England, she moved with her family to Ontario, Canada when she was three years old. She attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute where she excelled in environmental science and drama. However, when she finished in 1984, she decided to focus her attention on drama, attending the University of Windsor School of Dramatic Arts in Windsor, Ontario.[1]
Personal life
As of 2004, Tapping lives with her husband, Alan Kovacs, in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has one daughter born on 22 March, 2005. Tapping has two living brothers, Richard and Christopher. Chris is her fraternal twin, who works in Toronto as a database administrator. A third brother, Steven, died in December 2006.[2]
Acting career
After graduation Tapping continued to study theatrical arts while performing in several stage productions. She appeared in several television commercials and played a variety of roles in television and film productions, such as The Outer Limits and The X-Files. She also formed a comedy troupe, the "Random Acts", with collaborators Katherine Jackson and Anne Marie Kerr, in Toronto in the early 1990s.[3]
Tapping is best known for her portrayal of Samantha Carter in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, which debuted in 1997. After SG-1 aired its final episode, Tapping reprised the role of Samantha Carter on Stargate Atlantis as the new commander of the Atlantis expedition.[4] In season five however, Tapping's role on the show was reduced to that of "special guest-star" with only occasional appearances[5] due to her choosing to focus attention on the development of a new series for Syfy called Sanctuary. The show consists of 26 episodes over 2 seasons, which expanded on an original show released on the internet in 2007 as a series of eight webisodes, where the bulk of the scenery and characters are entirely green screen and CGI creations. Tapping serves as both star and executive producer of the show. Sanctuary has been renewed for a 4th season due to air Autumn of 2011.
In 2007, she won a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Actress for her role in the short film Breakdown.[6]
Directing experience
Tapping's first directing experience was during the seventh season of Stargate SG-1 on an episode titled "Resurrection", written by co-star Michael Shanks.[7] She directed the seventh episode of Sanctuary season two titled "Veritas".[8]
Selected filmography
| Actress | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
| 1994 | Forever Knight | Dr. Naomi Ross | Television series, episode "Near Death" |
| 1995 | Rent-A-Kid | Mrs. Nicely | Television movie |
| Net Worth | Colleen Howe | Television movie | |
| The Haunting of Lisa | Gina/Angel | Television movie | |
| Degree of Guilt | Marcy | Television movie | |
| 1996 | Flash Forward | Miss Yansouni | Television series |
| Remembrance | Linda | Television movie | |
| Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story | Kathryn Laumann | Television movie | |
| What Kind of Mother Are You? | Ingrid Elstad | Film | |
| Due South | Audrey McKenna | Television series, episode "Starman" | |
| The X-Files | Carina Sayles | Television series, episode "Avatar" | |
| 1997 | The Donor | Cassie | Film |
| Booty Call | Dr. Moore | Film | |
| Stargate SG-1 | Captain/Major/Lt. Col. Samantha Carter | Television series, starring 1997–2007 | |
| 1998 | Millennium | Dr. Cantor | Television series, episode "Borrowed Time" |
| The Outer Limits | Cmdr. Kate Girard | Television series, episode "The Joining" | |
| 2000 | Blacktop | Waitress | Television movie |
| 2001 | The Void | Prof. Eva Soderstrom | Direct-to-DVD film |
| 2002 | Stuck | Liz | Film |
| Life or Something Like It | Carrie Maddox | Film | |
| 2004 | Traffic | Home owner's wife | Television miniseries |
| Legend of Earthsea | Lady Elfarren | Television movie | |
| Proof Positive | Host | Television series 2004–2005 | |
| 2005 | Stargate Atlantis | Colonel Samantha Carter | Television 2005–2009, Starring 2007–2008 |
| 2006 | Breakdown | Mary Johnson | Short film |
| Engaged to Kill | Detective Burns | Television movie | |
| 2007 | Sanctuary | Dr. Helen Magnus | Web series |
| 2008 | Sanctuary | Dr. Helen Magnus | Television series, starring from 2008 |
| Stargate: The Ark of Truth | Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter | Direct-to-DVD film | |
| Stargate: Continuum | Colonel Samantha Carter | Direct-to-DVD film | |
| Ghost Hunters | Herself | 2008 Halloween Live | |
| 2009 | Dancing Trees | Josephina Rooney | Film |
| Stargate Universe | Colonel Samantha Carter | Television series, 2 episodes | |
Theatre
- The Wizard of Oz
- The Lion in Winter as "Alais Capet"
- Steel Magnolias - West End Theater
- Look Back in Anger as "Alison" (1986)
- Children of a Lesser God as "Sarah" (1987)
- The Taming of the Shrew as "Bianca" (1988)
- Noises Off
- The Shadow Walkers
Awards and nominations
Tapping has won 6 awards, out of 13 nominations.
| Year | Award | Category | Episode/Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Leo Award | Best Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | Stargate SG-1: "Point of View" | Nominated |
| 2000 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress on Television | – | Nominated |
| 2001 | Gemini Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Stargate SG-1: "2010" | Nominated |
| 2001 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress on Television | – | Nominated |
| 2002 | Leo Award | Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance - Female | Stargate SG-1: "Ascension" | Won |
| 2002 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress on Television | – | Nominated |
| 2004 | Leo Award | Dramatic Series: Best Direction | Stargate SG-1: "Resurrection" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Leo Award | Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance by a Female | Stargate SG-1: "Grace" | Won |
| 2004 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress on Television | – | Won |
| 2005 | Leo Award | Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance by a Female | Stargate SG-1: "Threads" | Won |
| 2007 | Canadian Comedy Award | Best Actress (Film) | Breakdown | Won |
| 2009 | Constellation Award | Best Female Performance in a 2008 Science Fiction Film, TV Movie, or Mini-Series | Stargate: Continuum | Nominated |
| 2009 | Constellation Award | Best Female Performance in a 2008 Science Fiction Television Episode | Sanctuary: "Requiem" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Constellation Award | Outstanding Canadian Contribution to Science Fiction Film or Television in 2008 | – | Nominated |
| 2009 | Leo Award | Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama | Stargate: Continuum | Nominated |
| 2009 | Leo Award | Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance by a Female | Sanctuary: "Requiem" | Won |
| 2009 | Gemini Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Sanctuary | Nominated |
References
- ^ Amanda Tapping at IMDb
- ^ Tapping, Amanda (26 December 2006). "From Amanda - Her brother Steven". The Official Amanda Tapping website. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
- ^ "Biography". The Official Amanda Tapping website. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ^ Ryan, Maureen (20 February 2007). "Amanda Tapping joins 'Stargate Atlantis'". The Watcher. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "Atlantis To Start Season 5". Sci Fi Wire. SCI FI. 6 February 2008. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "The Archives - 2007". The Comedy Network. CTVglobemedia. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "Official Stargate Website: Episode: Resurrection". MGM. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
- ^ Szymanski, Mike (September 11, 2009). "How did Amanda Tapping produce, direct and act Sanctuary". Sci Fi Wire. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
External links
