Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire in Montreal's West Island is a tiny, little town that is a bit sleepy. It is the West Island, to those who are unfamiliar with it, is an extensive region that runs from Lachine all the way west. Amanda Brugel was born there however her stay there was short. Brugel grew-up in Courtice near Oshawa, Ontario. At the beginning of her life, she wanted to be professional performer, however an unexpected expansion of her body made it impossible. In a recent interview with the Toronto Star, she confessed that "In heels I am 6 feet and 1 inch." After I outgrew the male counterparts, I gave up. Many dancers make the transition to acting. As for Brugel, it was her drama teacher who nudged her in that direction. It was her teacher who suggested she audition as Anne in the school's annual production. The audition was successful and she was chosen as Anne of Green Gables. It led to a Fine Arts Talent Scholarship at York University where she attended the Theater Program and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the year 2000. In the 20+ years since Brugel has been offered roles in over 60 shows on the big and small screens drawing the most media attention after she was offered the role of Rita on the award-winning series The Handmaid's Tale (pictured below). Brugel was the character Rita in The Handmaid's Tale, a series that was filming over 10 years ago.