Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire, a quiet neighborhood in the West Island of Montreal is what you might call a "sleepy" place. People who don't understand they mistakenly believe it is the West Island extends westward from Montreal. Actually, the West Island includes everything westward from that city Lachine. Amanda Brugel was born there however her stay in the city wasn't long. Brugel became a young woman living in Courtice Ontario, just outside Oshawa. She aspired to be a professional dancer but because of a huge growth spurt she outgrew all of her dancing partners. In an article published in The Toronto Star she admitted In heels, I'm 6 feet one inch. When I outgrew my male friends, I quit. Some former dancers switch to acting and in Brugel's case it was the nudge of a high school drama teacher who encouraged her to go in that direction. A teacher suggested that she try out for a school production. She was able to audition and be cast in the role of Anne of Green Gables. She was awarded a Fine Arts Talent Scholarship to attend York University's Theatre Program and graduated at the age of 20 with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts. In the past 20 years, Brugel's work been featured on both the small and big screen. She gained the most fame when she was offered the role as Rita on the award-winning TV series The Handmaid's Tale. Brugel was the sole Canadian cast member in the season 1 of the series and only seen occasionally.