Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire in Montreal's West Island is a small, quiet town. The West Island can be confusing to people unfamiliar to its significance. Many people believe that it's an island to the to the west of Montreal, but it's actually the West Island encompasses everything between the cities of Lachine and West. Amanda Brugel is said to have been born on West Island. But this is not true. Brugel was a woman of a certain age in Courtice Ontario, outside Oshawa. Her early ambition was to become a dancer, however a rapid growth rate meant that she literally outgrew her dance partner. According to an article in the Toronto Star, she revealed that she wore heels and was 6 feet 1 inches tall. When I grew out of my male counterparts, I gave up. Some former dancers switch to acting and in the case of Brugel, it was a nudge from a high school drama teacher who led her in the right direction. It was the teacher who recommended she take on a part in the annual school production. She tried out and was eventually cast as the lead for the role in Anne of Green Gables. It led to an Fine Arts Talent Scholarship at York University where she attended the Theater Program and graduated with the Bachelor in Fine Arts degree in 2000. Through the years since Brugel has landed roles in more than 60 productions on both small and large screens. She attracted the most media attention after she was offered the character of Rita on the award-winning series The Handmaid's Tale (pictured below). Brugel appeared only on rare moments in the very first season of The Handmaid's Tale. The only Canadian participant.