Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire in Montreal's West Island is a tiny little town that is a bit sleepy. It is a part of the island that has been called "the West Island." West Island has a lot of different communities. People who have never heard of it often confuse it with a separate island facing west. Amanda Brugel was born there however her stay was not long in the city. Brugel was raised in Courtice close to Oshawa. She wanted to become professional, however due to a rapid growth spurt she outgrew every dance partner she met. According to an article by Toronto Star, she revealed that in heels she was six feet and one inch tall. When I grew out of male companions, that's when I gave up. There are many dancers who make the move to acting. In the case of Brugel, it was her drama instructor who pushed her to go in this direction. The teacher who suggested she take on a part in the annual school production. She was able to audition and be cast as Anne of Green Gables. This led to her being awarded an Fine Arts Talent Scholarship from York University. In 2000, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at York University. The career of Brugel spans more than 20 years and she's been in over 60 productions including big screen productions as well as smaller screens. Her most notable role was the one of Rita (pictured in the below photo) on The Handmaid's Tale. Brugel is the only Canadian actress in the season 1 which was viewed only on occasion.