Actor / Director Profile

With Keira Knightly, Kate Beckinsale, Sienna Miller and Emily Blunt having created the Hollywood thought that the hot new actresses are coming from England, the studio suits are always on the lookout for next new British beauty. And the new girl on the block is Amanda Brooks whose first major star vehicle, "Dragon Wars," broke some "Titanic" box-office records in Asia and spent several weeks in the U.S. box-office top ten. This Brit is actually as American as she is English, born in New York and raised in London. But the unique quality England imparts to its young actresses is apparent as Brooks striking facial beauty and voice have elicited lofty comparisons.Brooks' next films are the upcoming feature My Best Friend's Girl (with Kate Hudson and Dane Cook) and Stiletto (with Tom Berenger and Tom Sizemore). Brooks' life was filled with the arts from an early age, (her father is Academy Award winning composer Joe Brooks, best original song "You Light Up My Life") and she initially became involved in acting as a way to interact with others and overcome her shyness. Bitten by the acting bug, Brooks felt most at home delivering the lines of William Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams and soon found herself cast for roles in stage performances of Romeo & Juliet, The Glass Menagerie and Daisy Pulls it Off to name but a few. When stage work wasn't enough to quench her thirst for the art of performance she turned to film and packed her bags and headed for Hollywood landing supporting roles opposite famed and respected actors such as Jodie Foster (Flight Plan), Faye Dunaway (Cut Off), Malcolm McDowell (Cut Off), and Anne Archer (Cut Off). Brooks soon proved that she could hold her own. Each character gave her a new challenge and opportunity to push herself as an actor. She was not just playing the "Beautiful Girl" or the "Ingénue" she was giving her characters depth and with a deep understanding of the material she brought those written words to life and gave them meaning.Charming on screen and off, Amanda Brooks is an actress to look out for. Comparisons to Hollywood legends such as Julie Christie, Jacqueline Bisset, and Catherine Deneuve would make some actresses nervous but these just fuel Brooks' determination to reach the top of her game.