Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire in Montreal's West Island is a tiny sleepy town. This West Island, to those who have never heard of it, is a large part that stretches from Lachine to the west. Amanda Brugel's hometown is often referenced, however her brief visit to the West Island was not. Brugel lived in Courtice close to Oshawa Ontario. She initially wanted to pursue a career as an actress However, following a dramatic increase in size, her friends could no longer dance along with her. In an interview with the Toronto Star, she confessed that "In heels I'm 6 feet, 1 inch." Once I outgrew male partners, that's when I gave up. Many former dancers turn to acting, and in the instance of Brugel, it was a suggestion by her teacher in drama. She was encouraged to take part in an audition in the school's production. She tried out and was eventually cast as the role of the main character in Anne of Green Gables. It led to a Fine Arts Talent Scholarship at York University where she attended the Theater Program which she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2000. The career of Brugel spans more than 20 years and she has performed in more than 60 shows including big screen productions and smaller ones. The most well-known role she played was that of Rita (pictured in the below photo) on The Handmaid's Tale. Brugel is the only Canadian actress in the season 1 and only appeared on occasion.