Amanda was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California. As a teen, she was discovered in a local theater production and soon was recurring on Universal's When the Whistle Blows and won a Best Young Actor award for her work in the ABC After School Special: She Drinks a Little. 

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Leading roles in major motion pictures came next, including hits such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, A Nightmare on Elm Street, John Cusack's obsession in Better Off Dead and Kevin Costner's love interest in Silverado. In television she was seen in a recurring role as Woody Harrelson's girlfriend on the hit sitcom Cheers and was a series lead on Highlander. 

More recurring guest stars followed in such notable shows as St. Elsewhere, Cagney and Lacey, Quantum Leap, NYPD Blue, JAG, and many TV movies & pilots including ABC's acclaimed The Final Days as "Tricia Nixon". More recently she has recurred on CSI, Major Crimes, Murder in the First and All Rise.

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Amanda continues to garner critical-acclaim in the independent film world for her work in films such as Powwow Highway (Independent Spirit Award and Sundance Film Festival winner), the thriller Oct. 23rd (Best Actress at the Santa Monica International Film Festival), the psychological drama The Id (Best Thriller winner at The Hollywood Reel Independent Film Fest), more recently, the western Badland (Best Supporting Actress at the C & I Movie Awards & Netflix Top Ten) and the horror film Hunter’s Moon (opposite Thomas Jane)