Amanda Brugel

Pointe Claire in Montreal's West Island is a tiny, sleepy town. The West Island has a lot of diverse communities. People who have never known about it may mistake it for an island that is west-facing. Amanda Brugel is said to have been born on West Island. However, this isn't the truth. Brugel grew-up in Courtice near Oshawa the city of Ontario. She aspired to be a professional dancer but due to a rapid growth spurt she outgrew all of her dancing partners. In an article published in The Toronto Star she admitted In heels I'm 6 feet 1 inch. As soon as I outgrew all my male partners, I stopped. Dancers who have been in the past often switch to acting and in the case of Brugel it was an urging by her teacher in drama. One of her teachers suggested she try out for a school production. After a few auditions the role, she was chosen as the leading lady for Anne of Green Gables. The show led her to receive a Fine Arts Talent Scholarship from York University. In 2000 she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at York University. Brugel's career spans over 20 years and she has been in over 60 productions, both on big screens and smaller ones. Her most notable role was as Rita (pictured below) on The Handmaid's Tale. Brugel was only seen on a few occasions in the first season of The Handmaid's Tale. She was the sole Canadian participant.