Amanda Tapping

Amanda Tapping Headshot

Actress • Director

Birth Date: August 28, 1965

Age: 58 years old

Birth Place: Rochford, Essex, England, UK

Actor, producer, and director Amanda Tapping's career is a prime example of slow and steady wins the race. She built her livelihood on a single role in the television series "Stargate SG-1," a franchise based on the 1994 film "Stargate." While the movie entered with a strong box office, it then tapered off and drew a lukewarm critical response. But in spite of its shaky start, the franchise would eventually better "The X-Files" in terms of its duration, doggedly achieving the cult status that would propel it towards becoming a major small screen success.

Born on August 28, 1965 in Rochford, England, Tapping's family moved to Canada when she was three. In her early years she showed equal promise in both the dramatic arts and the sciences at North Toronto Collegiate Institute. To her parents' chagrin, theater prevailed and Tapping went on to major in drama at the University of Windsor School of Dramatic Arts in Ontario. Tapping appeared in a handful of stage productions before landing her first television role.

In 1991 Tapping appeared as a newscaster on the popular Canadian series, "Street Legal" (CBC 1987-1994), a show known for its revolving door of guest actors such as Margot Kidder and Eric McCormack. In 1994 she made her first of two appearances on "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" (PTEN 1993-97). In 1995 she had a small role in the television movie "Net Worth" (CBC 1995), and on the Canadian vampire detective series "Forever Knight" (CBS 1992-96). She went on to appear in a series of small roles over that year before landing her first reoccurring role on a 1996 teen series that featured an up-and-coming Ben Foster, "Flash Forward" (Disney/ABC, 1996-97). The same year Tapping appeared in a series of one-offs that included a children's series based on the R. L. Stine horror anthologies "Goosebumps" (YTV 1995-98) and the critically acclaimed Canadian comedy-drama "The Newsroom" (CBC 1996-2005). She also played the love interest of Assistant Director Skinner on an episode of the perennial sci-fi juggernaut "The X-Files" (FOX 1993-2002). But by 1997, the actor had tapped into another sci-fi series that would come to define her career.

In 1997 Tapping was first cast in the role of Lt. Col. Samantha Carter in the science fiction television series "Stargate SG-1" (Showtime/Syfy 1997-2007), based on the 1994 film that featured sci-fi perennial Kurt Russell and sci-fi newbies James Spader and Jaye Davidson, who previously starred as the transwoman in Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game" (1992). This role opened the door to her inclusion in subsequent iterations of the program. In 2005 Tapping began a four-year stint on the second series in the franchise, "Stargate: Atlantis" (Syfy 2004-09), appearing as the same character but with a higher military rank, Colonel Samantha Carter. In 1998 she appeared on another series with a major sci-fi pedigree, "The Outer Limits" (Showtime 1995-2000), a reboot of the chilling original 1963 anthology series that had "Stargate SG-1" co-creators Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner serving as producers. In 1999 Tapping landed a role on another show by "The X-Files" creator Chris Carter, the quietly paranoid apocalyptic sleeper "Millennium"(FOX 1996-99). Tapping did appear in several other television one-off roles throughout the following decade, although the "Stargate" franchise monopolized most of her time.

In 2007, Tapping resurfaced as Dr. Helen Magnus on eight episodes of the Canadian sci-fi miniseries "Sanctuary" (Syfy 2007) and served as executive producer as well on one episode. In 2008, she returned to the "Stargate" franchise in two videos, "Stargate: The Ark of Truth" and "Stargate: Continuum," and reprised her role as both actor and producer for another 59 episodes of "Sanctuary" (SYFY 2008-11). Between 2012 and 2013, Tapping played the recurring role of Naomi on the long-running fantasy series about brothers locked in a dance with the devil, "Supernatural" (The WB 2005-06, The CW 2006-).

Credits

Wild CardsStream

Director
Series
2024
100%

The IrrationalStream

Director
Series
2023
47%

The Spencer SistersStream

Director
Series
2023
80%

BatwomanStream

Director
Series
2019
83%

SirenStream

Director
Series
2018

Woodland

Voice
Donna
Movie
2018

What It Takes to Be Extraordinary

Voice
Show
2016

BlindspotStream

Director
Series
2015

Family For Christmas

Director
Movie
2015

Fiona Forbes

Guest
Show
2014

The FlashStream

Director
Series
2014
89%

The 100Stream

Director
Series
2014
93%

MotiveStream

Guest Star
Series
2013

Space Milkshake

Actor
Valentina
Movie
2013

Continuum

Director
Series
2012
88%

Random Acts of Romance

Actor
Dianne
Movie
2012

Taken Back: Finding Haley

Actor
Susan
Movie
2012

Riese: Kingdom Falling

Narrator
Show
2011

Stargate UniverseStream

Guest Star
Series
2009
70%

SanctuaryStream

Actor
Dr. Helen Magnus
Series
2008

SanctuaryStream

Director
Series
2008

SanctuaryStream

Executive Producer
Series
2008

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Actor
Lt. Col. Samantha Carter
Movie
2008

Dancing Trees

Actor
Josephina Rooney
Movie
2008

Stargate: Continuum

Actor
Colonel Samantha Carter
Movie
2008

Stargate SG-1 True Science

Host
Show
2006

SupernaturalStream

Director
Series
2005
93%

SupernaturalStream

Guest Star
Series
2005
93%

Proof Positive: Evidence of the Paranormal

Host
Show
2004

Stargate AtlantisStream

Actor
Colonel Samantha Carter
Series
2004

Stargate AtlantisStream

Guest Star
Colonel Samantha Carter
Series
2004

The Void

Actor
Prof. Eva Soderstrom
Movie
2001

Behind the Scenes: Stargate SG-1

Actor
Show
1998

Stargate SG-1Stream

Actor
Maj. Samantha "Sam" Carter
Series
1997

Stargate SG-1Stream

Director
Series
1997

When Innocence Is LostStream

Actor
Woman Testifying in Court
Movie
1997

Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods

Actor
Captain Samantha Carter
Movie
1997

The Newsroom

Actor
Show
1996

The Haunting of Lisa

Actor
Gina/Angel
Movie
1996

Remembrance

Actor
Linda
Movie
1996

What Kind of Mother Are You?

Actor
Ingrid Elstad
Movie
1996

Flash Forward

Actor
Show
1995

The Outer LimitsStream

Actor
Cmdr. Kate Girard
Series
1995

The Donor

Actor
Cassie
Movie
1995

Due South

Guest Star
Series
1994

The X-FilesStream

Guest Star
Carina Sayles
Series
1993
74%

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

Guest Star
Series
1993

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