Amy Adams

Amy Adams Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: August 20, 1974

Age: 49 years old

Birth Place: Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

Amy Adams is an Oscar-nominated American actress best known for her extraordinary work in numerous critically-acclaimed films, including "Junebug" (2005), "Doubt" (2008), "The Master" (2012), and "Arrival" (2016). Adams grew up in a big family (she was the fourth of seven siblings) and due to her father's career in the United States Army, she moved around a lot as a child. She was born on a military complex in Italy, and continued moving with her parents and siblings from one Army base to the next throughout the early part of her childhood. When she was 8 years-old, Amy's parents finally put some permanent roots down in Castle Rock, Colorado. It was around this time that Adams first discovered her love for performing. She described her family as not having a lot of money, so to entertain themselves they would often put on skits. Amy was always cast as the lead, and quickly found that she loved acting in front of an audience. When she entered high school, Adams, who was never a good student, started training as a ballerina. She had aspirations of going pro, but by the time she graduated at 18, Adams realized that a professional ballerina career was not in the cards.

After high school ended, Adams moved to Atlanta, Georgia with her mother. It was there that she renewed her childhood passion for acting by getting involved in community theater. One of her first productions during this period was a part in a local production of the musical "Annie." The rush of energy she received from being on stage was enough to convince Adams that she had found her life's calling. From there, she began taking on more roles in community theater. By the mid-1990s Adams was doing dinner theater in places like Boulder, Colorado and Chanhassen, Minnesota, which allowed her to hone her craft night after night. It was also during this period that Adams worked waitressing jobs to make some extra cash. Then in the late 90s, when she was living in Minnesota, Adams went to a local audition for a new film called "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (1999). The film was a satire on beauty pageants, and starred Kristen Dunst and Kirstie Alley. After auditioning for the role, Adams was cast in a supporting role as an over-sexed cheerleader named Leslie Miller.

After landing the part in "Drop Dead Gorgeous," Adams moved to Los Angeles where she began auditioning for whatever roles came her way. She nabbed guest spots on TV shows like "That 70s Show" (Fox, 1998-2006) and "Smallville" (The WB/The CW, 2001-2011), as well as a substantial part in the Steven Spielberg film "Catch Me if You Can" (2002). After a few years in L.A., however, Adams was growing frustrated and was seriously contemplating quitting acting for good. With her career prospects looking grim, Adams decided to take a chance by accepting a role in an independent comedy-drama called "Junebug." Adams felt an instant connection with her character, a chatty pregnant woman named Ashley Johnsten, and her performance earned her heaps of critical praise. As a result, Adams was nominated for her first acting Oscar for "Junebug." With her stock on the rise after the huge success of "Junebug," Adams started getting offers to play the kind of roles she always wanted to play. And over the next several years, she would win over critics and audiences alike for her sterling performances in films like "Enchanted" (2007), "Doubt," "The Fighter" (2010), and "The Master."

In 2013 Adams begin playing the fictional Lois Lane, the love interest of Superman, in the superhero film "Man of Steel" (2013). It was a role she would reprise in two additional superhero films: "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016) and "Justice League" (2017). By the late 2010s, Adams's career showed no signs of slowing down. She earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her role in "Sharp Objects" (HBO, 2018), which was based on a novel by Gillian Flynn, and also played Lynne Cheney, the wife of the former Vice President Dick Cheney, in Adam McKay's comedy biopic "Vice" (2018). Her role as Cheney earned Adams her sixth Oscar nomination, thus lending even more credence to Amy Adam's already defined status as one of the most celebrated actresses of her generation.

Credits

DisenchantedStream

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Giselle
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38%

Sam & KateStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022
75%

The Woman in the WindowStream

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Movie
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25%

Zack Snyder's Justice LeagueStream

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72%

Dear Evan HansenStream

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29%

Meryl Streep: The Winner Takes it All

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2021

Hillbilly ElegyStream

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Bev
Movie
2020
25%

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
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2019

Sharp ObjectsStream

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Camille Preaker
Miniseries
2018
92%

Sharp ObjectsStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2018
92%

Late Late Show With James Corden: Best of the Week

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2018

Vice

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Lynne Cheney
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2018

Golden Globe 75th Anniversary Special

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2017

The Hollywood Masters

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2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

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2017

Talking With Chris HardwickStream

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2017

Arrival: Extras

Actor
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2017

ET Canada Presents: Award Show Contenders

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2017

Justice LeagueStream

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Lois Lane
Movie
2017
39%

Harry

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2016

Secret Talent Theatre

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2016

Batman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeStream

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Lois Lane
Movie
2016
29%

Nocturnal AnimalsStream

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Susan Morrow
Movie
2016
74%

ArrivalStream

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Louise Banks
Movie
2016
94%

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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2015

Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter

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2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

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2015

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

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2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

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2014

CNN Spotlight

Actor
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2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

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2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

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2014

Made in Hollywood: Awards Special

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2014

Lullaby

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Emily
Movie
2014

Big EyesStream

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Movie
2014
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etalk's 2013 Holiday Movie Guide

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2013

Man of Steel: Extras

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2013

David Sheehan's Summer Movie Magic

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2013

The Master: Extras

Actor
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2013

American HustleStream

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Sydney Prosser
Movie
2013
92%

Man of SteelStream

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Lois Lane
Movie
2013
56%

HerStream

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Amy
Movie
2013
94%

Katie

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2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

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2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

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2012

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2012

CBS This Morning

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2012

Trouble With the Curve

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Mickey
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The MasterStream

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Peggy Dodd
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On the Road

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2012

LIVE with Kelly

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2011

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2011

The MuppetsStream

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Mary
Movie
2011
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ConanStream

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2010

The Talk

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2010

Between Two Ferns with Zach GalifianakisStream

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2010

Leap YearStream

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Anna
Movie
2010
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The FighterStream

Actor
Charlene Fleming
Movie
2010
91%

Love & Distrust

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Charlotte Brown
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2010

In the House With Peter Bart & Peter Guber

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2009

ES.TV

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2009

The Project

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2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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2009

Night at the Museum: Battle of the SmithsonianStream

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Amelia Earhart
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2009
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Julie & JuliaStream

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Julie Powell
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2009
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Moonlight Serenade

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Chloe
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2009

Junebug

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2008

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

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Delysia Lafosse
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2008

DoubtStream

Actor
Sister James
Movie
2008
79%

Sunshine Cleaning

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2008

Chelsea Lately

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2007

Chelsea Lately

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2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
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2007

Underdog

Voice
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2007

EnchantedStream

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Giselle
Movie
2007
93%

Charlie Wilson's WarStream

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Bonnie Bach
Movie
2007
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Rachael Ray ShowStream

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2006

etalk

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2006

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky BobbyStream

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Susan
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2006
71%

Made in Hollywood

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2005

Entertainment Tonight Canada

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2005

The OfficeStream

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Katy
Series
2005
81%

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

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2005

Standing Still

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Elise
Movie
2005

The Last Run

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Alexis
Movie
2005

The Wedding DateStream

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Amy
Movie
2005
11%

JunebugStream

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Ashley
Movie
2005
86%

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Alice Doherty
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2004

The Insider

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2004

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2004

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2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

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2003

American Idol

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Reality
2003
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Serving SaraStream

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Kate
Movie
2002
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The Slaughter Rule

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Doreen
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2002

Catch Me If You CanStream

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Brenda Strong
Movie
2002
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SmallvilleStream

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Jodi Melville
Series
2001
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Live With Regis and Kelly

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2001

Entertainment Studios.com

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2000

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Marvel Ann
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2000

Cruel Intentions 2Stream

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2000
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The West WingStream

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1999
81%

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

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1999

Providence

Guest Star
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1999

Drop Dead Gorgeous

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Leslie Miller
Movie
1999
47%

CharmedStream

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Series
1998

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

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1998

That '70s ShowStream

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Series
1998

The View

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1997

Buffy the Vampire SlayerStream

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Cousin Beth
Series
1997
85%

King of the HillStream

Guest Voice
Merilynn/Sunshine
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1997

King of the HillStream

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1997

Access Hollywood

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1996

Entertainers: With Byron Allen

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1994

Inside the Actors Studio

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1994

Late Night With Conan O'Brien

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1993

Late Show With David Letterman

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1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

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1992

Dateline NBCStream

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1992

Charlie RoseStream

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1991

Entertainment Tonight

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1981

CBS News Sunday Morning

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1979

Good Morning America

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1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

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1975

Sesame StreetStream

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1969

Today

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1952

News aboutAmy Adams

Amy Adams, Gabriella Baldacchino, and Patrick Dempsey in 'Disenchanted'
Spoiler Alert

How ‘Disenchanted’ Threads Disney Easter Eggs Throughout Original Fairytale

‘Disenchanted’ Trailer: Amy Adams’ Giselle Turns Into an Evil Stepmother (VIDEO)

Amy Adams as Giselle and Maya Rudolph as Malvina Monroe in Disney's live-action DISENCHANTED, exclusively on Disney+
Fall Preview

Fall Preview: ‘Disenchanted’ Casts a Whimsical Fairy-Tale Spell, Like the Original

Smallville Amy Adams Shad Moss Ian Somerhalder

13 Actors Who Guest-Starred on ‘Smallville,’ Which Ended 10 Years Ago

The Woman in the Window - Amy Adams as Anna Fox
Preview

‘The Woman in the Window’ Explores ‘the Unreliability of Your Own Perspective’

Amy Adams attends the 71st Emmy Awards

Netflix Announces Limited Series ‘Kings of America’ With Amy Adams

King of the Hill Guest Stars

‘King of the Hill’ Ended 10 Years Ago: Looking Back at the Best Guest Stars

Saturday Night Live Unexpectedly Funny Hosts

9 ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hosts That Were Unexpectedly Funny (PHOTOS)

Untitled design - 2019-08-02T165638.796

13 Stars Who Earned Their First Emmy Nominations in 2019 (PHOTOS)

Roush Emmy wish list

Primetime Emmys 2019: Matt Roush’s Predictions & Wish List of Nominees

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How Mental Illness Consumes the Women of ‘Sharp Objects’

Sharp Objects - Amy Adams
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Amy Adams Talks Being ‘Devastated’ by the ‘Sharp Objects’ Series Finale

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Will There Be a ‘Sharp Objects’ Season 2?

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5 Things This ‘Sharp Objects’ Reader Is Hoping for in the HBO Series

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Review

Roush Review: Amy Adams Brings Dimension to the Pulp Melodrama of ‘Sharp Objects’

Sharp Objects
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‘Sharp Objects’ Star Amy Adams Teases What’s to Come for Her ‘Haunted’ Character Camille

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Preview

Amy Adams Talks the Pressure of Her ‘Sharp Objects’ Role & Doing More TV at ATX Festival

Sharp Objects - Eliza Scanlen, Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson

‘Sharp Objects’ EP Describes the HBO Series as an ‘Emotional Ghost Story’

sharp-objects-amy-adams-patricia-clarkson

Amy Adams Loses Her Grip on Reality in HBO’s First ‘Sharp Objects’ Teaser (VIDEO)