On this date in 1962, Amanda Donohoe was born in London. She attended the Francis Holland School before leaving home at 16, and she later graduated from Central School of Speech and Drama in 1984. Donohoe began her career in 1981 by starring in music videos. In 1986, she played a major role in the drama Castaway, and has since appeared in numerous films including “Paper Mask” (1990) and “Liar Liar” (1997).
She is known for her role as bisexual lawyer C.J. Lamb on “L.A. Law” from 1990 to 1992, which earned her a Golden Globe Award in 1992 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. She has also appeared in “Frasier,” “Bad Girls,” and in the British soap opera “Emmerdale.” Donohoe was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award in 1995 for her performance in Broadway play “Uncle Vanya.”
In 1995, Donohoe played a pagan character in the horror film “Lair of the White Worm,” which involved a scene in which she spit venom onto a crucifix. “I’m an atheist, so it was actually a joy,” Donohoe told Interview magazine. “Spitting on Christ was a great deal of fun.”
PHOTO: Donohoe arriving in Manchester for the 2013 British Soap Awards. Photo via Shutterstock by Featureflash Photo Agency.