Amanda Tapping was born in Rochford, Essex in England on August 28, 1965. At the age of 3, Amanda’s family relocated to Ontario, Canada. She attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute where she was awarded the Dramatic Arts Award and Environmental Science Award. While her parents always wanted her to go into the science field, her first love was acting. After graduating in 1984, Amanda studied drama at the University of Windsor School of Dramatic Arts in Windsor, Ontario and after graduation, she spent continued studying theater and appearing in several stage productions.  In the early 90′s Amanda, along with Katherine Jackson and Anne Marie Kerr, formed an improvisational comedy troupe called Random Acts.

Amanda is best known for her role as Samantha Carter on the science fiction show, Stargate SG-1.  Recently Amanda, and her character Samantha Carter, headed over to SG-1 spin-off Stargate Atlantis where she was a regular for the fourth season.  Concurrently she was working on the webseries Sanctuary.  With Sanctuary ready to take the scifi world on (it was pickd up by SciFi and a Canadian company), Amanda will reduce her role in Season 5 of Atlantis to take on the full time duties of star and Executive Producer of Sanctuary.