The Italian-born actress is considered one of the most professional and humble stars in Hollywood.
On August 20, Amy Adams, a six-time Oscar nominee who has not yet received the coveted statuette, celebrates her half-century anniversary, but, without a doubt, is more than worthy of it. However, the lack of an Oscar did not prevent the actress from earning the status of one of the most talented and professional performers in Hollywood.
Amy has a great variety of bright roles, so different in content, but invariably attracting attention.
Amy Lou Adams was born in the Italian city of Vicenza in the family of an American military man, Richard Kent and Katherine Adams. She was the fourth child in the family, but from a very early age she got along well with her four brothers and two sisters. Richard and Catherine’s children were raised in the Mormon tradition, attaching great importance to religious tenets and work.
But when Amy was 11, the family structure began to crack, and her parents divorced. After this, the religious aspect of education faded into the background. Nevertheless, the separation of her father and mother had almost no effect on Adams’ life values. Subconsciously, she always strived for beneficence and harmony with others.
“What are the advantages of growing up in large families? You are treated exactly the way you deserve. In such a situation, keeping your ego under control is the first thing,” she said much later in an interview.
Amy’s mother was involved in bodybuilding at a semi-professional level and worked as a trainer. After retiring from the army, my father decided to master the art of singing and performed in family clubs.
According to Amy, she often watched her father sing and play the guitar, creating a cozy, festive atmosphere around her. Young Adams was also actively interested in art. She was interested in painting and sculpture, attended a dance school, and sang in the school choir. For the time being, the girl’s interests did not have anything in common with her choice of professional path
. Amy worked part-time as a sales assistant at Gap (where, according to legend, she once served Whitney Houston herself), and was a waitress at the Hooters chain. Quickly tired of the annoying attention of visitors, Adams, who had managed to save money for a used car, went to… yes, you guessed it, to Hollywood.
Today, when asked whether she dreamed of becoming an actress, Amy answers unequivocally – no. Looking at herself in the mirror, the girl repeated to herself that “she doesn’t look a bit like Charlize Theron, she has short legs and an athletic build, pale skin that reacts to cold and sun.”
“I didn’t dream of any career in cinema, I thought that Hollywood was a scary place where only stars survive. And they all seemed to me to be made from a completely different cloth,” Adams later admitted.
In 1999, she was working in musical theater and suffered a minor injury – she pulled a muscle. The damage was not serious, but still did not allow him to go on stage. Bored with nothing to do, Amy decided to go to an audition for the film Killer Babes. And then it’s like in a classic fairy tale.
The girl got the role almost instantly, starred without any problems, and earned her first good money. Further – more. A year later, Adams appeared in the TV series Charmed, Providence, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a year later in the TV series Smallville.
The defining moment was the attention paid to the performer by Steven Spielberg. The famous director invited the 26-year-old, but essentially still aspiring actress, to his film “Catch Me If You Can” for the small but important role of a nurse with whom Leonardo DiCaprio’s character has an affair.
The film was released in 2002. Then there was a small role in the then just gaining momentum series “The Office”. And in 2005, real fame finally came to Adams: Amy received a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival for her role as Ashley Johnsten in Junebug.
With this award, we can begin the countdown of Amy Lou Adams’ tremendous success in big cinema. Following the example of Spielberg, famous directors began to invite her to their projects, only not for third-rate roles, but for quite leading roles.
The actress worked especially well with David O. Russell, having played for this director in “The Fighter” and “American Hustle.” Both roles earned Adams Oscar nominations. She also starred with such gurus as Paul Thomas Anderson (“The Master”), Spike Jonze (“Her”), Tim Burton (“Big Eyes”), Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”), Tom Ford (“Nocturnal Animals” ).
Amy also managed to take part in several superhero blockbusters, appearing in “Man of Steel”, “Batman v Superman” and “Justice League”.
At the same time, Adams herself calls the role of Giselle in the 2007 Disney fairy tale “Enchanted” her favorite. Amy won the casting, which included as many as 300 actresses. As Adams said, she was happy to demonstrate her singing and dancing abilities, which are not always in demand in Hollywood.
“My favorite heroine is Cinderella. She is hardworking and I work hard too. And this story with the shoe! All my life I suspected that princes and beautiful shoes were somehow connected. That’s why I probably have 200 pairs of shoes in my closet,” Amy joked.
The actress is reserved about compliments, does not like to discuss her appearance and generally strives to minimize publicity – as much as possible with six nominations for the world’s main film award.
It is known that to maintain her figure, Adams continues to dance and go to the gym. But she never does anything against her pleasure, cultivating a positive outlook on the world and not depriving herself of the little joys of life, like going out for fast food at night. And he prefers calm and peaceful hobbies.
For example, on the set of the film “Doubt” I learned knitting from Meryl Streep.
The universe reciprocates Amy’s feelings for such a positive and cheerful attitude. The actress is doing well both professionally and personally. She met her future husband, artist Darren Le Gallo, back in 2001 in an amateur theater studio.
In 2008, the couple announced their engagement, and in 2015, when their daughter Avianna turned five, the long-awaited wedding ceremony finally took place.
The couple lives a quiet and calm life – in this relationship there is no betrayal, no scandals, no envy. Adams has repeatedly noted that she hates confrontation and avoids it at all costs. And as a rule – successfully. According to the actress, there is nothing worse than hurting others.
Amy is happy with her career. But she is not inclined to extol herself and her achievements. And to the question of what happiness is, he answers:
“Happiness lives nearby: in friends, family, nature. Career and awards have nothing to do with him.”
