Amanda Donohoe

Amanda Donohoe (born 29th June 1962) is an English film and television actress. She is known for her 1980s relationship with popstar Adam Ant and her later work on television — including L.A. Law and Emmerdale — and her roles in successful movies including Liar, Liar.

Early life
Donohoe was born in London, the daughter of Joanna and Ted Donohoe, antique dealers. Amanda has attended The Francis Holland School and also Central School of Speech and Drama. She is of Irish, Russian and Swiss roots.

Career
In 1981, Donohoe appeared in the music videos for the songs "Antmusic" and "Stand & Deliver" by Adam and the Ants. She came to the attention of worldwide audiences in 1986, when she was cast opposite Oliver Reed as Lucy Irvine in Nicolas Roeg's Castaway. She followed this up with roles in two Ken Russell films The Lair of the White Worm, based on a Bram Stoker novel, and The Rainbow, based on a D. H. Lawrence novel. Another major film role for her was Liar, Liar (1997) opposite Jim Carrey.

In February 1991, Donohoe took part in the first of the so-called "lesbian kiss episodes" on American television when her character C. J. Lamb on L.A. Law kissed Abbie Perkins, played by Michele Greene. Donohoe appeared in L.A. Law for two seasons. Some of her other television roles include Murder City, Bad Girls and a guest appearance in Ally McBeal. Donohoe joined the cast of ITV soap opera Emmerdale at the beginning of 2009 as businesswoman Natasha Wylde. On 25 July 2010 it was announced that Donohoe would be leaving Emmerdale later in the year. Her last screen date was 24 November 2010. On 18 and 19 February 2010, she was a guest panelist on Loose Women.

Donohoe's stage roles include replacing Jerry Hall in the role of Mrs Robinson in The Graduate in London's West End in the spring of 2001, and the title role in Hedda Gabler at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in 2005.[citation needed] She has also lent her voice to the Activision PC video game "Santa Fe Mysteries: The Elk Moon Murder" as Karen Gordon, a prime suspect and ex-wife to Elk Moon's husband, Jack.

Channel 4 ranked Donohoe as number 38 in their list of the 50 Greatest British actresses.

Personal life
Donohoe's partner is the multidisciplinary artist Russell Haswell. The pair live in Suffolk.