Amanda Carrington
| Amanda Carrington | |||||||||||||||||||
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Catherine Oxenberg as Amanda Carrington | |||||||||||||||||||
| DYNASTY character | |||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by |
Catherine Oxenberg (1984-1986) Karen Cellini (1986-1987) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1984-1987 | ||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance |
Episode 95 "Amanda" | ||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance |
Episode 161 "The Rig" | ||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Richard and Esther Shapiro | ||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Amanda Bedford | ||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Worked in the PR department at Denver-Carrington | ||||||||||||||||||
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Karen Cellini as Amanda Carrington | |||||||||||||||||||
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Amanda Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.
The role was originated by Catherine Oxenberg early in the fifth season (1984). Oxenberg left the series after the 1985-1986 season. The role was immediately recast with Karen Cellini, though no explanation was given as to why Amanda now spoke with an American accent. Scenes were reshot from the sixth season finale pool catfight with Heather Locklear to update the recap segment of the Season Seven premiere episode. However, Amanda was abruptly written out of the series and Cellini was released from her contract after only 13 episodes. Amanda was never mentioned again, not even in 1991's Dynasty: The Reunion miniseries.
Season Five: Enter Amanda
Close on the heels of Fallon Carrington Colby's disappearance and presumed death in a plane crash, a young woman named Amanda Bedford appears in the penthouse of Alexis Colby, Fallon's mother. Raised primarily by Alexis' cousin Rosalind Bedford, she is Alexis' daughter, come to Denver from England to give her mother support after Alexis' recent arrest and acquittal for the murder of Mark Jennings.[1]
As news of Alexis' "new" daughter spreads, ex-husband Blake takes a special interest, soon learning that Alexis had been pregnant when he had exiled her from Denver almost two decades earlier. Though Alexis insists that Amanda's father is a ski instructor with whom she was involved, it is eventually revealed that she is indeed Blake's daughter and that Alexis kept her hidden from him as revenge for being banished years before.
Amanda is attracted to Alexis' fiancé Dex Dexter, and attempts to seduce him. When they find themselves snowed in together in a remote cabin, they give in to their feelings and make love. Immediately afterwards, Dex regrets his actions and announces that he and Alexis will marry.
Sullen and depressed, Amanda is invited by Blake to a conference in Acapulco, where she meets the handsome Prince Michael of Moldavia. Alexis, who had known Michael's father King Galen years ago, encourages the relationship. Amanda learns that Michael is engaged to Elena, a Moldavian duchess, but he assures Amanda that it had been a loveless match. Michael proposes and Amanda, despite her lingering feelings for Dex, accepts.
During their engagement, Amanda is almost kidnapped by Moldavian rebels but rescued by Dex. In the 15 May 1985 season finale "Royal Wedding," the rebels undertake a large-scale coup, interrupting the wedding in an attempt to kill Galen. Terrorists spray the chapel with gunfire, leaving the entire wedding party seemingly dead or dying on the floor.
Season Six
Amanda, Michael and the rest of the Carrington family survive the attack, though Luke Fuller — the gay lover of Amanda's brother Steven — and family friend Lady Ashley Mitchell are killed. King Galen is missing and presumed dead, and rightful heir Michael is forced to leave the country.
Exile, however, puts a strain on Amanda and Michael's marriage, as he and Alexis become obsessed with rescuing Galen (who is being held for ransom) and restoring the monarchy. Amanda and Dex are drawn closer as Amanda catches Michael and Elena in a compromising position and Dex catches Alexis with a crown, imagining herself as Queen of Moldavia. Amanda finds a drunken Dex and they make love again — only to be caught in the act by Alexis. Alexis and Dex divorce, as do Amanda and Michael. After Alexis discovers that King Galen has in fact been manipulating her, the Moldavian royal family leaves for Lisbon and is never heard from again.
Amanda is devastated when Dex does not want to pursue a relationship with her. She romances Clay Fallmont but their family rivalry drives him into the arms of Steven's ex-wife Sammy Jo. Amanda is involved in a drunk driving accident which is covered up by Blake; estranged from her mother and feeling isolated from her family, Amanda eventually attempts suicide. She survives, and reconciles with a forgiving Alexis. Amanda decides to pursue Clay again. In the 1986 season finale episode "The Choice (a.k.a.) The Vendetta", Sammy Jo catches Amanda and Clay kissing at the La Mirage hotel; the women fight, winding up in the swimming pool in their party dresses. Meanwhile, Amanda's sister-in-law Claudia Carrington accidentally sets the hotel on fire.
Season Seven
In the seventh season premiere episode "The Victory," Amanda [2] is trampled in the chaos surrounding the fire but rescued by a mysterious stranger. He turns out to be Michael Culhane, her father's former chauffeur who had been fired (and beaten up by Blake's thugs) in the first season for having an affair with Fallon. Now grateful to Michael, Blake offers him his job back, but is no happier than before when Michael and Amanda begin dating. Amanda is warned about Michael by sister Fallon, but refuses to leave him. Eventually, an upset and confused Amanda learns that Michael has become wealthy and is using her to get to Blake, and she is last seen in "The Rig" on 7 January 1987. In "The Portrait," Blake offhandedly explains to Michael that Amanda has returned to England "to think." The character never appears or is mentioned again during the series.
See also
Notes and references
- ↑ Amanda's arrival is foreshadowed in the Season Four episode "Birthday" when Alexis mentions that she has been through four pregnancies. Krystle notes the discrepancy (at this time, Alexis is known to have just three children, Adam, Fallon and Steven), but Alexis explains that one resulted in a miscarriage. Amanda appears 11 episodes later in "Amanda."
- ↑ Starting in "The Victory" (24 September 1986), the role of Amanda was played by Karen Cellini. To facilitate a recap of the previous episode, part of the pool-fight scene originally filmed with Catherine Oxenberg had been re-shot to include the new actress.
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