Amanda Carrington
| Amanda Carrington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dynasty character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Catherine Oxenberg as Amanda Carrington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by |
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| Duration | 1984–1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | "Amanda" (1984) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | "The Rig" (1987) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Richard and Esther Shapiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Amanda Carrington is a fictional character from the ABC prime time soap opera Dynasty, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. She was portrayed by Catherine Oxenberg for two seasons from 1984 to 1986, and then by Karen Cellini for 13 episodes from 1986 to 1987.
Appearances
Amanda was originated by Catherine Oxenberg in the 1984 fifth-season episode "Amanda". During the period between the production of seasons six and seven, Oxenberg vacated the role in 1986.[1] Purportedly due to a salary dispute,[1] Oxenberg's publicist insisted that the actress left Dynasty voluntarily, while several media outlets reported that she was fired.[2][3][4]
The role was immediately recast with Karen Cellini,[3][4][5] who appeared for 13 episodes of the series' seventh season before the character was written out in the 1987 episode "The Rig".[6]
Amanda did not appear in the 1991 miniseries continuation, Dynasty: The Reunion.
Storylines
Season five
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, in "Amanda". 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.[note 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. 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 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 [note 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 January 7, 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.
Reception
Oxenberg won two Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1985, for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Female Newcomer.[7]
Notes
- ^ Amanda's arrival is foreshadowed in the season four episode "The 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" (September 24, 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 from the previous season's finale episode was re-shot with Cellini.
References
- ^ a b Eder, Shirley (August 19, 1986). "Dynasty To Do Without Its Princess". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, United States: Knight Ridder. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ Swertlow, Frank (July 16, 1986). "Hollywood Freeway: CBS Gets Ready with New Focus on Bourke-White". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 1 Valley, L.A. Life. Retrieved October 8, 2018 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
- ^ a b "Dynasty Gives Actress The Heave-Ho". San Francisco Chronicle. July 16, 1986. p. 47. Retrieved October 8, 2018 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
- ^ a b Associated Press (July 16, 1986). "Dynasty Will Switch Amandas". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. C10, Television. Retrieved October 8, 2018 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
- ^ Buck, Jerry (August 5, 1986). "Landing role on Dynasty took sales job". Rome News-Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2017 – via news.google.com.
- ^ Zuckerman, Faye (January 7, 1987). "Ranching focus of show". The Gadsden Times. Retrieved December 4, 2017 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "The Soap Opera Digest Awards History". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018 – via Celebratingthesoaps.net.