What You Didn't Know About Amy Adams
It was the year 2005 when actor Amy Adams was nominated for "best performance by an actress in a supporting role" at the Oscars for portrayal of the sweet but sad country girl, Ashley, in "Junebug." Shortly after that, she was cast as Princess Giselle in Disney's "Enchanted," which was a huge success at the box office as it raked in over $340 million worldwide.
Since then, Adams has showcased her incredible range, acting in everything from musicals to hard-hitting dramas. Director Tom Ford, who cast Adams in his 2016 psychological thriller, "Nocturnal Animals," spoke to Marie Claire about her acting abilities and said, "Amy can convey so much with the subtle movement of her face; she has the most expressive eyes. She can literally telegraph her feelings."
Adams was actually born in Italy, but shortly after ended up in the States, Virginia then Colorado, as she was something of an "army brat" until about age nine, along with her six brothers and sisters, she told Vanity Fair. She told the same outlet of her love of music, which started at home as she grew up watching her dad sing in "nightclubs or pizza joints," as her and her siblings sipped Shirley Temples and watched on. Um, how fun does that sound?
Keep reading to learn even more of the untold truth of Amy Adams.
Amy Adams got her start in musical theatre
For actor Amy Adams, audiences nowadays often know her as the fiery redhead in David O Russell's "American Hustle" or as Lois Lane in Zack Snyder's "Justice League," but she actually got her start in acting in theater — dinner theater, to be precise.
In an interview with The Frame podcast, Adams said the inauspicious start in the biz "helped [her] overcome [her] stage fright." She added, "It helped me be able to breathe in order to give performances." She even went on to call it "the best training ground" for an actor. Adams' musical theater career took her around the midwest in the '90s, including performances in "Brigadoon" and "Good News" in Minnesota, and "A Chorus Line" in Boulder, Colorado (per IMDb).
The "Arrival" star nearly went from Boulder to Broadway, telling Entertainment Weekly that just before she was cast in Disney's "Enchanted," she "got very close to being Julia Guglia" in the stage version of the classic Adam Sandler flick "The Wedding Singer." In 2021, the reverse happened when Adams snagged a role in the big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit "Dear Evan Hansen." Regardless, Adams still seems happy to return to her musical theater roots.
Who is Amy Adams' husband, Darren Le Gallo?
Many have seen him by Amy Adams' side on many red carpets over the years, but who exactly is Adams' husband, Darren Le Gallo?
Firstly, we know that he is the father of their not-so-little girl, Aviana. In May 2021, Le Gallo posted a rare photo of Aviana to his Instagram wishing her a happy 11th birthday and telling the world just how "very proud" he is of his daughter. So sweet.
How did the couple meet exactly? According to Vanity Fair, Adams and Le Gallo met in an acting class in their early twenties and even though both he and Adams were linked up romantically with others at the time, she found him to be "really sweet." Later, when they were both single and worked together on the short film "Pennies," Le Gallo asked Adams out and the rest is history. They've been together since 2002 and married since 2015 — an event Le Gallo has also commemorated with — what else? — a very sweet Instagram post.
Even though Le Gallo continued acting, he's also a successful visual artist. He posts his work on his Instagram page and he also exhibits his work as well. Following his 2013 solo exhibition, "Darren Le Gallo: Nothing You Don't Know," he told gallerist Trigg Ison of his artistic impulses, "It's kind of that thing I just have to do, or I feel off."
No, Amy Adams is not the girl from Wedding Crashers
In Hollywood, there are always going to be unrelated actors who look like twins, whom fans will inevitably mistake for one another. For Oscar-nominated Amy Adams, that person is fellow actor and "Nocturnal Animals" co-star, Isla Fisher.
During an interview with the "Daily Mail," Amy spoke about the benefits of finally being in the same movie as her doppelgänger. "I loved it. Are you kidding?" she said, adding, "Isla and I talk about it all the time. We thought it was the best thing ever. ... It's fantastic and I guess it proves that we are two different people."
Fisher also poked fun at her uncanny resemblance to Adams during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," and took part in a spoof PSA in hopes to finally clear things up for those who can't seem to keep the two actors straight. In the video clip she jokingly says, "I'm Isla Fisher and I'd like to clear something up. I am not Amy Adams. Amy Adams and I are completely different people. ... Amy Adams has five Oscar nominations. I am a member of SAG."
You have to love these two for going along with the joke.
Amy Adams was actually a Hooters waitress
One thing to really admire about Amy Adams is her relatability and humanity. Whether she's playing an agoraphobic voyeur in "The Woman in the Window" or a super intelligent linguist talking to aliens in "Arrival," she brings forth such empathetic performances that you immediately root for her. But her life experience off-screen is even more simply relatable, as she's also worked in the service industry like millions of regular folk. So, where was Adams' serving job? The popular American eatery, Hooters.
Adams spoke to "Entertainment Tonight" about her foray into the scantily-clad service of wings and beer, and really had nothing but nice things to say about the experience. "It was a great job out of high school. I was a hostess at first and then I waited tables for a while ... it was a great way to earn money for a car," she told ET host, Nancy O'Dell, who joked with Adams that she should feel "proud" that she "had the body" for the gig. Adams replied, "Well, I was like 18, so everybody has the body at 18." Is there an Academy Award for humility?
She also told Vanity Fair of the job, "There was definitely an innocence to my interpretation of what Hooters was about. Though I did learn, quickly, that short shorts and beer don't mix! The nicest guy walking in is not necessarily the nicest guy after two pitchers of beer."
How Amy Adams went from dinner theater to a multi-million dollar net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Amy Adams routinely tops lists of well-paid actors, so it's no surprise she has an estimated net worth of $60 million. But even Hollywood's top earners have to start somewhere, and the outlet notes that her first film role, in "The Chromium Hook," came while she was still working at Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Minnesota. She made it into "Drop Dead Gorgeous" around the same time, finding herself cast alongside Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards.
By 2017, Forbes listed Amy Adams as one of the highest paid actors that year as she took home $11.5 million. And OK! Magazine reported that Amy Adams' salary for the HBO limited series "Sharp Objects," was reportedly $300,000 per episode. So, what does she have to say about going from dinner theater to living the high life of a Hollywood A-Lister?
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast, Adams shared how "Drop Dead Gorgeous" co-star Kirstie Alley encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, but she was hesitant, because she "thought only movie stars acted in movies and [she] wasn't a movie star." However, she took the plunge and, along with her brother, took "all of [her] money from 'Drop Dead Gorgeous'" and drove out to Tinseltown. Fortunately, Adams quickly found work in small TV gigs, and "became obsessed" with "the craft" of screen acting.
American Hustle wasn't a great experience for Amy Adams
Amy Adams worked with director David O. Russell on his acclaimed drama, "The Fighter," in 2010, and "American Hustle" in 2013. The latter was not a great experience, as she told GQ of the difficulty she had working with the notoriously combative filmmaker. Adams admitted that Russell reduced her to tears on set, was pretty "hard on [her]," and she found herself feeling "really just devastated on set."
Prior to Adams' claims about Russell, hacktivist group WikiLeaks published thousands of leaked emails from within Sony, one of which came from journalist Jonathan Alter, who alleged that Russell exhibited "lunatic behavior" on the set of "American Hustle." According to Alter, Russell "so abused Amy Adams that Christian Bale got in his face and told him to stop acting like an a**hole."
In an interview with The Guardian, which was published after the GQ interview, Adams clarified a few things. She said that it wasn't just Russell who made her cry even though she did in fact shed some tears, but it was more so "the experience of playing that character struck [her] in a strange place, and that's heightened by David [O Russell's] energy" on set when he's directing actors.
Sounds like a rather exhausting work experience either way.
As a retail employee, Amy Adams once annoyed this very famous customer
As if working at Hooters and in dinner theater wasn't enough of an All-American resume, Adams also has one other classic pre-fame line item: retail. She worked as a sales clerk at GAP, which came with a surprising Hollywood connection.
During an appearance on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," Adams told Corden and actor and producer Tyler Perry, who was a guest on the show that night as well, that after she graduated high school she was living in Atlanta, Georgia and ended up working at GAP at a local mall. When Corden asked Adams how she was as a salesperson, she jokingly replied, "I was super. I was probably really annoying" as she would routinely be put on "greeter" duty, because she was such a strict rule follower and go-getter.
She then went on to share a story of one day when she was working and Whitney Houston came in to shop. Adams laid it on so thick with her whole sales and greeting routine, which she said is referred to by employees as the "GAP Act," that Houston headed back to the dressing room and requested that any other available sales person attend to her. Adams had to laugh about it though, because she "agreed that [she] was annoying, but [she] couldn't stop doing [her] job."
You may not remember Amy Adams' guest spots on this wildly popular show
For those who are fans of NBC's "The Office," if you take a look back on the season one finale, you will find none other than Amy Adams as Katy or "Hot girl," which was the name of the episode. Adams actually ended up appearing in three episodes total, as she came back for two episodes during season two as well (per IMDb).
When Adams and Carell were promoting 2018's "Vice" on AOL's "Build series," Adam McKay's Oscar-nominated film in which they both starred, Adams spoke about what it was like for her working with Carell on "The Office." The star reminisced: "That was a remarkable experience for me. I had never worked in that sort of environment ... [with] people thinking so quickly on their feet and being able to maneuver around one another. And he was just a genius." Carell was quick to return her praises, as he said that when Adams "instantly" picked up on how to work with the camera and he was just "astounded and amazed" by her abilities.
It turns out that she didn't just charm Steve Carell, Fellow "Office" alum Jenna Fischer posted a photo to her Instagram of the two on the set of the show and captioned it with: "Amy Adams I adore you!"
Amy Adams still quotes her first film
For some actors, especially if they reach the star status that Amy Adams has reached, they sometimes can't look back at their first roles with such fondness. That is not the case for Adams, though, when it comes to 1999's "Drop Dead Gorgeous." The mockumentary style film follows a group of girls competing in a beauty pageant that turns dangerous at the hands of a deadly pageant mom. Although the film may have been a bit ahead of its time — initial criticism certainly wasn't great — it certainly rests in the "cult classic" arena now (per Teen Vogue).
When asked by E! about how this fun little movie still impacts her life over 20 years later, Adams, who played an airy cheerleader competing in the pageant, said that she still "constantly quot[es] the film." One of her favorites, particularly when she has press to do, is the now-classic line: "Oh, lights, camera, action and me without a stitch of makeup!" But it's not just the arsenal of great quips the film gave her that makes it hold such special meaning. "There's something about that film and where it connected ... I'm so proud that that was my first film," Adams said.
Meryl Streep taught Amy Adams how to knit
It was 2008 when Amy Adams co-starred alongside the great Meryl Streep in John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt," which was nominated for five Oscars. In 2009, they both starred in "Julie & Julia," but didn't actually have any scenes together. But even so, these two actors are significantly bonded in a very sweet way.
During her appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Amy Adams spoke about her feelings towards Meryl Streep and said, "I've worked with her, and I'm still completely enamored by her. I say I carry around a little Meryl in my heart. Whenever I'm stuck with a tough decision, I'm like, "What would Meryl do in this situation? You know, what would Meryl do?" Not a bad life motto!
During the interview Adams also shared that Meryl Streep actually taught her how to knit, which both delighted Clarkson and filled her with apparent envy. Adams explained, "She's crafty. She's a really good knitter. ... We were on the set of 'Doubt.' She did it in two parts, to sort of create a bonding experience between our characters, but also probably she felt sorry for me, because I tend to be a bit energetic, and so, I'm sure she thought that was a great way to direct my energy."
Who wouldn't love to learn how to knit by Meryl Streep? So neat.
Amy Adams can make herself cry on cue
Given her range of roles, Amy Adams' acting ability has impressed fans and critics of all stripes. But the star's talent is not lost on her colleagues. Adams sat down with Nicole Kidman for Variety's "Actors on Actors" interview during which the "Big Little Lies" star gushed, "I love you and I want to play sisters. So, I'm putting that out there for ... any writer/director," and even went so far to call Adams "leather to my lace."
Speaking of talent, when Adams appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," she spoke about how her daughter, Aviana, is amused at what she does for a living and was curious to see her mom act and even cry on cue. Adams then told her that she "need[s] a story" in order to help things along in the water works department. Her daughter immediately came up with how her mom really loves hot sauce, so the story should involve the famous hot sauce brand, Sriracha. She then almost immediately welled up for Fallon, while delivering the decidedly not tragic lines: "I really like Sriracha and I don't know if you heard, but they were thinking of closing the plant. ... There's fumes in the air and they want to close the Sriracha plant."
Why in the world did Amy Adams reject a hug from Brad Pitt?
In 2018's Oscar-nominated film "Vice," Amy Adams played Lynne Cheney, wife of Dick Cheney, who served as the 46th vice president of the United States. Although she was cast alongside Hollywood heavyweights Christian Bale and Sam Rockwell, it was on of the film's producers, Brad Pitt, who provided Adams with what was probably her most memorable experience from the project.
Recalling the incident on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Adams said that when the "Fight Club" actor visited the set one day, she had just spent hours being transformed into "70-year-old Lynne," which meant the application of "a lot of wrinkles and prosthetics," and even "a suit" in order to make her appear "quite a bit heavier." On top of that, Adams revealed she had just been diagnosed with pink eye. What timing!
Adams said that Pitt "was so sweet" and when he went in to give her a hug she then quickly realized that wasn't a great idea since she was potentially contagious. "And in that moment I became the first woman in history to reject a hug from Brad Pitt," she quipped. Poor Amy.
One of Amy Adams' secret talents is costuming
For a lot of A-list celebrities, wearing the most glamorous designer labels is just a part of the job. After all, there is a symbiosis between the world's top fashion designers, who want the visibility of dressing important actors for the red carpet, and those actors who want to look fabulous at fancy events. It's always fun to take a look at what Amy Adams is wearing on the red carpet — and even more fun spotting the actor in cool fashion campaigns as well. Adams has modeled for world-renowned Italian fashion house, Max Mara (per Luxuo). But it turns out, Adams wouldn't even need a fancy designer if she found herself in a pinch.
In 2021, Adams spoke to Parade about being a bit of an "aggressive homebody" for the time being and how she enjoys spending her spare time doing crafts and even doing "costuming." She spoke about it being her special talent and confessed, "I'm not a good sewer, but I can sew and I make my daughter's Halloween costumes every year. And I [was supposed to be] hosting the gala for my daughter's school, so I made masquerade costumes for them."
Maybe for her next film or television project, production should make Amy Adams in charge of costumes.
Everyone really, really wants Amy Adams to win an Oscar
If you've ever found yourself asking how it's possible that critically-acclaimed actor Amy Adams hasn't won an Oscar yet, trust us, you're far from alone.
There seems to be such a general consensus in regards to Adams being totally deserving of an Academy Award that many, many articles have been published on the subject, including, but not limited to The Ringer's "Please, Someone, Let's Finally Get Amy Adams Her Oscar," i-D's "What will it take for Amy Adams to win an Oscar?", Independent's "Give Amy Adams her Oscar!", and so on. The pieces all cover the same ground: Adams' obvious talent and the fact that she's been nominated six times and has yet to take home and Oscar statuette. But for all of the internet's insistence, Adams remains unbothered.
Speaking with E! about "Hillbilly Elegy," one of the roles for which she actually wasn't nominated for an Oscar, Adams said, "It's always wonderful to get the kind of work and to have the roles that are written that people deem are 'worthy of the conversation,' so I'm grateful for that, but it's never a part of my decision-making either in accepting a role or how I play the role."
In other words: Calm down, folks. Adams is playing it cool and knows what she's doing.