Amanda Carrington
Encyclopedia
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, even in 1991's Dynasty: The Reunion
miniseries
.
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.
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.
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.
In the seventh season premiere episode "The Victory," Amanda 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.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
TV series Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
.
The role was originated by Catherine Oxenberg
Catherine Oxenberg
Catherine Oxenberg is an American actress known for her performance as Amanda Carrington on the 1980s American prime time soap opera Dynasty. The daughter of HRH Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Oxenberg is a descendant of the Serbian Karađorđević dynasty.-Early life:Though born in New York City,...
early in the fifth season (1984). Oxenberg left the series after the 1985-1986 season. The role was immediately recast with Karen Cellini
Karen Cellini
Karen Cellini is an American actress who replaced Catherine Oxenberg in the role of Amanda Carrington in the 1980s prime-time drama Dynasty....
, 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
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sammy Jo Carrington on Dynasty, Officer Stacy Sheridan on T.J...
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, even in 1991's Dynasty: The Reunion
Dynasty: The Reunion
Dynasty: The Reunion is a 1991 miniseries reuniting the characters from the American prime time television soap opera Dynasty, a series which aired on ABC from 1981 to 1989 and was the highest-rated U.S. series in 1985. The miniseries, like the series, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
.
Season Five: Enter Amanda
Fallon Carrington Colby
Fallon Carrington Colby is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty, and its spin-off The Colbys.The role was originated by Pamela Sue Martin in the show's first episode in 1981; Martin left in 1984. The role was recast with Emma Samms in 1985, and the character was spun off onto a...
's disappearance and presumed death in a plane crash, a young woman named Amanda Bedford appears in the penthouse of Alexis Colby
Alexis Colby
Alexis Colby is a fictional character and the primary antagonist on the American TV series Dynasty....
, Fallon's mother. Raised primarily by Alexis' cousin Rosalind Bedford, she is Alexis' daughter, come to Denver from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to give her mother support after Alexis' recent arrest and acquittal for the murder of Mark Jennings.
As news of Alexis' "new" daughter spreads, ex-husband Blake
Blake Carrington
Blake Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was portrayed by John Forsythe from the first episode of the series in 1981 until the finale in 1989. Forsythe returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion...
takes a special interest, soon learning that Alexis had been pregnant when he had exiled her from Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
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
Dex Dexter
Dex Dexter is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The character was introduced as a love interest for Alexis Colby in episode 69. He will become her third husband, and arguably the second great love of her life, after Blake...
, 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
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
, 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
Carrington family
The Carringtons are the core family of the American prime time soap opera Dynasty, which aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989.-Meet the Carringtons:...
survive the attack, though Luke Fuller — the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
lover of Amanda's brother Steven
Steven Carrington
Steven Daniel Carrington is a fictional character on the American prime time soap opera Dynasty. Steven is noteworthy as one of the earliest gay main characters on American television...
— 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
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
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
Sammy Jo Carrington
Sammy Jo Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty...
. 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
Claudia Blaisdel Carrington
Claudia Blaisdel Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty.The role was originated by Pamela Bellwood in the show's premiere episode "Oil" on January 12, 1981, and the character was written off after the October 20, 1982 third season episode "The Wedding." Claudia...
accidentally sets the hotel on fire.
Season Seven
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
"to think." The character never appears or is mentioned again during the series.