Amanda Peet (born January 11, 1972) is an American actress. She began her career with small parts on television, and made her feature film debut in Animal Room (1995). Her portrayal of Jill St. Claire in The Whole Nine Yards (2000) brought her wider recognition, and she has since appeared in a variety of films, such as Saving Silverman (2001), High Crimes; Changing Lanes; Igby Goes Down (all 2002), Something's Gotta Give (2003), Identity (2003), Melinda and Melinda (2004), A Lot Like Love (2005), Syriana (2005), Battle for Terra (2007), Martian Child (2008), The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), Please Give (2010), Gulliver's Travels (2010), The Way, Way Back (2013), Identity Thief (2013), and Trust Me (2013). On television, Peet starred as Jacqueline Barrett on The WB's Jack & Jill (1999–2001), as Tina Morris on HBO's Togetherness (2015–2016), as Jules on IFC's Brockmire (2016–2020), and as Betty Broderick on the second season of Dirty John in 2020. She wrote and co-executive produced the Netflix series The Chair that was released in 2021. Early life Peet was born in New York City, the daughter of Penny (née Levy), a social worker, and Charles Peet Jr., a corporate lawyer, who later divorced. Her father is a Quaker and her mother is Jewish; both are also atheists. Peet's maternal great-grandfathers were Samuel Levy, a lawyer, businessman, and public official, who served as Manhattan Borough President; and Samuel Roxy Rothafel, a theatrical impresario and entrepreneur. At age seven, Peet relocated with her family to London, returning to New York four years later. Peet attended Friends Seminary, and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in American history. In college, she auditioned for acting with teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen's class. During her four-year period of study with Hagen, Peet appeared in the off-Broadway revival of Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing! with Stephen Lang. Career Early roles and breakthrough (1995–2004) Peet's first screen performances were in a television commercial for Skittles and an uncredited appearance as the girlfriend of the titular character in the second episode of The Larry Sanders Show in 1992. Her film debut was in the drama Animal Room (1995), which also starred Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Lillard. She also appeared in the November 1995 episode "Hot Pursuit" of Law and Order. For much of the late 1990s, Peet maintained a steady acting