Amanda Lear is a French singer, lyricist, painter, television presenter, actress and former model. She began her professional career as a fashion model in the mid-1960s. Around that time she met the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and would remain his closest friend and muse for the next 15 years. From the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, she was a million-album-selling disco queen, mainly in Continental Europe and Scandinavia, signed to Ariola Records. Her best-selling album is Sweet Revenge and her biggest hits include "Blood and Honey", "Tomorrow", "Queen of Chinatown", "Follow Me", "Enigma (Give a Bit of Mmh to Me)", "The Sphinx" and "Fashion Pack".
By the mid-1980s, Lear had positioned herself as one of the leading media personalities in Italy, thanks to media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, who offered her hosting the prime time entertainment show Premiatissima on the newly launched Canale 5. She then went on to host the popular show W le donne in Italy, adapted in France as Cherchez la femme, and Ars Amanda on the national Italian network RAI. Since the 1990s, her time has been divided between music, television, movies and painting. Despite regular album releases, she failed to achieve major success in charts with her music. However, her television career has remained stellar and she has hosted numerous successful TV shows, mostly in Italy and France, such as Il brutto anatroccolo and Cocktail d'amore. Lear has occasionally made guest appearances in French and Italian TV series. She has also performed acting and dubbing roles in independent as well as major film productions.
TV shows Year Title Channel Role1973The 1980 Floor ShowNBC, USAPerformer1978StryxRai 2, Italy1980Mostra internazionale di musica leggeraRai 1, ItalyHostess1981SupersonicaTelemontecarlo, ItalyHostess, performer1981–1982Grey Street1982–1984PremiatissimaCanale 5, Italy1983Ma chi è Amanda?Hostess1984–1986W le donneHostess, performer1985Miss ItaliaHostess1986Cherchez la femmeLa Cinq, FranceHostess, performer1989Ars AmandaRai 3, ItalyHostess1991–1992BuonaseraRete 4, Italy1992–2014Les Grosses TêtesTF1, FranceParticipant1993–1994Méfiez-vous des blondesHostess1995–1996Peep!RTL 2, GermanyHostess, performer1996La notte dei telerattiRai 3, ItalyHostess1998–2000Il brutto anatroccoloItalia 1, Italy1998–1999Ciao DarwinCanale 5, ItalyJudgeBuon capodannoHostess2002–2003Cocktail d'amoreRai 2, Italy2002TendanceMatch TV, France2003La grande notteRai 2, Italy2004La talpa (episode 1 only)2005–2007Ballando con le stelle (seasons 1, 2 and 4)Judge2008La folle histoire du discoFrance 3, FranceHostessThe Singing OfficeSKY Vivo, ItalyJudgeSfida tra sexy star a HollywoodE!, ItalyHostessSummer of the 70sArte, France2011Ciak... si canta! (season 3)Rai 1, ItalyJudge2014–2015Si può fare!2018Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?Cielo, ItalyHostess2019Sanremo YoungRai 1, ItalyJudge2023Drag Race France (season 2) France.tv Slash, FranceJudge
TV series Year Title Role Channel1969Der KommissarModelZDF, West Germany1988Marc et SophieAstrologerTF1, France1989MaguyAntenne 2, France1992Piazza di SpagnaHerselfCanale 5, Italy1996L'@mour est à réinventerNeighbourArte, France1998Les Années bleuesMathildeTF1, France2000Blague à partHerselfCanal+, France2001Un gars, une filleHerselfFrance 2, France2004Sous le soleilSonia RioTF1, France2008Avocats et AssociésHerselfFrance 2, FranceUn posto al soleDeathRai 3, Italy2012Scènes de ménagesMarion's auntM6, France2014Nos chers voisinsArmellaTF1, France2021 Camping Paradis Marie-Hélène Hashtag Boomer Herself OCS, France 2023Escort Boys AmandaAmazon Prime 2024 La Maison Marwa Jallab Apple TV+
Feature films Year Title Role1968Ne jouez pas avec les MartiensFun and Games for Everyone1970Double Pisces, Scorpio Rising1978Follie di notte (Crazy Nights)HerselfLoggerheads (Zio Adolfo in arte Führer)Singer1985GrottenolmDr. Ludmilla Nerovna1993Une Femme pour moi (TV film)Françoise1998BimbolandGina2002Le Défi (Dance Challenge)Birgit2006StarfuckersHerself2007Un Amour de fantôme (TV film)ElizabethOliviero RisingAntonietta2008Bloody FlowersCharlotte de Saint-Martin8th WonderlandTV presenter2009Panique au ministère (TV film)Cécile2011Le Grand Restaurant II (TV film)Agathe2012Nom de code: Rose (TV film)Manoue2013Jodorowsky's DuneHerself2017Metti una notteLulù2020Si muore solo da viviGiusy GanagliaMissMarraine2022Queen Lear (TV film)Herself 2023Maison de retraite 2Barbie 2024To Live, To Die, To Live AgainLeolia
Short films Year Title Role2005GigoloWomanMemorias de Arkaran2008Encore une nuit de merde dans cette ville pourrieBarmaid
Dubbing Year Title Role2004The Incredibles (Les Indestructibles, Gli Incredibili)Edna Mode (in the French and Italian versions)2008Dragon Hunters (Chasseurs de dragons)Gildas (in the French version)2009LacomaFish2011ZookeeperJanet the Lioness (in the French version)2018Incredibles 2 (Les Indestructibles 2, Gli Incredibili 2)Edna Mode (in the French and Italian versions)
References
External links Official website
Amanda Lear at AllMovie