Amy Acker is the rising star who portrays Winifred 'Fred' Burkle on the WB network's cult hit, ANGEL. Amy Louise Acker was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Amy is the oldest of four children; one of her sisters is in college (2001) and her other sister and brother are in high school (2001). Amy's father is a lawyer in Dallas and her mother is a full time mom. Growing up Amy wanted to be a ballerina. She studied ballet, modern and jazz dancing for 13 years. But sadly after knee surgery in high school she couldn't dance anymore. So Amy started taking acting in high school during her sophomore year, and she loved it. Also in the ninth grade, Amy began modeling. She started Southern Methodist University in 1996. Amy is not a Methodist, but attended SMU because they were supposed to have a really good theater department. As part of her acting course at SMU, she was trained in weapons and certified in combat. Amy's first television role was in the Wishbone company, which was used solely for the PBS television show Wishbone. During her junior year, she modeled for J.Crew's Spring 1998 catalogue. Previous to that shoot, Amy spent 3 of her summers modeling in Japan. While in school she performed in many plays: Seta, Beast on the Moon at Stage West; Terry, Balm in Gilead; Isabella, Measure for Measure; Chorus, The Greeks; Christina, Fefu and her Friends; Anna, Apparent Wind. She performed with Undermain theater (UMT), during her senior year (1998-1999) at SMU, in the praised Therese Raquin which Amy was nominated for Actress in a leading role in 1999 Leon Rabin Awards. Whilst she was at SMU,she was in the TV movie 'To Serve and Protect' as Melissa Jorgensen which was release February 14 1999. It was filmed in Dallas, Texas so it was close to home. She received her Bachelor in Fine Arts in Acting from SMU when she graduated in 1999. |