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{{short description|American actress}}
{{short description|American actress}}

{{BLP sources|date=December 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox actress
{{Infobox actress
| image = Amy O'Neill at Mouse-Con, Concord Ca. November 2023.jpg
| image = Amy O'Neill at Mouse-Con, Concord Ca. November 2023.jpg
| caption = O'Neill at Concord Mouse-Con in 2023
| caption = O'Neill at Concord Mouse-Con in 2023
| birth_date = 1971
| birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) -->
| birth_place = [[Pacific Palisades, California]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Pacific Palisades, California]], U.S.
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|producer}}
| occupation = Actress, circus-style performer
| yearsactive = 1984–1994, 2016-present
| yearsactive = Acting: 1984–1994, 2016, 2019
}}
}}


'''Amy O'Neill''' is an American actress and producer. After appearing in several sitcoms and starring as Molly Stark on ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' in 1986, she was cast in her notable role as Amy Szalinski in the 1989 [[Disney]] film, ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]'', for which she was nominated for a [[Young Artist Award]]. She reprised her role as Amy Szalinski in the 1992 sequel, ''[[Honey, I Blew Up the Kid]]'' and appeared as Lisa Barnes in ''Where's Rodney?''
'''Amy O'Neill''' is an American actress. She started as a child actress in 1984, appearing in several sitcoms before a 30-episode run as pregnant teen Molly Stark on ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' in 1986. She may be best known for her role as high-schooler Amy Szalinski in the 1989 [[Disney]] film, ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]'', for which she was nominated for a [[Young Artist Award]].{{Citation needed |date=August 2024}} She retired from acting in the 1990s, joined a circus-style entertainment troupe, appeared in documentaries about her childhood roles, and returned to acting with two [[short film]]s and a television episode in the late 2010s.


==Early life==
==Early life==
O'Neill was born in [[Pacific Palisades, California]], the daughter of Virginia, an art school director, and Thomas O'Neill, a [[Los Angeles]] construction company owner.<ref name="p">{{cite news |last1=Yu |first1=Ting |title=Going Full Stilt |url=https://people.com/archive/going-full-stilt-vol-57-no-19/ |access-date=February 6, 2021 |work=People |date=May 20, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206020217/https://people.com/archive/going-full-stilt-vol-57-no-19/ |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> She is the third of five children. Her older siblings are brother Casey and sister Katie. Her younger brothers are Hugh and Barry. Her father is the brother of Hugh O'Neill, Esq, former Deputy Chief Counsel to The Secretary of the Navy, [[John Lehman]]. O'Neill is of Irish heritage.{{Citation needed |date=August 2022}}
O'Neill was born in [[Pacific Palisades, California]], the daughter of Virginia, an art school director, and Thomas O'Neill, a [[Los Angeles]] construction company owner.<ref name="p">{{cite magazine |title=Going Full Stilt |first=Ting |last=Yu |date=May 20, 2002 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |volume=57 |issue=19 |url=https://people.com/archive/going-full-stilt-vol-57-no-19/ |access-date=February 6, 2021 |quote=Since then O’Neill, 30, has discovered… |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206020217/https://people.com/archive/going-full-stilt-vol-57-no-19/ |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> She is the third of five children; her two older siblings performed in commercials while children.{{Citation needed |date=August 2024}}


==Career==
==Career==
Line 21: Line 20:
She appeared in the 1989 television films, ''[[Desperate for Love]]'' as [[Tammy Lauren]]'s best friend, with [[Christian Slater]] and as Jodie in ''[[I Know My First Name is Steven]]'', before appearing in her most recognized role as Amy Szalinski in ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]''. In the film, she and her brother are shrunk to 1/4&nbsp;inch high by the father's ([[Rick Moranis]]) shrink ray.
She appeared in the 1989 television films, ''[[Desperate for Love]]'' as [[Tammy Lauren]]'s best friend, with [[Christian Slater]] and as Jodie in ''[[I Know My First Name is Steven]]'', before appearing in her most recognized role as Amy Szalinski in ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]''. In the film, she and her brother are shrunk to 1/4&nbsp;inch high by the father's ([[Rick Moranis]]) shrink ray.


O'Neill continued work as Annette in an episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', but most of her scenes were cut out due to time constraints. She can, however, be seen in the background of a crowd scene. She acted as Lisa Barnes in the pilot episode of ''Where's Rodney?'' with [[Rodney Dangerfield]] and ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' co-star [[Jared Rushton]], but the show was not picked up. She continued working in television series such as ''Room for Romance'', ''[[The Young Riders]]'', and ''[[Gabriel's Fire]]'', and starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]''.
O'Neill had a role in an episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', but her scenes were cut due to time constraints, leaving her as a background extra in a crowd scene. She played Lisa Barnes in the [[unsold pilot]] ''Where's Rodney?'', with [[Rodney Dangerfield]] and her ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' co-star [[Jared Rushton]]. She continued working in television series such as ''Room for Romance'', ''[[The Young Riders]]'', and ''[[Gabriel's Fire]]'', and starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]''.


She reprised the role of Amy Szalinski in the 1992 film ''[[Honey, I Blew Up the Kid]]'', albeit only in the opening scene where she leaves for college. The reason for this is that the film was originally a standalone story unrelated to ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'', and when the plot was changed to include the Szalinski family, there was no parallel character for O'Neill to replace. Amy Szalinski is also mentioned but does not appear in the third film, ''[[Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves]]''.
She reprised the role of Amy Szalinski in the 1992 film ''[[Honey, I Blew Up the Kid]]'', albeit only in the opening scene where she leaves for college. The reason for this is that the film was originally a standalone story unrelated to ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'', and when the plot was changed to include the Szalinski family, there was no parallel character for O'Neill to replace.


O'Neill later appeared in the television film, ''[[White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II]]'' as Pandra, one of the young adults stuck in the [[Cascade Mountains]], having to fend for themselves. In 1994, she appeared in the ''[[National Lampoon, Incorporated|National Lampoon]]'' film, ''[[Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women]]'' as a German Skater.
O'Neill later appeared in the television film, ''[[White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II]]'' as Pandra, one of the young adults stuck in the [[Cascade Mountains]], having to fend for themselves. In 1994, she appeared in the ''[[National Lampoon, Incorporated|National Lampoon]]'' film, ''[[Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women]]'' as a German Skater.


O'Neill returned to television in 2005 to appear in an MTV documentary with her ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' co-star [[Thomas Wilson Brown]] in ''The 100 Greatest Family Films''. In 2008, she appeared as an Officer's wife in an independent film, ''The Japanese Sandman''.{{cn|date=July 2023}}
O'Neill returned to television in 2005 to appear in an MTV documentary with her ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' co-star [[Thomas Wilson Brown]] in ''The 100 Greatest Family Films''. In 2008, she appeared as an Officer's wife in an independent film, ''The Japanese Sandman''.


As of 2023, O'Neill is producing a film titled ''Burn Down the Night'' based on the book of the [[Craig_Strete#Bibliography|same name]] by [[Craig Strete]] published in 1982. The film also has producers Andre Relis and [[Orian Williams]] attached to it. The plot will follow the life of [[Jim Morrison]] before he joined [[The Doors]].<ref name="O'Neill Interview">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28hVtJ0INg |title=Amy O'Neill Exclusive Interview |date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=November 7, 2023}}</ref>
{{As of|2023}}, O'Neill was working to produce a film tentatively titled ''Burn Down the Night'', based on the 1982 book of the same name by [[Craig Strete]], about the life of [[Jim Morrison]] before he joined [[The Doors]].<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28hVtJ0INg |title=Amy O'Neill Exclusive Interview |people=Chris O'Neill (interviewer), Amy O'Neill |medium=[[YouTube]] |location=[[Tampa, Florida]] |date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=November 7, 2023}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
{{As of|2002}}, O'Neill was active in the performance art community of Los Angeles, when, she joined the [[Hollywood, Alabama]] trio, "Girls On Stilts." She has toured Italy and Asia, and has performed at [[Harrah's Casino]], [[Disneyland]], and other places. {{As of|2001}}, she was not married and did not have any children.<ref name=p/>
{{As of|2002}}, O'Neill was active in the [[performance art]] community of Los Angeles as one of the trio Girls on Stilts, a circus-style troupe.<ref name=p/>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
Line 51: Line 50:
| ''The Making of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' || Herself || [[Documentary film|Documentary]] [[short film]]
| ''The Making of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' || Herself || [[Documentary film|Documentary]] [[short film]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1992 || ''[[Honey, I Blew Up the Kid]]'' || Amy Szalinski ||
| rowspan="1"| 1992 || ''[[Honey, I Blew Up the Kid]]'' || Amy Szalinski || cameo
|-
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1993 || ''[[White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II]]'' || Pandra ||
| rowspan="1"| 1993 || ''[[White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II]]'' || Pandra ||
Line 77: Line 76:
| 1984 || ''[[Matt Houston]]'' || Rosie || Episode: "Vanished"
| 1984 || ''[[Matt Houston]]'' || Rosie || Episode: "Vanished"
|-
|-
| 1985 || ''[[Night Court]]'' || Jenny Reader || Episode: "Walk, Don't Wheel" (scenes cut)
| 1985 || ''[[Night Court]]'' || Jenny Reader || Episode: "Walk, Don't Wheel"
|-
|-
| 1985 || ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'' || Sue || Episode: "The Secret"
| 1985 || ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'' || Sue || Episode: "The Secret"
Line 89: Line 88:
| 1987 || ''[[Second Chance (1987 TV series)|Second Chance]]'' || Jane Pfeiffer || Episode: "Plain Jane"
| 1987 || ''[[Second Chance (1987 TV series)|Second Chance]]'' || Jane Pfeiffer || Episode: "Plain Jane"
|-
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' || Annette || Episode: "Evolution"
| 1989 || ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' || Annette || Episode: "[[Evolution (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Evolution]]" (uncredited, scenes cut)
|-
|-
| 1990 || ''Where's Rodney?'' || Lisa Barnes || [[Unsold pilot]]
| 1990 || ''Where's Rodney?'' || Lisa Barnes || [[Unsold pilot]]
Line 103: Line 102:
| 2016 || ''[[Baskets_(TV_series)|Baskets]]'' || Arlequin || Episode: "Picnic"
| 2016 || ''[[Baskets_(TV_series)|Baskets]]'' || Arlequin || Episode: "Picnic"
|-
|-
| 2020 || ''Prop Culture'' || Herself || Episode: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"
| 2020 || ''[[Prop Culture]]'' || Herself || Episode: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"
|-
|}
|}


Latest revision as of 16:43, 25 November 2024

Amy O'Neill
O'Neill at Concord Mouse-Con in 2023
Born1971
Pacific Palisades, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, circus-style performer
Years activeActing: 1984–1994, 2016, 2019

Amy O'Neill is an American actress. She started as a child actress in 1984, appearing in several sitcoms before a 30-episode run as pregnant teen Molly Stark on The Young and the Restless in 1986. She may be best known for her role as high-schooler Amy Szalinski in the 1989 Disney film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award.[citation needed] She retired from acting in the 1990s, joined a circus-style entertainment troupe, appeared in documentaries about her childhood roles, and returned to acting with two short films and a television episode in the late 2010s.

Early life

[edit]

O'Neill was born in Pacific Palisades, California, the daughter of Virginia, an art school director, and Thomas O'Neill, a Los Angeles construction company owner.[1] She is the third of five children; her two older siblings performed in commercials while children.[citation needed]

Career

[edit]

O'Neill began auditioning for parts at age ten with her older siblings.[1] After school, the kids would drive out to Hollywood. O'Neill made her first appearance on television at age 13 in an episode of Mama's Family as a younger version of Betty White's character, Ellen Harper. She continued working on television shows such as Matt Houston, Night Court, Highway to Heaven and The Twilight Zone. She also appeared on the American game show, Body Language in the summer of 1985. After an appearance on Family Ties, O'Neill won the role of the pregnant teenager Molly Stark on the daytime soap, The Young and the Restless for thirty episodes in 1986.

She appeared in the 1989 television films, Desperate for Love as Tammy Lauren's best friend, with Christian Slater and as Jodie in I Know My First Name is Steven, before appearing in her most recognized role as Amy Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. In the film, she and her brother are shrunk to 1/4 inch high by the father's (Rick Moranis) shrink ray.

O'Neill had a role in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but her scenes were cut due to time constraints, leaving her as a background extra in a crowd scene. She played Lisa Barnes in the unsold pilot Where's Rodney?, with Rodney Dangerfield and her Honey, I Shrunk the Kids co-star Jared Rushton. She continued working in television series such as Room for Romance, The Young Riders, and Gabriel's Fire, and starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

She reprised the role of Amy Szalinski in the 1992 film Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, albeit only in the opening scene where she leaves for college. The reason for this is that the film was originally a standalone story unrelated to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and when the plot was changed to include the Szalinski family, there was no parallel character for O'Neill to replace.

O'Neill later appeared in the television film, White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II as Pandra, one of the young adults stuck in the Cascade Mountains, having to fend for themselves. In 1994, she appeared in the National Lampoon film, Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women as a German Skater.

O'Neill returned to television in 2005 to appear in an MTV documentary with her Honey, I Shrunk the Kids co-star Thomas Wilson Brown in The 100 Greatest Family Films. In 2008, she appeared as an Officer's wife in an independent film, The Japanese Sandman.

As of 2023, O'Neill was working to produce a film tentatively titled Burn Down the Night, based on the 1982 book of the same name by Craig Strete, about the life of Jim Morrison before he joined The Doors.[2]

Personal life

[edit]

As of 2002, O'Neill was active in the performance art community of Los Angeles as one of the trio Girls on Stilts, a circus-style troupe.[1]

Filmography

[edit]

Films

[edit]
Year Film Role Notes
1989 Desperate for Love Cindy
I Know My First Name Is Steven Jodie
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Amy Szalinski
The Making of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Herself Documentary short film
1992 Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Amy Szalinski cameo
1993 White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II Pandra
1994 Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women German Skater
2005 The 100 Greatest Family Films Herself Documentary film
2008 The Japanese Sandman Mom & Officer's Wife Short film
2019 The Follower Mom Short film
2024 The Character Series: Amy Szalinski - Shrinking Good Fun Herself Documentary film

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1984 Mama's Family Young Ellen Harper Episode: "Mama's Birthday"
1984 Matt Houston Rosie Episode: "Vanished"
1985 Night Court Jenny Reader Episode: "Walk, Don't Wheel"
1985 Highway to Heaven Sue Episode: "The Secret"
1985 The Twilight Zone Blonde Girl Episode: "The Shadow Man"
1986 Family Ties Brenda Episode: "The Disciple"
1986 The Young and the Restless Molly Stark 30 Episodes
1987 Second Chance Jane Pfeiffer Episode: "Plain Jane"
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Annette Episode: "Evolution" (uncredited, scenes cut)
1990 Where's Rodney? Lisa Barnes Unsold pilot
1990 Room for Romance Unknown Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Reality"
1990 The Young Riders Jennifer Tompkins Episode: "Pride and Prejudice"
1991 Gabriel's Fire Ginny Episode: "The Great Waldo"
1991 Murder, She Wrote Susan Hartley Episode: "A Killing in Vegas"
2016 Baskets Arlequin Episode: "Picnic"
2020 Prop Culture Herself Episode: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Yu, Ting (May 20, 2002). "Going Full Stilt". People. Vol. 57, no. 19. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021. Since then O'Neill, 30, has discovered…
  2. ^ Chris O'Neill (interviewer), Amy O'Neill (February 12, 2023). Amy O'Neill Exclusive Interview (YouTube). Tampa, Florida. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
[edit]
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