Amy O'Neill

Amy O'Neill (born July 8, 1971) is an American performer and former actress. 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?.
== 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.[1] She is the third of five children. Her older siblings include brother Casey and sister Katie. Her younger brothers include 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.
== Career ==
O'Neill began auditioning for parts at age ten with her older siblings.[2] 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. After the film, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.[3]
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 Honey co-star Jared Rushton and Rodney Dangerfield, but it wasn't picked up in 1990 or 1991. She continued working in television series such as Room for Romance, The Young Riders, and Gabriel's Fire.
She starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of Murder, She Wrote and came back to the Disney screen in the sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, as Amy Szalinski. Before this was written as a sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, it was titled Big Baby and didn't have any characters from the original film. As the plot was changed to include the Szalinski's, there was no room for a female lead, besides Keri Russell's role as the babysitter. O'Neill only appeared in the opening scene as she is leaving for college. Her character is later mentioned in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.
She 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.
=== Personal life ===
After her interest in acting had waned, O'Neill quit acting in 1994 after getting scripts that required nudity. She met old childhood friend, Roy Johns, owner of a few circus acts. As she watched his work, she became interested in how active the girls in his performances were. She became involved with his acts and is now part of Johns' crew.[4]
She is now part of the performance art community in Los Angeles. In 2002, she joined the Hollywood, Alabama trio, "Girls On Stilts." She has toured places in Italy and Asia, and has brandished her skills at Harrah's Casino, Disneyland, and other places. She doesn't have any children and is not currently married, but hoping to start a family with someone who isn't "intimidated" by her work as a performer.[5]
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.
== Filmography ==
=== Films ===
Year	Film 	Role 	Notes
1989	Desperate for Love 	Cindy 	Supporting Role
1989	I Know My First Name is Steven 	Jodie 	Minor Role
1989	Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 	Amy Szalinski	Main Role
1992	Honey, I Blew Up the Kid 	Amy Szalinski	Minor Role
1993	White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II	Pandra 	Main Role
1994	Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women 	German Skater	Minor Role
=== Television ===
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
1990	Where's Rodney? 	Lisa Barnes 	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
Category:American film actresses