Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton)

Becki Newton as Amanda Tanen

Amanda Tanen is the attractive receptionist at MODE magazine and is allied with both Wilhelmina Slater and Wilhelmina's assistant Marc when it comes to taking down the two major thorns in Wilhelmina's side: Betty Suarez and Betty's boss Daniel Meade (whom Amanda is attracted to). Amanda was supposedly the daughter of an investment banker whom she has hinted is an embezzler in an earlier episode, but would later learn that she is actually the daughter of Fey Sommers. Her uncle is the "thin one" out of the 3 tenors. Amanda aspires to marry royalty, preferably a duke, as "a prince would be too much pressure".

Amanda has a tendency to go on eating binges whenever she feels threatened, as a way to control her fears and insecurities. This issue is expected to be addressed in future episodes, where it is learned that her past involves uncontrollable eating habits and attempts to be the "perfect" woman. Despite her somewhat conceited and ditzy exterior she is quite bright, but has a tendency to butcher the Spanish language, using mangled pronunciations like HO-la and Bare-rio. She even had a romantic fling with a closeted straight designer named Tavares, but would end it after he took advantage of her generosity.

Prior to working at MODE, Amanda was an actress, and appeared as a hostess in a commercial for a Medieval themed restaurant. This is an inside joke, referencing an Olive Garden commercial in which Becki Newton, who plays Amanda, appeared as one of the restaurant chain's cheery hostesses.

In the first season finale, she was trapped in Fey Sommers' secret room ("love dungeon") with Christina McKinney after which they consequently got drunk and began confessing secrets to each other. Though most of Amanda's revelations initially revolved around her sexcapades (to which Christina responds in one scene, "Your secret place was ruined a long time ago", while another scene alludes to hints that she might have bisexual tendencies after she asked Christina if she wanted to kiss her, but to no avail), she later revealed to Christina that the late Sommers was a friend of her family and that her father had appealed to Fey for help in getting Amanda a job at MODE after her career as an actress didn't pan out. As Christina marvelled at this whilst stumbling around drunk, she uncovered a red safe hidden under a scarf and the pair managed to get it open (using Sommers' genuine dress size as the combination). Instead of money inside, a bunch of photos of Amanda as a child are uncovered, as well as a diary and a genuine birth certificate, naming Sommers as Amanda's biological mother.

Connections

• Betty Suarez - Assistant to the Editor in Chief at MODE; Amanda has wanted to get rid of Betty from the beginning, believing that Betty stole a job that should have been hers - assistant to Daniel Meade. She schemed to get rid of Betty by any and all means, so she could get her job and win Daniel's affection and admiration. After Betty agreed to take Sofia Reyes' job offer, Amanda replaced her temporarily as Daniel's assistant. In the episode "In or Out" she realized that the assistant job was better suited to Betty and returned to her receptionist's desk. Despite her frequently taking jabs at Betty, the two seem to like each other and at times look to be friends. Betty is the only person to have seen Amanda crying after she ended her affair with Daniel. Amanda always seems interested in Betty's love life; she was with Betty when she found out Walter wanted Betty to move in with him. She also has fun tormenting Betty about her crush on Henry, calling him her "Nerd Lover."
• Daniel Meade - Editor-In-Chief at MODE; He sees Amanda as another one-night stand--he has slept with her but forgotten about it the following day--and Amanda has been frustrated with his continual womanizing. After Daniel lost an expensive watch and sent Betty looking for it at the apartments of his past week's conquests, Betty turned up empty handed while Amanda had it with her the entire time. Daniel gave Betty a list of names, addresses and the day of the week he was with that girl. He had forgotten to list one night of the week and it was the night that he was with Amanda. She finally came clean that she had the watch and asked Betty to not tell Daniel. Since he never figured out which girl it was, Amanda came forward and she finally relinquished the possibility of a serious relationship with him. Her past feelings for Daniel have caused problems for proving her loyalty to Wilhelmina and Marc.
• Marc St. James - Wilhelmina's Assistant at MODE; Amanda's frequent co-conspirator in plans to humiliate Betty and sabotage her work. They have a co-dependent relationship; she often pretended to be his girlfriend to help him hide from his mother that he was gay, and he has taken risks to protect her job from Wilhelmina. The two shared a rowdy Thanksgiving in the office together, drinking champagne, playing with couture gowns, and placing a prank phone call to the mysterious bandaged woman, which placed both their jobs in jeopardy.
• Christina McKinney - Seamstress at MODE; Amanda frequently calls her "Braveheart" because of her Scottish heritage. They have an antipathetic relationship; in "Fake Plastic Snow" Christina told "Santa Claus" that she wishes that Amanda had "..A Brain". She was with Amanda when she discovered that Fey Sommers was her mother.
• Sofia Reyes - Editor in Chief at MYW; In Trust, Lust, and Must she became the catalyst for Amanda's realization that a relationship with Daniel was not possible. After discovering that Sofia was actually using Daniel as a stunt promotion for her new magazine ("Sofia's Choice"), Amanda took revenge on Sofia by beating her with her purse in the elevator where Sofia and Daniel first met ("Trust").
• Nick Pepper - Amanda took an instant dislike to Nick, partly because he wouldn't go out with her. She feels she's better suited for his job as Alexis' PA. So using the same tactics that she used to unsuccessfully try and take Betty's job, Amanda attempts to strong-arm her way into forcing Nick out of his by convincing Alexis that she should pick her over Nick.
• Fey Sommers - In the season finale, while locked in Fey Sommer's "Love Dungeon" Amanda discovers childhood photos of her and a birth certificate declaring Fey as Amanda's mother.

Trivia

• Amanda's character is equivalent to Marcela Valencia, but her appearance is similar to Marcia Villarroel, which coincidentally, are both counterparts to Marcela.
• It is strongley implied in "East Side Story" that Amanda had sex with Bill Cosbey and she has the audio tape to prove it.
• Amanda's favourite "fall colour" is Pale Carmine.

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