Amanda Seales

Amanda Seales was born Amanda Ingrid Seales on July 1, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. At the age of eight, she moved to Orlando, Florida, and attended Dr. Phillips High School. She later pursued higher education at SUNY Purchase, where she earned her undergraduate degree, followed by a master’s degree in African American studies with a focus on hip hop from Columbia University. Her career began early with a role as Deonne in the Nickelodeon sitcom “My Brother and Me” (1994). She then gained public recognition as VJ Amanda Diva on MTV2’s “Sucker Free Sundays,” becoming a prominent face in hip-hop media. Her early career also involved time as a recording artist and spoken word poet. In 2011, she transitioned back to her birth name, Amanda Seales, and expanded her work into television and stand-up comedy.

Seales has established herself as a creative force, founding DivaWorks Inc., her production company dedicated to creating smart and humorous content across various platforms. Her acting career includes the significant role of Tiffany DuBois in the HBO series “Insecure” (2016-2021), appearing in 24 episodes. She also hosted the truTV show “Greatest Ever” (2016-2017) and released her first HBO stand-up comedy special, “I Be Knowin’,” in 2019. In 2019, she hosted NBC’s comedy competition series “Bring the Funny.” She was also a co-host on the syndicated daytime talk show “The Real” from 2017 to 2020, becoming a permanent co-host in January 2020 before her departure in June 2020. Her commitment to social commentary is evident in her work, including her popular podcast “Small Doses” and the touring variety game show “Smart Funny & Black,” which she also created and hosts.

Her career continued to evolve with engagements such as hosting the BET Awards 2020 and being cast in the three-part documentary series “Everything’s Gonna Be All White” in 2022. In 2022, she further extended her reach in radio by launching “Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black Radio” on SiriusXM, covering topics on games, celebrity interviews, and African-American culture. Seales is also an author, with her book “Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use” released in 2019, which is an extension of her podcast. She actively advocates for the empowerment of young women and the end of racial discrimination, and serves as a social media ambassador for Grenada, her mother’s home island.