Amanda Tapping (born 28 August 1965) is an English-born Canadian actress. Born in Rochford, Essex in England, she moved with her family to Ontario, Canada when she was three years old. After graduation Tapping continued to study theatrical arts while performing in several stage productions. She also formed a comedy troupe, the "Random Acts", with collaborators Katherine Jackson and Anne Marie Kerr, in Toronto in the early 90s. She has currently taken the place of Torri Higginson on Stargate Atlantis, as the Atlantis expedition commander. As of 2004, Amanda lives with her husband, Alan Kovacs, in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has one daughter, Olivia B., born on March 22, 2005.