AJ Michalka

AJ Michalka
Michalka in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Amanda Joy Michalka
Also known as	AJ Michalka
Born	(1991-04-10) April 10, 1991 Wisconsin Rapids, WI , U.S.
Genres	Acoustic rock, pop, pop rock, electropop
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer, songwriter, guitarist
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Hollywood, Independent
Website	https://www.instagram.com/ajmichalkaofficial/

Amanda Joy "AJ" Michalka (born April 10, 1991),^[1] often credited as AJ, is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and musician. She was a model prior to becoming an actress, and is best known as one-half of the duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ) with her sister Aly Michalka. AJ recorded the theme song and accompanying music video for the film Secretariat, entitled "It's Who You Are". She also issued a single and video called "All I've Ever Needed" from her 2013 film Grace Unplugged. She has also had a successful acting career, and after two seasons in a recurring role as Lainey Lewis on the ABC sitcom "The Goldbergs", she is being promoted to a regular role on the series for the third season onward.

Early life

Michalka was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, but lived and grew up in Seattle, Washington and Southern California with her older sister Aly. Her father, Mark, owns a contracting company, and her mother, Carrie, is a musician and performed with JC Band, a Christian band.^[2][3] She has Ukrainian, German, British (English, Scottish and Welsh) and Irish ancestry.^[4] Michalka has been playing the piano since she was six and started playing the guitar in her early teens. She started acting when she was five years old, mostly in church play productions. She was raised as a Christian and continues to practice the faith.^[5][6][7] Michalka was in a number of musical productions at her school in Milwaukee as a young adult.^[6]

Career

She plays a variety of instruments such as acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, and bongos. She was a model for catalogs. In March 2006, she made her Disney Channel debut in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cow Belles, as "Courtney Callum", along with sister Aly, as "Taylor Callum". She has also made appearances on shows such as Oliver Beene, Six Feet Under, The Guardian, and General Hospital.^[6][7][8][9] She has also appeared with her sister, Aly, in the MTV film, Super Sweet 16: The Movie.

In 2009, she was featured in the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones, released widely on January 15, 2010.^[10]

Michalka and her sister perform as the musical duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ). They have released two studio albums and a holiday album. The two are working on a new album, to be released in 2014. She was cast as a recurring character on The CW series Hellcats^[11] starring Ashley Tisdale and along with her sister Alyson Michalka. The series ran for one season and was cancelled in May 2011.

Michalka appeared in the 2011 film Super 8, directed by J. J. Abrams. Her first big-screen starring role is as the title character in 2013's Grace Unplugged.

Since 2013, Michalka has had a recurring role on the ABC sitcom, The Goldbergs, as Lainey Lewis, the girlfriend of one of the main characters on the show. In May 2015, it was announced that she would be a series regular for the show's upcoming third season.^[12] In July 2014, she and her sister, Aly Michalka filmed an untitled drama in Laurel Canyon, California. The film was directed and written by Aly's husband, Stephen Ringer. Michalka was one of the producers of the film, alongside her sister and Ringer, and also participated in the casting process. In early May 2015, it was announced the film, now titled, Weepah Way for Now, premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 16, 2015.^[13]

Filmography

Films

Television

Music videos

Discography

Solo

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amanda Michalka.

• AJ Michalka at the Internet Movie Database
• Aly and AJ on Twitter
• AJ Michalka on Instagram
• AJ Michalka on Twitter