Amanda Payton

Amanda Payton is an American actress. She is best known for playing Nina Rudolph on the NBC sitcom Trial & Error, Dr. Alison Parfit on the Sky Comedy/Peacock police comedy-drama Code 404, and Holly in the CBS sitcom United States of Al.

Early life Payton was born in Santa Monica, California. She was educated at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and later attended Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, graduating with honors earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Career In 2008, Payton began her on-screen television career in an episode of the CBS crime drama Numbers. She has also starred in episodes of other television series including, Southland, CSI: Cyber, Game Shakers, The Big Bang Theory, Workaholics, Animal Kingdom, NCIS, Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, and Young Sheldon. Payton had small roles in the feature films The Perfect Host and Beginners, both released in 2010.

In 2018, Payton joined the second season of the NBC sitcom Trial & Error, playing Nina Rudolph, a podcast host who moves to the series' fictional town of East Peck, South Carolina from New York to follow the trial of Lavinia Peck Foster (played by Kristin Chenoweth), and ends up in a love triangle with the characters, Josh and Carol.

In 2020, Payton joined the Sky Comedy British police procedural comedy-drama Code 404, playing American scientist Dr. Alison Parfit, who leads an artificial intelligence project to revive a killed Detective Inspector using AI. The third season of the series premiered on August 4, 2022.

In 2021, Payton had a recurring role in the sitcom United States of Al playing Holly, the girlfriend of former Marine combat veteran, Riley Dugan. Also in 2021, Payton played the protagonist, Sawyer, in the Lifetime Christmas film A Fiancé for Christmas, which premiered on December 9, 2021. From 2021 to 2022, Payton had a two-episode role on the NBC police action drama Chicago P.D., as Celeste Nichols, Officer Kevin Atwater girlfriend.

In January 2022, it was announced that Payton would star in the upcoming NBC drama Unbroken as Ella, a winemaker at a Californian ranch who tries to keep her family together since her mother's death.

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Notes 2008 Numbers Tipsy Chick Episode: "Jack of All Trades" 2011 Southland Young Woman Episode: "Cop or Not" 2015 The Bar Ellie 7 episodesWeb series 2015 CSI: Cyber Nicole Gaines Episode: "Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes" 2016 Game Shakers Jackie Episode: "Shark Explosion" 2016 The Big Bang Theory Ainsley Episode: "The Line Substitution Solution" 2017 Workaholics Megan Episode: "Faux Chella" 2017 Animal Kingdom Dana 2 episodes 2017 NCIS Misty Boxlarter Episode: "Double Down" 2018 Trial & Error Nina Rudolph Main role 2021–2022 United States of Al Holly Recurring role TBA Unbroken Ella Main role 2023 9-1-1: Lone Star Asha Fulton 4 episodes 2025 The Rookie Anita 2 episodes

Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 The Perfect Host Girl at Party 2010 Beginners Party Person 2012 Broom and Roses Fosse Dancer / Lover Girl Short film 2012 Guitar Face Cinnamon Kitty Short film 2017 Miss Me This Christmas Holly 2018 Find What You Love and Let It Kill You Heather Short film 2020 Half Husband Melanie Short film 2021 Daddy Isn't Here Right Now Angela Short film 2021 A Fiancé for Christmas Sawyer TBA The Guardian The Guardian TBA The Morg Allison Baker