When supermodel Amber Smith decided to leave the catwalks and exotic tropical beaches and head for Hollywood, she was not prepared to be told that she was too tall or too beautiful for many of the roles she desired. It wasn't until Paul Mazursky cast her as a philandering husband's love object in Faithful that the leggy and voluptuous actress got her first break. A native of Tampa, FL, Smith started modelling at age 16. With little more than her determination and a strong resemblence to Rita Hayworth, she went to Paris to learn about modelling and to find work. It took four years and a dye-job (changing her blonde hair to red) to change her luck. In addition to working for Vogue and other fashion magazines, Smith became a popular swimsuit model for Sports Ilustrated, appearing in two consecutive issues of their celebrated Swimwear Edition. Smith was then chosen to be the Vargas Girl of the 1990s by Esquire Magazine. In 1995, Smith posed for a Playboy magazine spread. The acting bug bit after she appeared in two European made-for-television specials: Inferno and one made just for her called Forever Amber. After her appearance in Faithful, she continued to appear in major feature films. In television, Smith made guest appearances on such series as Friends and Just Shoot Me.
