# Amanda Setton
**Amanda Setton** (born 1985) is an American actress best known for playing Brook Lynn Quartermaine on the ABC soap opera *General Hospital*, a role she has held since 2019, and for her earlier recurring role as Penelope Shafai on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s teen drama *Gossip Girl*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985, Great Neck, New York[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850994/bio) |
| Training | Bachelor of Arts in theater from Ithaca College; Meisner Technique program at The Actors Workshop of Ithaca[2](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/) |
| Breakout role | Penelope Shafai on *Gossip Girl* (The CW, 2008–2012)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/) |
| Daytime debut | Kimberly Andrews on *One Life to Live*, August 2009; played until April 2010, returned in 2011[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/) |
| Current role | Brook Lynn Quartermaine on *General Hospital* since 2019[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/) |
| Recognition | First Daytime Emmy nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress, for the 2025 Gio storyline, received in 2026[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-amanda-setton-reacts-to-first-daytime-emmy-nomination-im-floating-excl/) |
## Early life and training
Setton was born in 1985 and raised in [Great Neck, New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/great-neck-new-york), a suburb of New York City, where she developed an interest in acting as a teenager and served as president of her high school's theater club[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/). She graduated from [Ithaca College](https://www.edgepedia.org/ithaca-college) with a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) in theater and completed the comprehensive Meisner Technique program at The Actors Workshop of Ithaca[2](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/). After graduating in 2007 she moved to New York City to pursue acting, and within about a year she had signed with an agent, landed minor speaking roles in the 2008 studio films *What Happens in Vegas* and *Sex and the City*, and joined the cast of *Gossip Girl*[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/).
## Television career
**Gossip Girl and One Life to Live.** Setton played the recurring role of Penelope Shafai, one of [Blair Waldorf](https://www.edgepedia.org/blair-waldorf)'s socialite circle, on *Gossip Girl* from 2008 to 2012[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/). Her daytime debut came in August 2009, when she joined ABC's *One Life to Live* as Kimberly Andrews, a troublemaker and former Las Vegas exotic dancer tied to the Stacy Morasco storyline[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/) • [6](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2009/07/llanview-gossip-amanda-setton-makes-oltl-debut). She played the role until April 2010, returned for a stint in 2011, and appeared in more than 100 episodes of the serial[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/).
**Primetime comedy.** After *Gossip Girl* ended in 2012, Setton was cast as Shauna Dicanio, a New Jersey-born receptionist, on the first season of Fox's *The Mindy Project*; the character was written out after the first 12 episodes[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/). In the fall of 2013 she joined the CBS workplace comedy *The Crazy Ones*, created by [David E. Kelley](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-e-kelley), playing Lauren Slotsky, the assistant to [Robin Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-williams)' advertising executive, alongside [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-michelle-gellar) and James Wolk; the show was picked up for a full season in October 2013[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/). Her other television credits include guest roles on CBS's *Blue Bloods* and *Golden Boy*, a recurring role as Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Mindy Shaw in the fifth season of CBS's *Hawaii Five-0*, and NBC's *Mercy*[2](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/).
## General Hospital
In 2019, *General Hospital* tapped Setton to bring the legacy character Brook Lynn Ashton Quartermaine back to the canvas, and she has been part of the Port Charles drama since[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/). In 2022 she took a temporary leave from the show for a happy personal cause, with actress Briana Lane stepping in as Brook Lynn during her absence[7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/exclusive-amanda-setton-on-her-gh-leave/). Setton has described Brook Lynn as "a firecracker" and has said she tries to bring the character's comedic side into even serious storylines[8](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2022/03/interview-amanda-setton-brook-lynn-quartermaine-general-hospital-return).
Her most prominent arc came in 2025, when Brook Lynn discovered that her mother, Lois ([Rena Sofer](https://www.edgepedia.org/rena-sofer)), had lied to her about the identity and fate of Giovanni "Gio" Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza), her biological son with Dante, whom she had given up for adoption without Dante's knowledge[9](https://abc.com/cast/17be9ec2-d97f-43d3-b020-7d9f9549a632). The storyline culminated at the Nurses' Ball, where Brook Lynn admitted to Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) that she had secretly given birth to his son[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-amanda-setton-reacts-to-first-daytime-emmy-nomination-im-floating-excl/). In 2026 Setton received her first Daytime Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Supporting Actress, for that arc; Mazza was nominated in the Outstanding Emerging Talent category for the same story[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-amanda-setton-reacts-to-first-daytime-emmy-nomination-im-floating-excl/).
## Film and stage
Setton's feature film credits include *What Happens in Vegas*, *Sex and the City*, *Black Dog, Red Dog*, and *That Thing with the Cat*[2](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/). She made her New York theater debut in 2011 in the ensemble cast of the [Off-Broadway](https://www.edgepedia.org/off-broadway) play *Love, Loss, and What I Wore*[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/).
## Personal life
Setton lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three children[2](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/) • [4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/).
## References
1. [Amanda Setton – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850994/bio)
2. [Amanda Setton bio, Disney General Entertainment Press (ABC)](https://www.dgepress.com/abc/bios/amanda-setton/)
3. [Amanda Setton – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/amanda-setton/)
4. [Amanda Setton News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/amanda-setton/)
5. [General Hospital's Amanda Setton Reacts to First Daytime Emmy Nomination, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-amanda-setton-reacts-to-first-daytime-emmy-nomination-im-floating-excl/)
6. [Llanview 'Gossip': Amanda Setton Makes 'OLTL' Debut, Soap Opera Network](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2009/07/llanview-gossip-amanda-setton-makes-oltl-debut)
7. [Exclusive: Amanda Setton On Her GH Leave, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/exclusive-amanda-setton-on-her-gh-leave/)
8. [Amanda Setton Talks Brook Lynn's Return to 'General Hospital', Soap Opera Network](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2022/03/interview-amanda-setton-brook-lynn-quartermaine-general-hospital-return)
9. [Giovanni Palmieri, General Hospital](https://abc.com/cast/17be9ec2-d97f-43d3-b020-7d9f9549a632)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › US and Americas daytime serials and characters › Daytime serial production and people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license