Aimee Mullins

Biography

Aimee Mullins (born 20 July 1976, Allentown, Pennsylvania) is an American athlete, actress, model, and public speaker. Born with fibular hemimelia, both her legs were amputated below the knee as an infant. She became the first amputee to compete against non-disabled athletes in NCAA Division I track events at Georgetown University, where she graduated in 1998 from the Walsh School of Foreign Service with a double major in History and Diplomacy. She represented the United States at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, setting world records in the 100 m and 200 m sprints and becoming the first double-amputee to compete in the long jump. In 1999 she made a landmark appearance opening Alexander McQueen's London show in hand-carved wooden prosthetic legs, launching a modeling career that included work as a global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris. She is a frequent TED speaker, former president of the Women's Sports Foundation, and a U.S. Chef de Mission. She is married to actor Rupert Friend. Her acting filmography spans film, television, and experimental performance. Notable credits include the Leopard Queen in Matthew Barney's Cremaster 3 (2002, her screen debut), Marvelous (2006), Quid Pro Quo (2008), Appropriate Behavior (2014), Young Ones (2014), Rob the Mob (2014), Unsane (2018, as Heidi Bianchi), What Breaks the Ice (2020, as Diane), Asteroid City (2023, as Other Actor / Student), and The Bride! (2026, as Brain Attack Girl #1). On television she is best known for Terry Ives (Eleven's mother) in Stranger Things (2016–2025), Anya in Devs (2020, 3 episodes), and Secretary of State Garrett in Extrapolations (2023). She also directed and appeared in the short film On Thin Ice (2021).