About
Amberleigh Deann West, born on September 4, 1991, in the quiet farming hub of Mount Vernon, Washington, is an American model and emerging actress who first caught the national spotlight as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month for January 2016. Her pictorial—shot by photographer Sasha Eisenman—arrived during a pivotal moment for the magazine: she and fellow model Kristy Garett were the last two centerfolds to pose nude before Playboy’s brief “non-nude” era the following month.
Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall with a down-to-earth Pacific Northwest vibe, West leveraged that initial burst of attention into steady creative work. Onscreen she shared credits with the late Burt Reynolds in The Last Movie Star (2017) and appeared in the indie slasher Kill Her Goats (2023), gradually building an acting résumé alongside her modeling portfolio.
Before Fame
West grew up in Skagit County, an area known more for tulip fields than runways. She describes childhood as “muddy boots, bonfires, and blackberry stains,” a snapshot of rural life that left her with a lifelong love of hiking, animals, and anything outdoors. After high school she pursued legal-administration classes and landed a paralegal job in her early twenties. The office routine paid the bills but never quite satisfied her creative itch. During a long lunch break she submitted photos to Playboy’s talent scouts—encouraged by friends who thought she had the right mix of confidence and girl-next-door charm—and soon received a phone call that changed everything.
Trivia
- Ayn Rand devotee: West has said she picks up Atlas Shrugged whenever she needs a dose of “stubborn optimism.”
- One of the “final two”: Because her centerfold ran just before Playboy paused full nudity, many fans tag her on social media as part of a small “last classic” club.
- Northwest hobbies: Off-camera she snowboards at Washington’s Stevens Pass, forages chanterelles, and swears by drip coffee roasted within 50 miles of home. (She jokes that travel means packing a French press before shoes.)
- Zodiac and numbers: Born a Virgo, she once admitted in an interview that she arranges her books and pantry by exact height because “the sign might be to blame.”
- Digital footprint: Her Instagram feed, followed by hundreds of thousands, mixes glossy shoots with snapshots of barn cats, garden harvests, and pep-talk captions for young creatives.
Family Life
West keeps relatives mostly out of the spotlight but occasionally references “Mom’s homemade peach pie” or “Dad’s fishing advice” in captions, suggesting tight ties to her Mount Vernon roots. Close friends say her parents encouraged curiosity—“try everything once, then decide”—a mantra she still quotes. In early 2024 she began posting soft-lit photos cradling a newborn son, hinting at a new chapter that balances studio days with late-night feedings. “My tiny muse reminds me why I chase dreams,” she wrote, capturing Sunday-morning calm in matching sweaters.
Associated With
- Kristy Garett: Georgian-born model who shared Playboy’s historic 2016 transition issue, often appearing with West in retrospective articles.
- Sasha Eisenman: The photographer who crafted her breakout pictorial, praised by West for “making vulnerability feel powerful.”
- Burt Reynolds: Legendary actor whose final starring film, The Last Movie Star, featured West in a supporting role—she recalls Reynolds offering improvisation tips between takes.
- Indie-horror crowd: Director Steve Wolsh and castmates from Kill Her Goats credit her with bringing playful energy to long night shoots.
