Andrea Fay Friedman
Encyclopedia
Andrea Fay Friedman is an American film
and television
actress with Down syndrome
.
and Santa Monica College
. In 1992, she portrayed Amanda, the girlfriend of the character Charles "Corky" Thatcher
, on the TV show Life Goes On
for two seasons. In 1993 she appeared in an episode of Baywatch
, in which Mary Lou Retton
organizes a Special Olympics
-like event. She starred in the 1997 film Smudge as Cindy, a girl in a group home for people with disabilities who attempts to hide her puppy, Smudge. The film won the 1998 Humanitas Prize
in the Children's Live Action category.
" episode of Family Guy
, her first role as a voice actor. In the episode, Friedman's character stated "My father is an accountant, and my mother is governor of Alaska", referencing Sarah Palin
, whose son has Down syndrome. However, per Friedman, "Sarah Palin said that was insensitive and cruel" and Friedman felt "it was only a joke." In an email concerning Sarah Palin's criticism of the episode, she said, "I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor." She concluded, "In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life."
Friedman also had a main role in an episode of Law and Order: SVU, "Competence", playing a pregnant young woman named Katie.
premiered in 2009. As of 2010, Friedman had been working at a law firm, as an accountant, for 20 years. She also occasionally works as an assistant teacher for the Pathway program in UCLA, where she helps teach students how to live independently. She has traveled to India and Japan, and speaks some Japanese. She also enjoys bowling and skiing.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress with Down syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
.
Early life
Friedman attended West Los Angeles Baptist High SchoolWest Los Angeles Baptist High School
West Los Angeles Baptist School was a junior and senior high school institution in Los Angeles, California, which served grades seven through twelve. The school was founded in 1981 by the First Baptist Church of West Los Angeles and located on its campus in the West Los Angeles neighborhood. The...
and Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study...
. In 1992, she portrayed Amanda, the girlfriend of the character Charles "Corky" Thatcher
Chris Burke (actor)
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Burke is an American actor, living with Down syndrome, who has become best known for his character Charles "Corky" Thacher on the television series Life Goes On.- Early Years :...
, on the TV show Life Goes On
Life Goes On (TV series)
Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thacher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky...
for two seasons. In 1993 she appeared in an episode of Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
, in which Mary Lou Retton
Mary Lou Retton
Mary Lou Retton is an American gymnast and Olympic gold medalist. She was the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, after 14 Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.-Personal life:Retton was born in Fairmont, West...
organizes a Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
-like event. She starred in the 1997 film Smudge as Cindy, a girl in a group home for people with disabilities who attempts to hide her puppy, Smudge. The film won the 1998 Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing intended to promote human dignity, meaning, and freedom. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser — also the founder of Paulist Productions — but is generally not seen as specifically directed toward religious...
in the Children's Live Action category.
Career
She was the voice of Ellen, a character with Down syndrome, in the "Extra Large MediumExtra Large Medium
"Extra Large Medium" is the twelfth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. Directed by John Holmquist and written by Steve Callaghan, the episode originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 14, 2010...
" episode of Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, her first role as a voice actor. In the episode, Friedman's character stated "My father is an accountant, and my mother is governor of Alaska", referencing Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, whose son has Down syndrome. However, per Friedman, "Sarah Palin said that was insensitive and cruel" and Friedman felt "it was only a joke." In an email concerning Sarah Palin's criticism of the episode, she said, "I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor." She concluded, "In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life."
Friedman also had a main role in an episode of Law and Order: SVU, "Competence", playing a pregnant young woman named Katie.
Personal life
A 48 minute documentary about her life, A Possible Dream: The Andrea Friedman Story with narration by Joanne WoodwardJoanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American actress, television and theatrical producer, and widow of Paul Newman...
premiered in 2009. As of 2010, Friedman had been working at a law firm, as an accountant, for 20 years. She also occasionally works as an assistant teacher for the Pathway program in UCLA, where she helps teach students how to live independently. She has traveled to India and Japan, and speaks some Japanese. She also enjoys bowling and skiing.