| Andrea Fay Friedman | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1, 1970 |
| Other names | Andrea Friedman |
| Occupation | Actress, public speaker |
| Years active | 1992–present |
Andrea Fay Friedman (born June 1, 1970) is an American film and television actress with Down syndrome.
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Friedman attended West Los Angeles Baptist High School 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.[1] In 1993 she appeared in an episode of Baywatch, in which Mary Lou Retton organizes a Special Olympics-like event.[2] 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.[3] The film won the 1998 Humanitas Prize in the Children's Live Action category.[4]
She was the voice of Ellen, a character with Down syndrome, in the "Extra Large Medium" episode of Family Guy, her first role as a voice actor.[5] 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."[6] 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."[7][8] 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."[8]
Friedman also had a main role in an episode of Law and Order: SVU, "Competence", playing a pregnant young woman named Katie.[9]
A 48 minute documentary about her life, A Possible Dream: The Andrea Friedman Story with narration by Joanne Woodward premiered in 2009.[10][11] As of 2010, Friedman had been working at a law firm, as an accountant,[6] 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.[6] She has traveled to India and Japan, and speaks some Japanese. She also enjoys bowling and skiing.[8]