Andrea Fay Friedman, ‘Life Goes On’ Actor, Dead at 53
Andrea Fay Friedman
Andrea Fay Friedman, who played Amanda Swanson in the 1990s TV series Life Goes On on ABC, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 3, at the age of 53. The actress died in Santa Monica, California from complications caused by Alzheimer's disease, as reported by Variety.
Friedman contributed to the expanded and much-needed representation of people with Down syndrome on screen. She gained prominence with her role as the character Amanda Swanson in Life Goes On, who begins as the girlfriend of the main character Corky Thatcher, played by Chris Burke, later becoming his wife.
After that, she had various roles in well-known TV shows like Baywatch, Touched by an Angel, 7th Heaven, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, ER and more. After a long break from acting after 2010, Friedman appeared in her most recent role as Carol Harris in the 2019 film Carol of the Bells.
Variety guest columnist Lauren Appelbaum commended Carol of the Bells for its representation both in front and behind the camera, writing that it "was the world’s first feature film with up to 70 percent of the crew having a developmental disability."
Friedman's last role in 2010, voicing the character Ellen, who has Down syndrome, in Family Guy, resulted in a controversy after the show referenced Sarah Palin, whose son Trig has Down Syndrome. In the episode, Ellen is asked what her parents do, leading her to say, "My dad’s an accountant and my mom is the former governor of Alaska."
In response, Palin said on Fox News, "The world is full of cruel, cold-hearted people who would do such a thing...When is enough enough? And when are we going to be willing to say, you know, some things just aren't really funny."
Friedman shared her response to Palin's comments in an email to The New York Times shortly after, writing, "I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor." She added in a phone interview, "It’s not really an insult. I was doing my role, I’m an actor. I’m entitled to say something."
When asked how she feels about being cast as characters with Down syndrome, Friedman replied, "I’m proud of it. I’m not embarrassed. But mostly, it doesn’t matter if you have Down syndrome. Really, it just matters to have a different challenge."
Friedman is survived by her father, Hal Friedman, and sister, Katherine Holland.
