Maria Friedman is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
18 Facts About Maria Friedman
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Maria Friedman is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three.
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Maria Friedman has twice won Best Actress in a Musical for the original London productions of Passion and Ragtime.
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Maria Friedman played Elaine Peacock on EastEnders from 2014 to 2017.
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Maria Friedman's father is from a Russian-Jewish immigrant family, whereas her mother is English.
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Maria Friedman began her education in Germany, and by the age of five moved with her family to England after the divorce of her parents.
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Maria Friedman won an Olivier Award for her one-woman cabaret, Maria Friedman By Special Arrangement and another Olivier Award in 1997, starring in Sondheim's Passion.
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Maria Friedman appeared in Passion in the West End at the Queen's Theatre in 1996 as Fosca.
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Maria Friedman starred in Chicago in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre as Roxie starting in 1998.
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Maria Friedman played the role of Mother in the West End production of Ragtime at the Piccadilly Theatre starting in March 2003, winning the 2004 Olivier Award, Best Actress in a Musical.
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Maria Friedman said she would begin radiation treatment for the cancer in December 2005.
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Maria Friedman has won three Laurence Olivier Awards and been nominated for seven.
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In 2010, Maria Friedman appeared as a soloist in the BBC Proms tribute to Stephen Sondheim at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
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Maria Friedman sang the role of Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd opposite Bryn Terfel.
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In October 2014, Maria Friedman joined the cast of EastEnders as Elaine Peacock, the mother of established character Linda Carter.
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Maria Friedman has since appeared in December 2014 and February to March 2015 to date, before returning for a three-month stint in September 2015.
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Maria Friedman directed a revival of Stepping Out in the West End Vaudeville Theatre in 2017.
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Maria Friedman was married to dancer Roland Brine; her boyfriend is Adrian Der Gregorian.