Maria Friedman (née Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-woman show, By Special Arrangement. She has also twice won Best Actress in a Musical for the original London productions of Passion and Ragtime.
She played Elaine Peacock on EastEnders from 2014 to 2017. In 2023 the role was recast with Harriet Thorpe taking over the role of Elaine.
Friedman was the narrator in the 1999 straight to video version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
2024
2022
as Self
2021
as Self
2020
as Self - Performer
2015
as Mother Abbess
2015
as Rebecca
2012
2010
as Herself - Performer
2002
as Mother
1999
as The Narrator
1998
1993
as Candy Dagenham
1993
as Young Muriel
1990
1990
1988
as Waitress
1986
as Trish Barnes
1986
as Trish Baynes
1985
as Lily-May