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2019 – Madelyn Friedman

Madelyn Friedman appeared on the very last episode of All My Children as baby Erica Kane. She went on to appear on The Secret Life Of Kids, Barbie commercial and more.

1. What was the experience like performing in a live production of Annie?
I had the best summer playing Lily St. Regis in “Annie” because I got to play a bad girl! Being part of the team that plots to kidnap Annie was so opposite from my actual personality. And wearing a blonde wig and singing “Easy Street” were the icing on the cake! There’s nothing like performing live on stage. It’s so much fun to have energy from the audience: applause, laughter, and cheers. Playing the comedic role like Lily and hearing the audience laugh felt so good!

2. Did you get nervous at all being in front of a live audience or singing?
I don’t get nervous but I get the nerves! You know the difference? Nervous is feeling scared and even dreading it a little bit. But I get the nerves – which is excitement and joy, almost like I can’t wait to just get it out of my system, and once I get going, it’s so much fun!

3. How do you prepare for auditions?
I do a lot of different reads to try different characters for the role. I also read the script for other clues that are not in my character’s dialogue. Sometimes, you can learn a lot about your character and what the writer wants by reading the other characters’ lines. It’s kind of like going on a treasure hunt for information! Depending on the role and project, I’ll watch movies or TV shows in that style to get the tone of the script as well. And then it’s memorize, memorize, memorize! I’ve gotten better and faster at memorizing over the years.

4. What is it like to know you were a part of history being in the final network episode of All My Children after 41 years?
I don’t remember the actual day because I was 20 days old when I played the role of Baby Erica Kane, but I do love seeing the clip. The first 12 seconds of the series finale is my big baby face and the nurse asks the mother if she’s named her newborn. When she says “her name is Erica,” I always clap! It’s pretty neat to know I got to be part of a huge show like “All My Children” and that the series finale begins with its star in baby form! We always joke that I delivered my lines perfectly! HA!

5. How did you like working on The Secret Life Of Kids?
The Secret Life Of Kids was the most fun ever. It’s hard to even call it work! For 4 weeks, I got to play and learn with a group of really awesome kids. We had such a fun crew. It was never weird having cameras everywhere because we got used to them being around pretty quickly. We just did what we do best – have fun! The Secret Life Of Kids was my first big job since my “All My Children” role. I had taken a break from the business but this opportunity presented itself and it opened up so many new doors. That alone makes it a special show and I’m super grateful for the opportunity.

6. What was the hardest part of filming the series?
There were 14 kids who were on the show, but we weren’t all scheduled to film at the exact same time. So, sometimes I didn’t get to see some of my friends and I would miss them. But things got switched around and alternated all the time so it all worked out, but there were days I didn’t get to see some people.

7. Do you still keep in touch with the kids?
Our families all still keep in touch! We are all spread out so it’s hard to actually see each other, but we keep in touch through social media and texts. We especially love to cheer each other on in all of our different projects. Some have gone onto commercials, episodics, game shows, theater, and web series. It’s so cool!

8. What was the best part of filming a commercial for Barbie?
Playing with Barbies! DUH! Filming at Mattel is like stepping into a Barbie Dream House! Barbies are everywhere! The crew was great to work with and I had the time of my life, especially with my pretend mom who I still keep in touch with. Being part of a campaign for Barbie felt like a dream come true because the brand is iconic!

9. Who have been some of your favorite people to work with?
I love working with my acting teacher, Rose Marziale. She has an amazing energy and is so supportive. I feel like she’s really my cheerleader! I also love all the kids I’ve met on set. Making friends at auditions and at jobs is a really special experience that’s different than making friends at school or extra curricular activities. Industry kids make friends quickly since you never know how much time you’ll be able to spend together before being whisked away to set or in the casting room.

10. What has been your favorite project to work on so far?
This is the hardest question! Each project has been unique and special. A Panasonic spot I did including working with the cutest dog, so that definitely scores some points! Barbie was just an all around amazing day because it felt like actual Christmas! Dole had the most laid back, fun crew ever and I got to eat a million fruit cups. I got to be back-up on an Oscar Mayer hot dog commercial with my friend, and even though I didn’t make it into the commercial, the director let me sit in his chair and give notes to actors (and he agreed with me!) and we discussed my future! And of course The Secret Life Of Kids was an experience like no other that I can only compare to summer camp with its day-to-day fun that became routine and the tears at the end when it was all over. So, as you can see, it’s hard to pick a favorite professional project, but each one, along with my musical theater performances, holds a special place in my heart!

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I’m so grateful for each and every opportunity. And when I’m not acting, I love to dance, play with my rescue dog, Princeton, see Broadway shows, and write stories. Even though my parents run my Instagram, I do read all my friends’ messages and comments and love interacting with followers and it’s even more fun to meet in person, out and about!

Follow Madelyn on social media:

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Image by: Deidhra Fahey