# Fredi Walker

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**Fredi Walker-Browne** ([née](/source/N%C3%A9e) **Walker**) is an American actress.

## Early years

Walker was born on October 2, 1962, in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] She was known as Frederica Walker when she attended Southwest High School. She decided to be an actress when she was 14 years old, and she performed regularly in the school's theatrical productions.[2] She is an alumna of [New York University](/source/New_York_University).[3] She moved to New York in 1981, working as a masseuse, set builder, usher, waitress, and wardrobe assistant while she sought opportunities to act professionally.[2]

## Career

Walker's early professional acting included work in "lesser-known plays in smaller theaters" and performing in touring troupes of *Cats*, *Les Miserables*, and *Once on This Island*.[2]

Her [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) debut was the role of Joanne Jefferson, the high-class lawyer and lover of Maureen Johnson ([Idina Menzel](/source/Idina_Menzel)), in the original Broadway cast of *[Rent](/source/Rent_(musical))*. At 33, Walker-Browne was the oldest of the eight principal cast members. The role garnered her an [Obie](/source/Obie_Award)[4] and a Fanny Award[who?]. She also toured nationally with *[The Lion King](/source/The_Lion_King_(musical))* as Rafiki.

In 2005, her role of Joanne in the [film version](/source/Rent_(film)) of *Rent* was played by [Tracie Thoms](/source/Tracie_Thoms). Walker stated that she was not offered the film role due to her age. At her request, however, the producers cast an actress of African descent.[5]

In 2012, she had a recurring guest spot on the Showtime series *[The Big C](/source/The_Big_C_(TV_series))*.

She is the founder and president of Big Spoon Productions, which produces and directs screenplays and teleplays. As of November 2015, Walker-Browne was a voice instructor at the Music and Art Academy in [Matawan, New Jersey](/source/Matawan,_New_Jersey).[6]

## Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1999 Law and Order Valerie Tashe Guest Star 2012 The Big C Shay Recurring character 2019 Rent: Live Herself [7]

## References

1. ["Fredi Walker-Browne"](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/fredi-walker-browne-501000). *Internet Broadway Database*. The Broadway League. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190713014505/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/fredi-walker-browne-501000) July 13, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 1, 2025.

1. Rinaldi, Ray Mark (May 19, 1996). ["Hot Show Spotlights A Real Bohemian: Fredi Walker hits it big in 'Rent'"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-fredi-walker/175658701/). *St. Louis Post-Dispatch*. p. 3 C. Retrieved July 1, 2025. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. [Fredi Walker-Browne - LinkedIn profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fwbrowne)

1. ["1996 SPECIAL CITATIONS | The Acting Ensemble - Rent"](https://www.obieawards.com/events/1990s/year-96/). *obieawards.com*. 1996. Retrieved 2023-08-06.

1. Billey, Catherine (2005-09-04). ["Nine Years in the Life"](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/movies/04bill.html?_r=0). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150529171420/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/movies/nine-years-in-the-life.html) 2015-05-29 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["Fredi Walker-Browne - Music and Art Academy - voice teacher NJ"](http://www.musicandartacademy.com/fwalkerbrowne.html). *musicandartacademy.com*. Retrieved 23 November 2015.

1. Turchiano, Danielle (January 27, 2019). ["'Rent' Star Injured in Live Performance, Original Broadway Cast to Appear"](https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/brennin-hunt-rent-live-fox-1203119563/). *Variety*. Retrieved January 27, 2019.

## External links

(note that IBDB and IMDb provide combined results)

- - as

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fredi Walker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredi_Walker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredi_Walker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.