Vicki Walker

Raised in Sydney as part of a Māori-Irish family, Vicki Walker was part of a groundswell of comedy talent that made its mark in Auckland in the late 1980s. Alongside Ali Duffey, she also instigated Girls Gotta Eat, a cadre of female comedians whose shows regularly attracted 500+ audiences. Although hopes of a TV version never eventuated, Walker made her mark on-screen via sketch show Away Laughing (1991-92). Walker played the husband-hunting Felicity — thought to be New Zealand's first TV comedy character written and played by a woman. Walker has also co-hosted That's Fairly Interesting, and taught drama. 

The great thing about playing comedy roles is you can be anyone. And if you're writing, you can create the character that you're going to sit behind. I think that's a really important thing for women now ... to write and to be brave. That fear never goes away, and it's a lot easier to not invent something, not turn up somewhere, do nothing. But nothing comes from nothing. There's always a great reward when you do create something, and go ahead and do that character. Vicki Walker, in her extended interview for 2019 TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy