Winifred Burkle

Winifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional scientist and a supporting character on the WB Network television series Angel, which ran for five seasons from 1999 to 2004. Played by actress Amy Acker, she was introduced in the nineteenth episode of season two, "Belonging", and became a billed cast member beginning with season three. Fred appeared in seventy episodes of the series in total, the last eight of which she spent merged with the essence of an elder demonic entity known as Illyria. As Illyria, Fred also appeared in the Angel: After the Fall comic book series, which continued the adventures of the main characters following the show's cancellation.

Notes & Trivia

 * The character of was created by director Turi Meyer and screenwriter Shawn Ryan based upon concepts originally developed by showrunners Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt.


 * Fred Burkle appeared in sixty-two episodes of Angel as herself and eight episodes of the show as Illyria.


 * Fred Burkle was Angel 's counterpart to Willow Rosenberg from it's sister series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The two met one another in the season four episode, "Orpheus".


 * Was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, but left town in her late teens to attend college at UCLA.


 * Final fate: Possessed by Illyria, which ultimately killed Fred. Fred's soul was destroyed in the fires of Illyria's resurrection.


 * Final words: "Please, Wesley, why can't I stay?".


 * Actress Amy Acker also played a concerned mother named Andrea Barr in the "Dead in the Water" episode from season one of the CW Network series Supernatural. In 2007, she played a character named Tessa in the "Weight of What Was" episode of the CBS television series Ghost Whisperer. Amy Acker was also played a recurring character on the Fox Network sci-fi series Dollhouse named Doctor Claire Saunders, which was also created by Angel developer Joss Whedon.