Arnetia Walker (born 1956) is an American actress whose most famous roles are as Nurse Annie Roland in the NBC sitcom Nurses and Ms. Ross in the WB dramedy Popular.
Born in Columbus, Georgia, Walker was attending New York’s prestigious High School of the Performing Arts when she was cast in her Broadway debut, "The Sign in Sidney Brustien’s Window" by Lorraine Hansberry. She went on to stand by for Stephanie Mills as Dorothy in the original Broadway run of The Wiz. In 1987 she starred in the Broadway revival of Dreamgirls in the role of Lorrell Robinson, and eventually achieved the distinction of being the only woman to have played all three of that show’s principal characters.
In March 2008 Arnetia can be seen in the role of Grandma Clara in the feature film comedy College Road Trip, starring Martin Lawrence and Raven Simone.
Walker’s films include For Love of the Game, Love Crimes, Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She also appeared in the HBO movie Cast a Deadly Spell. She has worked extensively in television, including as a series regular in the ABC sitcom The Big House, Camp P, the NBC sitcom, Nurses, and as a guest star in Everybody Loves Raymond, City of Angels, Touched by an Angel, The Steve Harvey Show, Just Shoot Me, and NYPD Blue.
She is married to television news anchor/reporter Elliott Francis, and they have one child, Trevor.
Arnetia began her career shortly after entering high school. Only 16 years old she landed a part on Broadway in "The Sign In Sidney Brustein's Window", starring Hal Linden. A few years after graduation she assumed her best known stage role in Michael Bennett's hit musical, "Dreamgirls". Arnetia holds the distinction of being the only actress credited with portraying all three dreamgirls. This lead to television guest-starring parts and her feature film breakout role as To-bel, in Paul Bartel's offbeat comedy, "Scene's From The Class Struggle In Beverly Hills. In 1991, television viewers were introduced, to Arnetia when she created the role of head nurse Annie Roland, for the NBC comedy "Nurses". True to her musical roots, Arnetia continues to sing as well as write. She's just completed her first teleplay with her husband and continues to act in film and television.
