Biography
Who is Margo Martindale?
Early life and education
Margo Martindale was born in Jacksonville, Texas, on July 18, 1951. She was the youngest of three children and the only daughter of William Everett and Margaret Pruitt Martindale. Her oldest brother is Billy Martindale, who became a professional golfer and golf course designer. During her school years, Margo participated in cheerleading, golf, and drama activities. She graduated from high school in 1969 after being crowned Football Sweetheart and Miss Jacksonville High School.
Following her graduation, Margo attended Lon Morris College before transferring to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. While studying in Michigan, she spent a summer taking courses at Harvard University. During this time, she performed onstage alongside future film and television stars Jonathan Frakes and Christopher Reeve. These early theatrical experiences helped shape her path toward a professional acting career.
Stage and early career
In the early 1980s, Margo spent four years working at the Actors Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. There, she formed a close friendship with fellow actress Kathy Bates. One of her earliest television appearances came in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove. She also established herself on the stage by starring in several off-Broadway productions. Most she originated the role of Truvy Jones in the original production of Steel Magnolias and toured with it nationally.
Margo made her Broadway debut in 2004 playing Big Mama in a revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Her powerful performance earned her a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she built a reputation as a reliable character actress in numerous feature films. She appeared in movies such as Lorenzo's Oil, The Firm, Dead Man Walking, Million Dollar Baby, and The Hours, often playing memorable supporting characters.
Television success and awards
Margo achieved widespread television recognition in 2011 when she joined the cast of the drama series Justified. She portrayed Mags Bennett, the matriarch of a criminal family controlling drug activity in a fictional Kentucky county. Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, alongside a Critics' Choice Television Award. She later expressed hope that the recognition would create more opportunities for older women in Hollywood.
She continued her television success with a recurring role as Claudia, a KGB handler in the FX spy drama series The Americans. She received four Emmy nominations for the role and won the award in both 2015 and 2016. Her extensive television credits also include recurring roles in The Good Wife, The Good Fight, The Millers, Sneaky Pete, and Mrs. America. In the latter, she portrayed US Congresswoman Bella Abzug and received another Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Personal life
Margo has maintained a steady personal life alongside her demanding acting career. She married musician Bill Boals in the year 1986. The couple has remained together while handling their respective artistic professions. Outside of scripted television and film, she has also expanded into other audio formats. In November 2019, she began hosting a podcast titled I Spy, which was produced by Foreign Policy.
Birthday and age
Margo Martindale was born on July 18, 1951, which makes Margo 75 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Margo shares the date with 29 other famous people.
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