Biography
Who is Mary McDonnell?
Stage Career Beginnings
Mary spent more than two decades working in theater and television before her major film breakthrough. She appeared in two different off-Broadway productions of "Buried Child" in both 1978 and 1979, playing the character Shelly. Her performance in the play "Still Life" earned her an Obie Award for Best Actress in 1981.
On Broadway, Mary performed in several well-known productions. These included "Execution of Justice," "The Heidi Chronicles," and "Summer and Smoke." Her early stage work built a strong foundation for her acting career.
Film Breakthrough and Recognition
Mary achieved a significant film breakthrough in 1990 with Kevin Costner's movie "Dances With Wolves." In the film, she portrayed Stands With A Fist, a character raised by Sioux Indians after being the daughter of American settlers. For this role, Mary received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Her role as May-Alice Culhane in the 1992 film "Passion Fish" brought Mary another Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Other well-known films in her career include "Grand Canyon" from 1991, "Sneakers" in 1992, "Independence Day" in 1996, and "Donnie Darko" in 2001. She also starred alongside Patrick Swayze in the 1988 movie "Tiger Warsaw" and played a judge in the 1997 film "12 Angry Men."
Prominent Television Roles
Mary's television career began with a regular part in the soap opera "As the World Turns" in 1980. She starred in the short-lived CBS medical comedy "E/R" in 1984 and later guest-starred in 2001 on the NBC series "ER." She received an Emmy Award nomination for her role as Eleanor Carter on the show. Mary also played Dr. Virginia Dixon, a surgeon with Asperger syndrome, for three episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" between 2008 and 2009.
In 2003, Mary starred as Laura Roslin in the miniseries "Battlestar Galactica." She reprised this role in the weekly series that followed, which concluded in March 2009. Her performance in the show earned worldwide recognition, leading to an invitation to the United Nations for a retrospective and discussion. Mary also participated in a special session about "Battlestar Galactica" at the 2009 World Science Festival.
Personal Life and Family
Mary McDonnell married actor Randle Mell in 1984. The couple had two children, a son named Michael and a daughter named Olivia. Mary and Randle separated in December 2021.
Birthday and age
Mary McDonnell was born on April 28, 1952, which makes Mary 74 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Mary shares the date with 64 other famous people.
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