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| caption = McDonnell at the 2019 [[GalaxyCon|GalaxyCon Raleigh]]
| caption = McDonnell at the 2019 [[GalaxyCon|GalaxyCon Raleigh]]
| birth_name = Mary Eileen McDonnell
| birth_name = Mary Eileen McDonnell
| birth_date =
| birth_date = April 28, 1952 (age 69)
| birth_place = [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| education = [[State University of New York at Fredonia]]
| education = [[State University of New York at Fredonia]]

Revision as of 01:52, 25 February 2022

For the American soccer defender, see Mary Therese McDonnell.

Mary McDonnell
McDonnell at the 2019 GalaxyCon Raleigh
Born
Mary Eileen McDonnell

April 28, 1952 (age 69)
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationState University of New York at Fredonia
OccupationActress
Years active1977–present
Spouse
Randle Mell
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 2021)​
Children2

Mary Eileen McDonnell is an American actress. She is the recipient of such accolades as an Obie Award, a Saturn Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.

McDonnell is best known[by whom?] for her roles in the films Dances with Wolves (1990), Grand Canyon (1991), Passion Fish (1992), Independence Day (1996), Donnie Darko (2001), and Margin Call (2011), as well as the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), The Closer (2009–2012), and Major Crimes (2012–2018).

Early life

McDonnell was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and raised in Ithaca, New York. She is the daughter of Eileen (née Mundy) and John "Jack" McDonnell, a computer consultant.[1] Her siblings are Jane, Sally, Judith, Jackie, and John.[2] She is of Irish descent.[3] After graduating from the State University of New York at Fredonia, she attended drama school and joined the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut, where she worked for three months.[citation needed]

Career

McDonnell won an Obie Award for Best Actress in 1981 for her work in the play Still Life.[4] On Broadway, she has performed in productions of Execution of Justice, The Heidi Chronicles, and Summer and Smoke.

After more than 21 years of theater and television work, McDonnell made her film breakthrough in 1990 as Stands with a Fist, the daughter of American settlers raised by Sioux Indians in Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves. Portraying the adopted daughter of Graham Greene's character Kicking Bird, McDonnell, then 37, was only 10 months younger than Greene and less than two years younger than Tantoo Cardinal, who played Black Shawl, her adoptive mother. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role.[5]

McDonnell's role in Passion Fish (1992) brought her another Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[6] Her other notable films include Grand Canyon (1991), Sneakers (1992), Independence Day (1996), and Donnie Darko (2001). McDonnell also starred with Patrick Swayze in the 1988 movie, Tiger Warsaw. In 1997, she played the judge in the film 12 Angry Men.

On television, McDonnell had her first regular part in 1980 on the soap opera As the World Turns. She starred in 1984 on the short-lived medical comedy E/R. Coincidentally, she guest-starred in 2001 on the NBC medical series of the same name ER. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role on the show as Eleanor Carter. She played Dr. Virginia Dixon, a surgeon with Asperger syndrome for three episodes of Grey's Anatomy in 2008 and 2009.[7]

McDonnell at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con International

In 2003, McDonnell starred in the miniseries Battlestar Galactica as Laura Roslin. The miniseries led to the weekly series, with McDonnell's reprising her Laura Roslin role. The series ended in March 2009. McDonnell received worldwide recognition for her performance in the show, part of which was shown when she was invited to the United Nations for a retrospective and discussion with Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama).

McDonnell took part in a special session entitled Battlestar Galactica at the 2009 World Science Festival.[8] The session also included Michael Hogan, as well as scientists Nick Bostrom and Kevin Warwick.

In 2011, she appeared in the role of Kate Roberts, the mother of Emma Roberts's character in Scream 4.[9]

From 2009 to 2012, McDonnell had a recurring role in The Closer as Capt. Sharon Raydor, a police captain in the Force Investigation Division, who often butts heads with Kyra Sedgwick's Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning character.[10] McDonnell received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011 for the role.[11]

After The Closer wrapped up its final season 2012, McDonnell's character continued as the lead in the spin-off, Major Crimes, which debuted August 13, 2012 and finally finished in January 2018.[12]

Personal life

McDonnell was married to actor Randle Mell. They have two children, Michael and Olivia.[13]

In December 2021, the couple ended their relationship for unknown reasons.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Garbo Talks Lady Capulet
1987 Matewan Elma Radnor
1988 Tiger Warsaw Paula Warsaw
1990 Dances with Wolves Stands with a Fist
1991 Grand Canyon Claire
1992 Passion Fish May-Alice Culhane
1992 Sneakers Liz
1994 Blue Chips Jenny Bell
1996 Independence Day First Lady Marilyn Whitmore
1996 Mariette in Ecstasy Prioress
1997 Woman Undone Terri Hansen
1998 You Can Thank Me Later Diane
1999 Mumford Althea Brockett
2001 Donnie Darko Rose Darko
2003 Nola Margaret Langworthy
2004 Crazy Like a Fox Amy Banks
2011 Scream 4 Kate Roberts
2011 Margin Call Mary Rogers
2021 The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf Lady Zerbst Voice role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1980 As the World Turns Claudia Colfax Unknown episodes
1982 Money on the Side Terri Television film
1984–1985 E/R Dr. Eve Sheridan 20 episodes
1995–1996 High Society Dorothy "Dott" Emerson 13 episodes
1997 12 Angry Men Judge Cynthia Nance Television film
1998 Evidence of Blood Dora Overton Television film
1999 Replacing Dad Linda Marsh Television film
1999 Ryan Caulfield: Year One Rachel Caulfield 2 episodes
2000 A Father's Choice Susan Shaw Television film
2000 For All Time Laura Brown Television film
2001–2002 ER Eleanor Carter 5 episodes
2002 Touched by an Angel Sister Theodore Episode: "Minute by Minute"
2002 The Locket Helen Staples Television film
2003 Battlestar Galactica President Laura Roslin Television miniseries
2004–2009 Battlestar Galactica President Laura Roslin 71 episodes
2005 Mrs. Harris Vivian Schulte Television film
2008–2009 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Virginia Dixon 3 episodes
2009 Killer Hair Rose Television film
2009 Hostile Makeover Rose Smithsonian Television film
2009–2012 The Closer Captain Sharon Raydor 23 episodes
Recurring Role Season 5–6
Main Cast Season 7
2012–2018 Major Crimes Captain (later Commander) Sharon Raydor 105 episodes
Lead Role
2017 Fargo Ruby Goldfarb 4 episodes
2019 Veronica Mars Jane Episode: "Years, Continents, Bloodshed"
2021 Rebel Helen Peterson 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1991 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Dances with Wolves Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
1993 Academy Awards Best Actress Passion Fish Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Nominated
2002 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series ER Nominated
2009 Saturn Awards Best Actress on Television Battlestar Galactica Won
2011 Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Margin Call Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Closer Nominated

References

  1. ^ Butkiewicz, Joe (February 18, 1993). "Mary McDonnell Nominated for Best Actress". Times Leader. Wilkes-Barre. pp. 1 & 2B. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  2. ^ https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J2MP-N3V accessed 8/16/2014
  3. ^ "Mary McDonnell". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  4. ^ "81".
  5. ^ "The 63rd Academy Awards | 1991".
  6. ^ "The 65th Academy Awards | 1993".
  7. ^ "Zap2it Interview". MSNBC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 13, 2008.
  8. ^ Battlestar Galactica World Science Festival, June 10–14, 2009, New York City
  9. ^ Creepy, Uncle (July 2, 2010). "And the Body Count Continues – More Scream 4 Casting: Mary McDonnell and Alison Brie". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  10. ^ Ausiello, Michael (March 22, 2009). "'The Closer' exclusive: It's McDonnell vs. Sedgwick!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
  11. ^ "Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2011 – Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series". Emmys.com. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  12. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (May 18, 2011). "TNT orders 'Closer' spinoff 'Major Crimes' starring Mary McDonnell". HitFix. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  13. ^ "Mary Mcdonnell Biography". TV Guide.
  14. ^ "'Battlestar Gallactica' Star Mary McDonnell & Husband Randle Mell Split". Extra. December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
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