Mary McDonnell
Mary McDonnell is a two-time
Oscar(r)-nominated actress recognized for her portrayals of characters in both
period and present-day screen roles, as well as the long list of acting in
stage and film. Mary Eileen McDonnell was the daughter of John McDonnell (a
computer consultant) and Eileen (Mundy) who was an Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
native. Raised in Ithaca, New York, she graduated from the State University of
New York (SUNY) at Fredonia. After that, she went to drama school and was
accepted into the well-known Long Wharf Theatre Company on the East Coast. She
was only 22 when she got her first movie part in Dances with Wolves (1990),
where she played "Stands with a Fist" Sioux Indian woman who was
white. The first time she received an Academy Award nomination was for the
role. McDonnell has appeared in the Lawrence Kasdan films Grand Canyon (1991),
and Mumford (1999) alongside such experienced actors as Robert Redford as well
as Sidney Poitier. She also starred in Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day (1996),
starring Will Smith. Margin Call (2011) that was directed by Kevin Spacey,
earned McDonnell the Robert Altman award at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards.
McDonnell was a star in the Syfy Network's award winning series Battlestar
Galactica (2004), where she was recognized for her portrayal of President Laura
Roslin. McDonnell was awarded an Emmy nomination for her frequent guest role on
the television show ER (1994). TNT's hit drama show Major Crimes (2012) stars
her as Captain Sharon Raydor. It is McDonnell's second season and she was
nominated for a Primetime Emmy(r). Her portrayal as a paraplegic character in
soap opera in John Sayles' critically acclaimed film Passion Fish (1992) earned
her a Best Actress Academy Award (r) nomination and a Golden Globe nod.
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