Mary Steenburgen

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Birthday:

8 February 1953, Newport, Arkansas, USA

Birth Name:

Mary Nell Steenburgen

Height:

173 cm

Mary Steenburgen is an Academy Award-winning American actress.She was born February 8, 1953, in Newport, Arkansas, USA. Her mother, Nellie May (Wall) Steenburgen, was a school-board secretary, and her father, Maurice H. Steenburgen, was a freight-train conductor. Her surname comes from distant Dutch ancestry, and her roots also include English, Scottish, and Welsh.Young Steenburgen was fond of arts and literature. Mary grew up tap-dancing her way through talent shows and school functions. She was active in her school drama class. After appearing in a number of high school plays, she enrolled at Hendrix College, a highly progressive Southern School located in Conway, Arkansas. Upon the recommendation of her drama professor, she left college in 1972 and moved to New York to study acting professionally. In the past several years, Mary Steenburgen has emerged as one of the most accomplished and sought-after screen actresses. Ever since Jack Nicholson 'discovered' her and cast her as a sassy adventuress in his rollicking western, Goin' South (1978), her career has skyrocketed and she has won acclaim for exceptional performances in each of her diverse film roles. In Nicholas Meyer's Time After Time (1979), Steenburgen was afforded critical praise for her portrayal of a somewhat dippy but liberated young bank clerk in San Francisco who crosses paths, via time machine, with English author H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell, who later became her husband. In 1980 she shot to fame with her role as Lynda Dummar in Melvin and Howard (1980) for which she won Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. More recently, Steenburgen again impressed audiences and critics alike with her stunning performance as the strong-willed turn-of-the-century Mother in Ragtime (1981).Steenburgen is a notable patron of arts. She is also an active supporter of humanitarian causes. She has two children from her previous marriage to actor Malcolm McDowell. Since 1995 she has been married to actor Ted Danson, and the couple is living in Los Angeles area. Show less «

And, oh my God, I loved doing What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). Who wouldn't love kissing Johnny Depp all day?

I know this is kind of corny, but we thought about renewing our vows again because I think my mom would really love it if we did that in Ark...Show more »

I know this is kind of corny, but we thought about renewing our vows again because I think my mom would really love it if we did that in Arkansas, where I came from. Show less «

It's usually, my people speak to your people and then they speak around each other and trade calls for weeks.

I think that we need to look hard at our beliefs and be responsible about how we speak out.

I helped found Artists for New South Africa, but it used to be called Artists for Free South Africa. Alfre Woodard and a bunch of us started...Show more »

I helped found Artists for New South Africa, but it used to be called Artists for Free South Africa. Alfre Woodard and a bunch of us started this. Show less «

Anything to do with the South resonates with me, because I'm Southern.

There's a certain arrogance to an actor who will look at a script and feel like, because the words are simple, maybe they can paraphrase it ...Show more »

There's a certain arrogance to an actor who will look at a script and feel like, because the words are simple, maybe they can paraphrase it and make it better. Show less «

It was a few days later I came out to Hollywood for a screen test, and so did a lot of other people. So I really didn't think I would get it...Show more »

It was a few days later I came out to Hollywood for a screen test, and so did a lot of other people. So I really didn't think I would get it. I was definitely the one that was least likely to get it, because everyone else was an already established star. Show less «

I'd already made the decision before I'd even read it-just because it was John Sayles. Then when I read it, the themes were actually themes ...Show more »

I'd already made the decision before I'd even read it-just because it was John Sayles. Then when I read it, the themes were actually themes that have been a big part of my life. Show less «

I was this person with this weird last name from New York that no one had ever heard of. But my screen test I guess, according to him, was t...Show more »

I was this person with this weird last name from New York that no one had ever heard of. But my screen test I guess, according to him, was the best. So I got the part, which was incredible. Show less «

I take the fact that films cost a lot of money very seriously, but once in a while to have somebody say, This is a big scene, take your time...Show more »

I take the fact that films cost a lot of money very seriously, but once in a while to have somebody say, This is a big scene, take your time with it, is important. That's John Sayles. Show less «

There's just such a premium on hurrying, and the camera is the be all and end all, and the actors had better hurry up and get it right and g...Show more »

There's just such a premium on hurrying, and the camera is the be all and end all, and the actors had better hurry up and get it right and get it done. Show less «