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{{short description|American actress}}
{{short description|American actress (born 1953)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| image = MarySteenburgenDec09.jpg
| image = MarySteenburgenDec09.jpg
| caption = Steenburgen at the 2009 ceremony to receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
| caption = Steenburgen at the 2009 ceremony to receive her star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| birth_name = Mary Nell Steenburgen
| birth_name = Mary Nell Steenburgen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|2|8}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|2|8}}
| birth_place = [[Newport, Arkansas]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Newport, Arkansas]], U.S.
| alma_mater = [[Hendrix College]]
| education = {{hlist|[[Hendrix College]]|[[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre]]}}
| known_for = {{hlist|''[[Melvin and Howard]]''|''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]''|''[[Back to the Future Part III]]''}}
| occupation = {{hlist|actress|singer}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|comedian|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active = 1978–present
| years_active = 1978–present
| awards = [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]]:<br />''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980)<br />[[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture]]:<br />''Melvin and Howard'' (1980)
| relatives = [[Lily Collins]] (daughter-in-law)
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Malcolm McDowell]]<br />|1980|1990|reason=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Ted Danson]]<br />|1995|}}}}
| awards = [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]]<br />[[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture]]
| children = 2, including [[Charlie McDowell]]
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Malcolm McDowell]]|1980|1990|reason=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Ted Danson]]|1995}}}}
| children = 2, including [[Charlie McDowell]]
}}
}}
'''Mary Nell Steenburgen'''<ref name="encyclopedia" /> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|iː|n|ˌ|b|ɜːr|dʒ|ə|n}}; born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre|Neighborhood Playhouse]] in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in the Western comedy film ''[[Goin' South]]'' (1978). Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in ''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]'' (1979) and [[Jonathan Demme]]'s comedy-drama film ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980), for which she received the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]] and the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]].


Steenburgen received a [[Golden Globe Award]] nomination for [[Miloš Forman]]'s drama film ''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]'' (1981). Her other films include ''[[A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy]]'' (1982), ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]'' (1983), ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), ''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]'' (1993), ''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]'' (1995), ''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]'' (2007), ''[[Last Vegas]]'' (2013), ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'' (2015), ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]'' (2018), ''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]'' (2021), and ''[[Book Club: The Next Chapter]]'' (2023). She also became known for playing mothers in a string of comedy films such as ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]'' (1989), ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003), ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), ''[[Four Christmases]]'' (2008), ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009), ''[[Did You Hear About the Morgans?]]'' (2009), ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011), and ''[[Happiest Season]]'' (2020).
'''Mary Nell Steenburgen'''<ref>{{cite news|title=Mary Steenburgen Sees Herself in Her Latest Role| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB3308F017FD757&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10 | date=October 3, 1998}}</ref> (born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]] and the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]] for playing the role of Lynda Dummar in [[Jonathan Demme|Jonathan Demme's]] 1980 film ''[[Melvin and Howard]]''.


Steenburgen, who studied at New York's [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre|Neighborhood Playhouse]] in the 1970s, also received a [[Golden Globe]] nomination for the 1981 film ''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]'', a [[British Academy Television Award|BAFTA TV Award]] nomination for the 1985 miniseries ''[[Tender Is the Night#Film, TV or theatrical adaptations|Tender Is the Night]]'' and an [[Emmy Award]] nomination for the 1988 TV film ''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]''. Her other film appearances include ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]'' (1983), ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]'' (1989), ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), ''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]'' (1993), ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape (film)|What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003), ''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]'' (2007), ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009), ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011) and ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]'' (2018).
She received nominations for a [[British Academy Television Award|BAFTA TV Award]] for the miniseries ''[[Tender Is the Night#Adaptations|Tender Is the Night]]'' (1985) and a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for the television film ''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]'' (1988). Steenburgen has worked as a singer-songwriter for numerous films, in some of which she starred. For her song "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)", written for the musical film ''[[Wild Rose (2018 film)|Wild Rose]]'' (2018), she received the [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Steenburgen was born in [[Newport, Arkansas]], to Nellie Mae (née Wall; 1923–2010),<ref>https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JBF4-S5Q August 16, 2014</ref> a school-board secretary, and Maurice Hoffman Steenburgen (1914–1989), a freight-train conductor who worked at the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/96/Mary-Steenburgen.html |title=Mary Steenburgen Biography (1953-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |date= |accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020151508/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |title=Stony Reception in Little Rock; Film by Mary Steenburgen Draws Cries of Foul in Arkansas - The Washington Post &#124; HighBeam Research - FREE trial |publisher=Highbeam.com |date=April 3, 1988 |accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref><ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=29 |title=Mary Nell Steenburgen (1953–) |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>Stated on ''[[Finding Your Roots]]'', October 17, 2017</ref> She has a sister, Nancy (Steenburgen) Kelly, a teacher.<ref>http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-steenburgen/bio/165140 August 16, 2014</ref> Her ancestry includes Dutch,<ref>[https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/dutch_americans/mary-steenburgen/ Mary Steenburgen [1953<nowiki>]</nowiki>]. New Netherland Institute. Retrieved October 13, 2017</ref> English, Scottish, and Welsh.
Steenburgen was born February 8, 1953, in [[Newport, Arkansas]], to Nellie Mae (née Wall),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JBF4-S5Q |title=Steenburgen |publisher=[[Familysearch.org]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 16, 2014}}</ref> a school-board secretary, and Maurice Hoffman Steenburgen, a freight-train conductor who worked for the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/96/Mary-Steenburgen.html |title=Mary Steenburgen Biography (1953-) |publisher=Film Reference |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |title=Stony Reception in Little Rock; Film by Mary Steenburgen Draws Cries of Foul in Arkansas |first=Barbara |last=McIntosh |date=April 3, 1988 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |via=Highbeam.com |access-date=September 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020151508/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1248998.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=29 |title=Mary Nell Steenburgen (1953–) |first=Jan |last=Emberton |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=September 7, 2010|archive-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191219140316/https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/mary-nell-steenburgen-29/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Stated on ''[[Finding Your Roots]]'', October 17, 2017</ref> She has a sister, Nancy Kelly (née Steenburgen), a teacher.<ref name="tvguide">{{cite magazine |url= http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-steenburgen/bio/165140 |title=Mary Steenburgen: Biography |magazine=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=August 16, 2014}}</ref> In 1971, she enrolled at [[Hendrix College]] to study drama.<ref name="encyclopedia"/> She subsequently traveled to [[Dallas]] at the suggestion of her drama teacher where she successfully auditioned for New York City's [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre]].<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

In 1971, she enrolled at [[Hendrix College]] to study drama.<ref name="encyclopedia"/> She subsequently traveled to [[Dallas]] at the suggestion of her drama teacher where she successfully auditioned for New York City's [[Neighborhood Playhouse]].<ref name="encyclopedia"/>


==Career==
==Career==
Steenburgen moved to [[Manhattan]] in 1972 after the Neighborhood Playhouse offered her an opportunity to study acting. She worked as a server at [[The Magic Pan]] and for [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] while studying under William Esper.<ref name="tvguide"/>

===Early career===
Steenburgen moved to [[Manhattan]] in 1972 after being selected by the Neighborhood Playhouse to study acting. She worked as a server at [[The Magic Pan]] and for [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] while studying under William Esper.<ref name="tvguide"/>


===Film career===
===Film career===
Steenburgen's break came when she was discovered by [[Jack Nicholson]] in the reception room of [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount's]] New York office, and was cast as the female lead in his second directorial work, the 1978 Western ''[[Goin' South]]''.<ref name="tvguide">[http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-steenburgen/bio/165140 ''Mary Steenburgen: Biography'']. TV Guide.com.</ref>
Steenburgen's break came when she was discovered by [[Jack Nicholson]] in the reception room of [[Paramount Pictures]]'s New York office and was cast as the female lead in his second directorial work, the Western comedy ''[[Goin' South]]'' (1978).<ref name="tvguide" /> Steenburgen had a leading role in the film ''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]'' (1979), for which she won the [[Saturn Award for Best Actress]]. She played a modern woman who falls in love with author [[H. G. Wells]], played by [[Malcolm McDowell]], whom she married the following year.


In her third film, she won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]] for the film ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980). She played Lynda Dummar, the wife of [[Melvin Dummar]], a trucker and aspiring singer who claimed to have befriended reclusive eccentric [[Howard Hughes]]. Another notable film appearance came in the well-received film ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]'' (1983), in which she portrayed [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]], author of ''[[The Yearling]]''. In 1985, she starred in the film ''[[One Magic Christmas]]'' as someone who falls on devastating times at Christmas, only to rely on a miracle to save her family. In 1989, she played Karen Buckman in ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''. In ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), Steenburgen played [[Clara Clayton]], a schoolteacher who falls in love with Doc Brown. She was persuaded to play the role by her children, as well as by fans of the ''Back to the Future'' films, and reprised the role by providing the character's voice in ''[[Back to the Future: The Animated Series]]''.
Steenburgen had a leading role in the 1979 film ''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]'' as a modern woman who falls in love with author [[H. G. Wells]], played by her future first husband, [[Malcolm McDowell]].


Other performances have been in ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), as a woman who is having an affair with the title character; ''[[My Summer Story]]'' (1994), as the mother of Ralphie Parker (the sequel to ''[[A Christmas Story]]''); the role of [[Hannah Milhous Nixon]] in the [[Oliver Stone]] biopic ''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]'' (1995); and the [[Will Ferrell]] comedy ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003), as a woman who discovers that her husband is the father of one of Santa's [[Christmas elf|elves]].
In her third film, she won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress]] for the 1980 film ''[[Melvin and Howard]],'' playing Lynda Dummar, the wife of [[Melvin Dummar]], then a trucker and aspiring singer, who claimed to have befriended reclusive eccentric [[Howard Hughes]]. Another notable film appearance came in the well-received 1983 film ''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]],'' in which she played [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]], author of ''[[The Yearling]]''. In 1985, she also starred in the movie ''[[One Magic Christmas]]'' as a mother and wife who falls on devastating times at Christmas only to rely on a Christmas miracle to save her family. In 1989, she played Karen Buckman in ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''. In ''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1990), Steenburgen played [[Clara Clayton]], a school teacher who falls in love with Doc Brown. She was persuaded to play the role by her children, as well as by fans of the ''Back to the Future'' films, and reprised the role by providing the character's voice in ''[[Back to the Future: The Animated Series]]''.


[[File:MarySteenburgen2000.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Steenburgen in Toronto Film Festival 2001]]
Other performances have been: in ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' (1993), as a woman who is having an affair with the title character; ''[[My Summer Story]]'' (1994), as the mother of Ralphie Parker (the sequel to ''[[A Christmas Story]]''); the role of [[Hannah Milhous Nixon|Hannah Nixon]] in the [[Oliver Stone]] biopic, ''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]'' (1995); and in the [[Will Ferrell]] 2003 comedy ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]],'' as a woman who discovers that her husband is the father of one of Santa's [[Christmas elf|elves]].
She has appeared in the comedy films ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), playing the mother of [[Will Ferrell]]'s character; ''[[Four Christmases]]'' (2008); and ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009). ''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]]'', which featured Steenburgen, premiered at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 12, 2010. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed film ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011) and had a featured role as a lounge singer, who is the romantic interest in a love triangle, in the comedy film ''[[Last Vegas]]'' (2013). She had a small role in the comedy-drama film ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'' as Jeannie. In 2018, Steenburgen starred with [[Diane Keaton]], [[Jane Fonda]] and [[Candice Bergen]] in the romantic comedy film ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''.

[[File:MarySteenburgen2000.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Steenburgen in December 2000]]
She has appeared in the comedy films ''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]'' (2008), playing the mother of [[Will Ferrell]]'s character; ''[[Four Christmases]]'' (2008); and ''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]'' (2009).

''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]],'' which featured Steenburgen, premiered at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 12, 2010. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed film ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011) and had a featured role as a lounge singer, who is the romantic interest in a love triangle, in the 2013 comedy ''[[Last Vegas]]''.

She had a small part in the 2015 film ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'' as Jeannie. In 2018, Steenburgen starred in the romantic comedy film ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''.


===Television career===
===Television career===
In television, Steenburgen appeared as Kate Montgomery in ''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]'' (1996) and co-starred as Mary Gulliver in ''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]'' (1996). She has a recurring role as herself in ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]].'' Steenburgen co-starred as Helen Girardi, the mother of [[Amber Tamblyn]]'s title character in ''[[Joan of Arcadia]].'' In 2011, she had a recurring role as Josephine in the HBO sitcom ''[[Bored to Death]]''. Steenburgen starred as Anastasia Lee in the 2011 [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] pilot, ''Outlaw Country,''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mary-Steenburgen-Outlaw-1019806.aspx|title=Mary Steenburgen Saddles Into Outlaw Country Pilot|publisher=TVGuide.com}}</ref> but it was passed by the network.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/fx-says-no-to-outlaw-country-1118046302/| title=FX says no to 'Outlaw Country'| accessdate=September 18, 2013}}</ref> She appeared in the dark sitcom ''[[Wilfred (U.S. TV series)|Wilfred]]'' from 2011 through 2013 as Catherine Newman, the title character's eccentric and mentally ill mother. Steenburgen had a recurring role on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[30 Rock]]'' from 2012 to 2013 where she played Diana Jessup.
In television, Steenburgen appeared as Kate Montgomery in ''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]'' (1996) and co-starred as Mary Gulliver in ''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]'' (1996). She has a recurring role as herself in ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''. Steenburgen co-starred as Helen Girardi, the mother of [[Amber Tamblyn]]'s title character in ''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''. In 2011, she had a recurring role as Josephine in the [[HBO]] sitcom ''[[Bored to Death]]''. Steenburgen starred as Anastasia Lee in the 2011 [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] pilot ''[[Outlaw Country (2012 film)|Outlaw Country]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mary-Steenburgen-Outlaw-1019806.aspx |title=Mary Steenburgen Saddles Into Outlaw Country Pilot |first=Kate |last=Stanhope |date=June 21, 2010 |magazine=TV Guide}}</ref> but it was passed by the network.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/fx-says-no-to-outlaw-country-1118046302/ |title=FX says no to 'Outlaw Country' |first=Stuart |last=Levine |date=November 17, 2011 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=September 18, 2013}}</ref> She appeared in the dark sitcom ''[[Wilfred (American TV series)|Wilfred]]'' from 2011 through 2013 as Catherine Newman, the title character's eccentric and mentally ill mother. Steenburgen had a recurring role as Diana Jessup on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[30 Rock]]'' from 2012 to 2013.


In 2014, she began a recurring role as former Dixie Mafia boss Katherine Hale in the fifth and sixth seasons of ''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''.
In 2014, she began a recurring role as former Dixie Mafia boss Katherine Hale in the fifth and sixth seasons of ''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''.


From 2015 to 2018, she starred as Gail Klosterman on the comedy series ''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''.
From 2015 to 2018, she starred as Gail Klosterman on the comedy series ''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''.

From 2020 to 2021, she played the role of Maggie Clarke in the NBC musical comedy-drama series ''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist]]'' for two seasons. She reprised the role for [[The Roku Channel]] television film ''Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas''.


=== Music career ===
=== Music career ===
In 2007, Steenburgen underwent minor surgery on her arm, which required a [[general anesthetic]]; shortly thereafter, she began experiencing "music (...) playing in her head day and night".<ref name=Overnight>{{cite web |url=http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/10/30/oscar-winner-mary-steenburgen-how-she-became-a-hit-singer-songwriter-overnight |title=Oscar Winner Mary Steenburgen: How She Became a Hit Singer, Songwriter Overnight |date=October 30, 2013 |website=showbiz411.com |accessdate=December 26, 2017}}</ref> She subsequently took music lessons so that she could write down what she was hearing, and by 2013 had almost 50 songwriting credits.<ref name=Overnight/> She has collaborated with musicians from Nashville and was also signed to [[Universal Music]] as a songwriter. In ''Last Vegas'', Steenburgen plays a lounge singer and even performs one of her original compositions on screen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsmax.com/thewire/mary-steenburgen-actress-sing-universal-music/2013/10/21/id/532107/ |title=Mary Steenburgen: Actress Wants To Sing, Signed by Universal Music |accessdate=December 26, 2017 |website=newsmax.com}}</ref> In 2018, her composition "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" as performed by [[Jessie Buckley]] featured as the climactic musical moment in the film ''[[Wild Rose (film)|Wild Rose]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mary-steenburgen-oscar-song-wild-rose-912630/|title=How Actress Mary Steenburgen Suddenly Became a Great Songwriter|first1=David|last1=Ehrlich|first2=David|last2=Ehrlich|date=November 14, 2019}}</ref>
In 2007, Steenburgen underwent minor surgery on her arm, which required a [[general anaesthetic]]; shortly thereafter, she began experiencing "music (...) playing in her head day and night". She subsequently took music lessons so that she could write down what she was hearing, and by 2013 had almost 50 songwriting credits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/health/mary-steenburgen-brain-became-musical-strange-complication-during-routine-surgery/ | date=14 November 2019 | title=Mary Steenburgen's Brain 'Became Musical' After a 'Strange' Complication from a Routine Surgery| author=Mazziotta, Julie|publisher=People Magazine }}</ref> She has collaborated with musicians from Nashville and was also signed to [[Universal Music Group]] as a songwriter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/10/oscar-winning-actress-mary-steenburgen-takes-up-accordion-at-60 | date=21 October 2013 | title=Oscar Winning Actress Mary Steenburgen Takes Up Accordion at 60| author=Fisher, Luchina|website=abcnews.com }}</ref> She performs one of her own songs in ''Last Vegas''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-01-2014/2014-movies-for-grownups-film-awards.html | date=January 2014 | title=2014 Movies for Grownups Awards| author=Newcott, Bill|website=aarp.com }}</ref>

In 2018, her composition "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" as performed by [[Jessie Buckley]] featured as the climactic musical moment in the film ''[[Wild Rose (2018 film)|Wild Rose]]'' and won Steenburgen several awards, including [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards|Critic Choice Award]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mary-steenburgen-oscar-song-wild-rose-912630/ |title=How Actress Mary Steenburgen Suddenly Became a Great Songwriter |first1=David |last1=Ehrlich |date=November 14, 2019 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> On October 30, 2020, Steenburgen signed a global publishing deal with [[Universal Music Publishing Group]].<ref>{{Cite instagram|postid=CG-rugaj1f4|user=mary_steenburgen|title=To write music is a blessing in any situation, but the company and warmth and inspiration of the UMPG circle is my happy place. I'm so grateful! Photo by @jessiewebster|date=October 30, 2020|author=Mary Steenburgen|access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
In 1978, Steenburgen met and began dating actor [[Malcolm McDowell]] while both were co-starring in ''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |last=Chambers |first=Andrea |title=Malcolm McDowell's Romance with Mary Steenburgen Has Gone Just Like Clockwork |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115752/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |work=People |date=September 1, 1980 |page=64}}</ref> They married and had two children together, including son [[Charlie McDowell]], but the marriage ended in divorce.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Billen |first1=Andrew |title=Malcolm in middle age |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/film/malcolm-in-middle-age-7434056.html |website=Evening Standard |accessdate=5 August 2019}}</ref> In 1995, Steenburgen married actor [[Ted Danson]], whom she had met on the set of the film ''[[Pontiac Moon]]'', and became the stepmother to Danson's two daughters from his previous marriage to producer Cassandra Coates.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mattern |first1=Jessica |title=Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen’s Marriage Will Make You Believe in Long Lasting Love |url=https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45459/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-marriage/ |website=Country Living |publisher=Hearst Digital Media |accessdate=5 August 2019}}</ref>
In 1978, Steenburgen met and began dating actor [[Malcolm McDowell]] while they were co-starring in ''Time After Time''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |last=Chambers |first=Andrea |title=Malcolm McDowell's Romance with Mary Steenburgen Has Gone Just Like Clockwork |work=People |date=September 1, 1980 |page=64 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115752/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20077312,00.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> They married and had two children together, including son [[Charlie McDowell]]. They divorced in 1990, and he remarried the next year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Billen |first1=Andrew |title=Malcolm in middle age |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/film/malcolm-in-middle-age-7434056.html |date=7 March 2002 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> On October 7, 1995, Steenburgen married actor [[Ted Danson]], whom she had met on the set of the film ''[[Pontiac Moon]]'', and became the stepmother to Danson's two daughters from his previous marriage to producer Cassandra Coates.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45459/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-marriage/ |last1=Mattern |first1=Jessica |date=November 4, 2017 |title=Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Marriage Will Make You Believe in Long Lasting Love |magazine=[[Country Living]] |publisher=Hearst Digital Media |access-date=5 August 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106232324/https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45459/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-marriage/ |archive-date=November 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Annie |title=Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen Celebrate 23rd Wedding Anniversary |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2018/10/08/6101539010882 |agency=[[UPI]] |date=October 8, 2018 |access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref>


Steenburgen resides in the Los Angeles area with her family.<ref name="Current Home">{{cite web|title=Current Home|url=http://clintonschoolspeakers.com/content/mary-steenburgen|publisher=Clinton School of Public Service|accessdate=March 2, 2014}}</ref> An alumna of [[Hendrix College]], she received an honorary doctorate from the institution in 1989.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1266 |title=Hendrix College |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref> In 2006, Steenburgen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from [[Lyon College]] in [[Batesville, Arkansas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |title=Acclaimed actress, Arkansas native to receive honorary Lyon degree |publisher=Lyon College Newsletter |date=October 2, 2006 |accessdate=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095146/http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |archivedate=July 16, 2011 |df= }}</ref> In September 2005, she and Danson gave a guest lecture for students at the [[Clinton School of Public Service]] where they discussed their roles in public service as well as the foundations and causes in which they are involved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com |title=The Clinton School Speaker Series - Inspiring Ideas and Action |publisher=Clintonschoolspeakers.com |date= |accessdate=September 7, 2010}}</ref>
Steenburgen resides in the Los Angeles area with her family.<ref name="Current Home">{{cite web |title=Mary Steenburgen |url=http://clintonschoolspeakers.com/content/mary-steenburgen |publisher=[[Clinton School of Public Service]]|access-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927002512/http://clintonschoolspeakers.com/content/mary-steenburgen |archive-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref> An alumna of [[Hendrix College]], she received an honorary doctorate from the institution in 1989.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1266 |title=Hendrix College |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref> In 2006, Steenburgen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from [[Lyon College]] in [[Batesville, Arkansas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |title=Acclaimed actress, Arkansas native to receive honorary Lyon degree |work=Lyon College Newsletter |date=October 2, 2006 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095146/http://web.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/greensheet/greensheet06/10-2_greensheet.htm |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> In September 2005, she and Danson gave a guest lecture for students at the [[Clinton School of Public Service]], where they discussed their roles in public service as well as the foundations and causes in which they are involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608084943/http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 8, 2008 |title=The Clinton School Speaker Series|publisher=Clinton School of Public Service |access-date=September 7, 2010}}</ref>


Steenburgen is a close friend of former [[United States Senate|senator]] and [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]], and supported Clinton's 2008 Presidential campaign along with Danson.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |title=Danson to Hit the Road for Clinton Again |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 15, 2008 |accessdate=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905120534/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |archivedate= September 5, 2012 }}</ref> She also spoke at the [[2016 Democratic National Convention]]. Steenburgen is also an active humanitarian who is involved with various groups ranging from human rights to environmental causes.<ref name="PBS Interview">{{cite web|title=PBS Interview|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/mary-steenburgen/|publisher=PBS|accessdate=March 2, 2014}}</ref>
Steenburgen is a friend of former [[United States Senate|senator]] and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] and supported, with Danson, Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |title=Danson to Hit the Road for Clinton Again |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Juliet |last=Eilperin |date=February 15, 2008 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905120534/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/44/2008/02/danson-to-hit-the-road-for-cli.html |archive-date=September 5, 2012 }}</ref> She spoke at the [[2016 Democratic National Convention]]. Steenburgen is involved with various groups ranging from human rights to environmental causes.<ref name="PBS Interview">{{cite web |title=Actress Mary Steenburgen |date=October 31, 2013 |first=Tavis |last=Smiley |author-link=Tavis Smiley |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/mary-steenburgen/ |publisher=[[PBS]] |access-date=March 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330053350/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/mary-steenburgen/ |archive-date=March 30, 2014}}</ref>


Since 2014, Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell has had a running joke at her expense, claiming on numerous occasions on [[social media]] that his mother is actress [[Andie MacDowell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/mary-steenburgens-son-charlie-mcdowell-trolls-andie-macdowell-explainer/a514b51f-ab56-43b1-a490-801e4ac8e8c9|title=All the times Mary Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell trolled her by pretending actress Andie MacDowell was his mother|publisher=Celebrity|date=October 8, 2020|access-date=October 11, 2020}}</ref>
==Filmography==


==Filmography==
===Film===
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
Line 74: Line 72:
|1978
|1978
|''[[Goin' South]]''
|''[[Goin' South]]''
|Julia Tate Moon
| Julia Tate Moon
|
|
|-
|-
|1979
|1979
|''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]''
|''[[Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time]]''
|Amy
| Amy Robbins
|
|
|-
|-
|1980
|1980
|''[[Melvin and Howard]]''
|''[[Melvin and Howard]]''
|[[Melvin Dummar|Lynda West Dummar]]
| [[Melvin Dummar|Lynda West Dummar]]
|
|
|-
|-
|1981
|1981
|''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]''
|''[[Ragtime (film)|Ragtime]]''
|Mother
| Mother
|
|
|-
|-
|1982
|1982
| data-sort-value="Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, A" |''[[A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy]]''
| data-sort-value="Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, A" |''[[A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy]]''
|Adrian
| Adrian
|
|
|-
|-
|1983
|rowspan=2| 1983
|''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]''
|''[[Cross Creek (film)|Cross Creek]]''
|[[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]]
| [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]]
|
|
|-
|-
|1983
|''[[Romantic Comedy (1983 film)|Romantic Comedy]]''
|''[[Romantic Comedy (1983 film)|Romantic Comedy]]''
|Phoebe Craddock
| Phoebe Craddock
|
|
|-
|-
|1985
|1985
|''[[One Magic Christmas]]''
|''[[One Magic Christmas]]''
|Ginny Grainger
| Ginny Grainger
|
|
|-
|-
|1987
|rowspan=3| 1987
|''[[Dead of Winter]]''
|''[[Dead of Winter (film)|Dead of Winter]]''
|Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
| Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
|
|
|-
|-
|1987
| data-sort-value="Whales of August, The" |''[[The Whales of August]]''
| data-sort-value="Whales of August, The" |''[[The Whales of August]]''
|Young Sarah
| Young Sarah
|
|
|-
|-
|1987
|''[[End of the Line (1987 film)|End of the Line]]''
|''[[End of the Line (1987 film)|End of the Line]]''
|Rose Pickett
| Rose Pickett
|
|
|-
|-
|1989
|rowspan=2| 1989
|''[[Miss Firecracker]]''
|''[[Miss Firecracker]]''
|Elaine Rutledge
| Elaine Rutledge
|
|
|-
|-
|1989
|''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''
|''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]''
|Karen Buckman
| Karen Buckman
|
|
|-
|-
|1990
|rowspan=2| 1990
|''[[Back to the Future Part III]]''
|''[[Back to the Future Part III]]''
|Clara Clayton Brown
| [[Clara Clayton]]
|
|
|-
|-
|1990
| data-sort-value="Long Walk Home, The" |''[[The Long Walk Home]]''
| data-sort-value="Long Walk Home, The" |''[[The Long Walk Home]]''
|Narrator (voice)
| Narrator (voice)
|
|
|-
|-
|1991
|1991
| data-sort-value="Butcher's Wife, The" |''[[The Butcher's Wife]]''
| data-sort-value="Butcher's Wife, The" |''[[The Butcher's Wife]]''
|Stella Keefover
| Stella Keefover
|
|
|-
|-
|1993
|rowspan=2| 1993
|''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]''
|''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]''
|Betty Carver
| Betty Carver
|
|
|-
|-
|1993
|''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]''
|''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]''
|Belinda Conine
| Belinda Conine
|
|
|-
|-
|1994
|rowspan=3| 1994
|''[[Clifford (film)|Clifford]]''
|''[[Clifford (film)|Clifford]]''
|Sarah Davis
| Sarah Davis Daniels
|
|
|-
|-
|1994
|''[[Pontiac Moon]]''
|''[[Pontiac Moon]]''
|Katherine Bellamy
| Katherine Bellamy
|
|
|-
|-
|1994
|''[[It Runs in the Family (1994 film)|It Runs in the Family]]''
|''[[It Runs in the Family (1994 film)|It Runs in the Family]]''
|Mrs. Parker (mother)
| Mrs. Parker (mother)
|
|
|-
|-
|1995
|rowspan=4| 1995
|''[[My Family (film)|My Family]]''
|''[[My Family (1995 film)|My Family]]''
|Gloria
| Gloria
|
|
|-
|-
|1995
| data-sort-value="Grass Harp, The" |''[[The Grass Harp (film)|The Grass Harp]]''
| data-sort-value="Grass Harp, The" |''[[The Grass Harp (film)|The Grass Harp]]''
|Sister Ida
| Sister Ida
|
|
|-
|-
|''[[Powder (1995 film)|Powder]]''
|1995
| Jessie Caldwell
|''[[Powder (film)|Powder]]''
|Jessie Caldwell
|
|
|-
|-
|1995
|''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]''
|''[[Nixon (film)|Nixon]]''
|[[Hannah Milhous Nixon]]
| [[Hannah Milhous Nixon]]
|
|
|-
|-
|2001
|rowspan=4| 2001
|''[[Nobody's Baby (2001 film)|Nobody's Baby]]''
|''[[Nobody's Baby (2001 film)|Nobody's Baby]]''
|Estelle
| Estelle
|
|
|-
|-
|2001
| data-sort-value="Trumpet of the Swan, The" |''[[The Trumpet of the Swan (film)|The Trumpet of the Swan]]''
| data-sort-value="Trumpet of the Swan, The" |''[[The Trumpet of the Swan (film)|The Trumpet of the Swan]]''
|Mother (voice)
| Mother (voice)
|
|
|-
|-
|2001
|''[[Life as a House]]''
|''[[Life as a House]]''
|Colleen Beck
| Colleen Beck
|
|
|-
|-
|2001
|''[[I Am Sam]]''
|''[[I Am Sam]]''
|Dr. Blake
| Dr. Blake
|
|
|-
|-
|2002
|rowspan=2| 2002
|''[[Sunshine State (film)|Sunshine State]]''
|''[[Sunshine State (film)|Sunshine State]]''
|Francine Pinkney
| Francine Pinkney
|
|
|-
|-
|''Wish You Were Dead''
|2002
| Sally Rider
|''[[Wish You Were Dead]]''
|Sally Rider
|
|
|-
|-
|2003
|rowspan=3| 2003
|''[[Hope Springs (2003 film)|Hope Springs]]''
|''[[Hope Springs (2003 film)|Hope Springs]]''
|Joanie Fisher
| Joanie Fisher
|
|
|-
|-
|2003
|''[[Casa de los Babys]]''
|''[[Casa de los Babys]]''
|Gayle
| Gayle
|
|
|-
|-
|2003
|''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]''
|''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]''
|Emily Hobbs
| Emily Hobbs
|
|
|-
|-
|2005
|2005
|''[[Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School]]''
|''[[Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School]]''
|Marienne Hotchkiss
| Marienne Hotchkiss
|
|
|-
|-
|2006
|rowspan=2| 2006
| data-sort-value="Dead Girl, The" |''[[The Dead Girl]]''
| data-sort-value="Dead Girl, The" |''[[The Dead Girl]]''
|Leah's mother
| Leah's mother
|
|
|-
|-
|2006
|''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]''
|''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]''
|Visitor #2
| Visitor #2
|
|
|-
|-
|2007
|rowspan=5| 2007
|''Elvis and Annabelle''
|''[[Elvis and Anabelle]]''
|Geneva
| Geneva
|
|
|-
|-
|2007
|''[[Nobel Son]]''
|''[[Nobel Son]]''
|Sarah Michaelson
| Sarah Michaelson
|
|
|-
|-
|2007
|''[[Numb (2007 film)|Numb]]''
|''[[Numb (2007 film)|Numb]]''
|Dr. Blaine
| Dr. Blaine
|
|
|-
|-
|2007
| data-sort-value="Brave One, The" |''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]''
| data-sort-value="Brave One, The" |''[[The Brave One (2007 film)|The Brave One]]''
|Carol
| Carol
|
|
|-
|-
|2007
|''[[Honeydripper (film)|Honeydripper]]''
|''[[Honeydripper (film)|Honeydripper]]''
|Amanda Winship
| Amanda Winship
|
|
|-
|-
|2008
|rowspan=2| 2008
|''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]''
|''[[Step Brothers (film)|Step Brothers]]''
|Nancy Huff
| Nancy Huff
|
|
|-
|-
|2008
|''[[Four Christmases]]''
|''[[Four Christmases]]''
|Marilyn
| Marilyn
|
|
|-
|-
|2009
|rowspan=5| 2009
|''[[American Outrage]]''
|''[[American Outrage]]''
|Narrator
| Narrator
|Documentary
| Documentary
|-
|-
|2009
|''[[In the Electric Mist]]''
|''[[In the Electric Mist]]''
|Bootsie Robicheaux
| Bootsie Robicheaux
|
|
|-
|-
|2009
| data-sort-value="Proposal, The" |''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]''
| data-sort-value="Proposal, The" |''[[The Proposal (2009 film)|The Proposal]]''
|Grace Paxton
| Grace Paxton
|
|
|-
|-
|2009
| data-sort-value="Open Road, The" |''[[The Open Road]]''
| data-sort-value="Open Road, The" |''[[The Open Road]]''
|Katherine
| Katherine
|
|
|-
|-
|2009
|''[[Did You Hear About the Morgans?]]''
|''[[Did You Hear About the Morgans?]]''
|Emma Wheeler
| Emma Wheeler
|
|
|-
|-
|2010
|2010
|''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]]''
|''[[Dirty Girl (2010 film)|Dirty Girl]]''
|Peggy
| Peggy
|
|
|-
|-
|2011
|rowspan=2| 2011
|''Keepin' It Real Estate''
|''Keepin' It Real Estate''
|Claire
| Claire
|Short film
| Short film
|-
|-
|2011
| data-sort-value="Help, The" |''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]''
| data-sort-value="Help, The" |''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]''
|Elaine Stein
| Elaine Stein
|
|
|-
|-
|2012
|2012
|''Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood''
|''Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood''
|Mary
| Mary
|
|
|-
|-
|2013
|rowspan=3| 2013
|''[[Last Vegas]]''
|''[[Last Vegas]]''
|Diana
| Diana Boyle
|
|
|-
|-
|''[[Brahmin Bulls]]''
|2013
| Helen West
|''Brahmin Bulls''
|Helen West
|
|
|-
|-
| data-sort-value="Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The" |''[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]''
|2013
| The Bamboo Cutter's Wife (voice)
| data-sort-value="Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The" |''[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]''
|
|The Bamboo Cutter's Wife
|Voice role
|-
|-
|2014
|2014
|''[[Song One]]''
|''[[Song One]]''
|Karen
| Karen
|
|
|-
|-
|2015
|2015
| data-sort-value="Walk in the Woods, A" |''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]''
| data-sort-value="Walk in the Woods, A" |''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]''
|Jeannie
| Jeannie
|
|
|-
|-
|rowspan=3| 2016
|2016
| data-sort-value="Book of Love, The" |''[[The Book of Love (film)|The Book of Love]]''
| data-sort-value="Book of Love, The" |''[[The Book of Love (film)|The Book of Love]]''
|Julia
| Julia
|
|
|-
|-
|2016
|''[[Dean (film)|Dean]]''
|''[[Dean (film)|Dean]]''
|Carol
| Carol
|
|
|-
|-
|2016
|''[[Katie Says Goodbye]]''
|''[[Katie Says Goodbye]]''
| Maybelle
| Maybelle
|
|
|-
|-
| 2017
|rowspan=2| 2017
| data-sort-value="Discovery, The" | ''[[The Discovery (film)|The Discovery]]''
| data-sort-value="Discovery, The" |''[[The Discovery (film)|The Discovery]]''
|Interviewer
| Interviewer
|
|
|-
|-
|''[[I Do... Until I Don't]]''
| 2017
| ''[[I Do... Until I Don't]]''
| Cybil Burger
| Cybil Burger
|
|
|-
|-
| 2018
|rowspan=2| 2018
| ''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''
|''[[Book Club (film)|Book Club]]''
| Carol
| Carol
|
|
|-
|-
|''[[Antiquities (film)|Antiquities]]''
| 2018
| ''Antiquities''
| Dr. Margot
| Dr. Margot
|
|
|-
|-
|2019
| 2020
| ''[[Happiest Season]]''
|''[[Flannery (film)|Flannery]]''
| Narrator
|
|
|-
|2020
|''[[Happiest Season]]''
| Tipper Caldwell
|
|-
|2021
|''[[Nightmare Alley (2021 film)|Nightmare Alley]]''
| Mrs. Kimball
|
|-
|2023
|''[[Book Club: The Next Chapter]]''
| Carol
|
|-
|rowspan=2|TBA
| ''[[The Dink]]''
| {{TBA}}
| Filming
| Filming
|-
| ''[[Let's Have Kids!]]''
| {{TBA}}
| Post-production
|}
|}


Line 413: Line 401:
|1983
|1983
|''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''
|''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''
|Mary / Little Red Riding Hood
| Mary / Little Red Riding Hood
|Episode: "[[Little Red Riding Hood]]"
| Episode: "[[Little Red Riding Hood]]"
|-
|-
|1985
|1985
|''Tender Is the Night''
|''Tender Is the Night''
|Nicole Warren Diver
| Nicole Warren Diver
| Miniseries
|Television miniseries
|-
|-
|1988
|1988
| data-sort-value="Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank, The" |''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]''
| data-sort-value="Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank, The" |''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]''
|[[Miep Gies]]
| [[Miep Gies]]
|Television film
| Television film
|-
|-
|1991–1992
|1991–92
|''[[Back to the Future (TV series)|Back to the Future]]''
|''[[Back to the Future (TV series)|Back to the Future]]''
|[[Clara Clayton]] (voice)
| [[Clara Clayton]] (voice)
|Main role
| Main role
|-
|-
|1994
|1994
| data-sort-value="Gift, The" |''[[The Gift (1994 film)|The Gift]]''
| data-sort-value="Gift, The" |''[[The Gift (1994 film)|The Gift]]''
|Catherine
| Catherine
|Television short film
| Television short film
|-
|-
|1995
|1995
|''[[Frasier]]''
|''[[Frasier]]''
|Marjorie (voice)
| Marjorie (voice)
|Episode: "Retirement Is Murder"
| Episode: "Retirement Is Murder"
|-
|-
|1996
|1996
|''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]''
|''[[Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)|Gulliver's Travels]]''
|Mary Gulliver
| Mary Gulliver
| Miniseries
|Television miniseries
|-
|-
|1996–1997
|1996–97
|''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]''
|''[[Ink (TV series)|Ink]]''
|Kate Montgomery
| Kate Montgomery
|Main role
| Main role
|-
|-
|1998
|1998
|''About Sarah''
|''About Sarah''
|Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
| Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
|Television film
| Television film
|-
|-
|1999
|1999
|''[[Noah's Ark (1999 film)|Noah's Ark]]''
|''[[Noah's Ark (1999 film)|Noah's Ark]]''
|Naamah
| Naamah
|Miniseries
|Television film
|-
|-
|2000
|2000
|''Picnic''
|''Picnic''
|Rosemary Sydney
| Rosemary Sydney
|Television film
|Television film
|-
|-
|2000–2017
|2000–17
|''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''
|''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''
|Mary Steenburgen
| Mary Steenburgen
|6 episodes
| 6 episodes
|-
|-
|2002
| rowspan="2" |2002
|''[[Living with the Dead (film)|Living with the Dead]]''
|''[[Living with the Dead (film)|Living with the Dead]]''
|Det. Karen Condrin
| Detective Karen Condrin
|Television film
| Television film
|-
|-
|2002
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
|Grace Rinato
| Grace Rinato
|Episode: "Denial"
| Episode: "Denial"
|-
|-
|2003–2005
|2003–05
|''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''
|''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''
|Helen Girardi
| Helen Girardi
|Main role
| Main role
|-
|-
|2004
| rowspan="3" |2004
|''[[Becker (TV series)|Becker]]''
|''[[Becker (TV series)|Becker]]''
|Patient
| Patient
|Episode: "DNR"
| Episode: "DNR"
|-
|-
|''[[It Must Be Love (2004 film)|It Must Be Love]]''
|2004
| Clem Gazelle
|''It Must Be Love''
| rowspan="5" | Television film
|Clem Gazelle
|Television film
|-
|-
|2004
|''Capital City''
|''Capital City''
|Elaine Summer
| Elaine Summer
|Television film
|-
|-
|2007
|2007
|''Reinventing the Wheelers''
|''Reinventing the Wheelers''
|Claire Wheeler
| Claire Wheeler
|Television film
|-
|-
|2009
|2009
|''Happiness Isn't Everything''
|''Happiness Isn't Everything''
|Audrey Veill
| Audrey Veil
|Television film
|-
|-
|2010
|2010
|''Southern Discomfort''
|''Southern Discomfort''
| Mary Lou Dobson
|
|Television film
|-
|-
|2011–2013
|2011–13
|''[[Wilfred (U.S. TV series)|Wilfred]]''
|''[[Wilfred (American TV series)|Wilfred]]''
|Catherine Newman
| Catherine Newman
|4 episodes
| 4 episodes
|-
|-
|2011
| rowspan="2" |2011
|''[[Robot Chicken]]''
|''[[Robot Chicken]]''
|Athena (voice)
| Athena (voice)
|Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"
| Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"
|-
|-
|2011
|''[[Bored to Death]]''
|''[[Bored to Death]]''
|Josephine
| Josephine
|4 episodes
| 4 episodes
|-
|-
|2012
| rowspan="2" |2012
| data-sort-value="Thirty Rock" |''[[30 Rock]]''
| data-sort-value="Thirty Rock" |''[[30 Rock]]''
|Diana Jessup
| Diana Jessup
|5 episodes
| 5 episodes
|-
|-
|''[[Outlaw Country (2012 film)|Outlaw Country]]''
|2012
| Anastasia Lee
|''Outlaw Country''
| Television film
|Anastasia Lee
|Television film
|-
|-
|2014–2015
|2014–15
|''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''
|''[[Justified (TV series)|Justified]]''
|Katherine Hale
| Katherine Hale
|13 episodes
| 13 episodes
|-
|-
|2015
|2015
|''[[Togetherness (TV series)|Togetherness]]''
|''[[Togetherness (TV series)|Togetherness]]''
|Linda
| Linda
|2 episodes
| 2 episodes
|-
|-
|2015–2017
|2015–17
|''[[Orange Is the New Black]]''
|''[[Orange Is the New Black]]''
|Delia Powell
| Delia Powell
|6 episodes
| 6 episodes
|-
|-
|2015–2018
|2015–18
| data-sort-value="Last Man on Earth, The" | ''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''
| data-sort-value="Last Man on Earth, The" |''[[The Last Man on Earth (TV series)|The Last Man on Earth]]''
|Gail Klosterman
| Gail Klosterman
| Main role
| Main role
|-
|-
|2015
| rowspan="2" |2015
| data-sort-value="Seven Days in Hell" |''[[7 Days in Hell]]''
| data-sort-value="Seven Days in Hell" |''[[7 Days in Hell]]''
|Louisa Poole
| Louisa Poole
|Television film
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
|-
|2015
|''[[Turkey Hollow]]''
|''[[Turkey Hollow]]''
|Aunt Cly
| Aunt Cly
|Television film
|-
|-
|2016
|2016
|''[[Blunt Talk]]''
|''[[Blunt Talk]]''
|Margaret Rudolph
| Margaret Rudolph
|4 episodes
| 4 episodes
|-
|-
|2017
|2017
|''[[Finding Your Roots]]''
|''[[Finding Your Roots]]''
|Herself
| Herself
|Episode: "Puritans and Pioneers"
| Episode: "Puritans and Pioneers"
|-
|-
|2018
|2018
| data-sort-value="Conners, The" |''[[The Conners]]''
| data-sort-value="Conners, The" |''[[The Conners]]''
|Marcy Bellinger
| Marcy Bellinger
|Episode: "Keep on Truckin'"
| Episode: "[[Keep on Truckin' (The Conners)|Keep on Truckin']]"
|-
|-
|2019–2021
|2019
|''[[Bless the Harts]]''
|''[[Bless the Harts]]''
| Crystalynn Poole (voice)
| Crystalynn Poole (voice)
| 7 episodes
| Recurring role
|-
|-
|2019
|2019
Line 596: Line 573:
| 5 episodes
| 5 episodes
|-
|-
|2020–2021
|2020
|''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist]]''
|''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist]]''
|Maggie Clarke
| Maggie Clarke
|Main role
| Main role
|-
|-
|2020
| rowspan="2" |2020
|''[[Grace and Frankie]]''
|''[[Grace and Frankie]]''
| Miriam
| Miriam
| 2 episodes
| 2 episodes
|-
|-
|2020
|''[[The Good Place]]''
|''[[The Good Place]]''
| Music Teacher
| Music Teacher
| Episode: "Whenever You're Ready"
| Episode: "[[Whenever You're Ready (The Good Place)|Whenever You're Ready]]"
|-
|2021
|''[[Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist#Film (2021)|Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas]]''
| Maggie Clarke
| Television film
|-
|2022
|''[[Mr. Mayor]]''
| Adriana
| Episode: "Murder in the Old West"
|}
|}


Line 618: Line 604:
! Association
! Association
! Category
! Category
! Work
! Nominated work
! Result
! Result
|-
|-
Line 625: Line 611:
| [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress|New Star of the Year – Actress]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress|New Star of the Year – Actress]]
| ''Goin' South''
| ''Goin' South''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1979
| 1979
Line 631: Line 617:
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| ''Time After Time''
| ''Time After Time''
|{{won}}
| {{won}}
|-
|-
| rowspan="6" | 1980
| rowspan="6" | 1980
| [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| ''Melvin and Howard''
| rowspan="6" | ''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| Golden Globe Awards
| Golden Globe Awards
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| {{won}}
|''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| [[National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| [[New York Film Critics Circle]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{won}}
|''Melvin and Howard''
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| 1981
| 1981
Line 668: Line 649:
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| ''Ragtime''
| ''Ragtime''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1985
| 1985
Line 674: Line 655:
| [[Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role|Actress in a Leading Role]]
| [[Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role|Actress in a Leading Role]]
| ''One Magic Christmas''
| ''One Magic Christmas''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1985
| 1985
Line 680: Line 661:
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| ''Tender Is the Night''
| ''Tender Is the Night''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1988
| 1988
Line 686: Line 667:
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]]
| ''The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank''
| ''The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1989
| 1989
Line 692: Line 673:
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| ''Miss Firecracker''
| ''Miss Firecracker''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1990
| 1990
Line 698: Line 679:
| [[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| ''Back to the Future Part III''
| ''Back to the Future Part III''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1995
| 1995
| [[Screen Actors Guild]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Screen Actors Guild]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''Nixon''
| ''Nixon''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1998
| Screen Actors Guild
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie|Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie|Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie]]
| ''About Sarah''
| ''About Sarah''
|{{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|-
|-
| 2004
| 2004
Line 716: Line 696:
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Series|Best Supporting Actress – Television Series]]
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Series|Best Supporting Actress – Television Series]]
| ''Joan of Arcadia''
| ''Joan of Arcadia''
|{{won}}
| {{won}}
|-
|-
| 2011
| 2011
Line 722: Line 702:
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]
| ''The Help''
| ''The Help''
|{{won}}
| {{won}}
|-
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2019
| rowspan="3"| 2019
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song|Best Song]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song|Best Song]]
| ''Wild Rose''<br><small>for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)"</small>
| rowspan="3" | ''Wild Rose''<br /><small>for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)"</small>
|{{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Elton John]] and [[Bernie Taupin]] for "[[(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again]]" from [[Rocketman (film)|Rocketman]]}}
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Elton John]] and [[Bernie Taupin]] for "[[(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again]]" from ''[[Rocketman (film)|Rocketman]]''}}
|-
|-
| [[Hollywood Critics Association]]
| [[Hollywood Critics Association]]
| Best Original Song
| rowspan="2" | Best Original Song
| {{won}}
|''Wild Rose''<br><small>for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)"</small>
|{{won}}
|-
|-
| [[Houston Film Critics Society]]
| [[Houston Film Critics Society]]
| {{won}}
| Best Original Song
|''Wild Rose''<br><small>for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)"</small>
|{{won}}
|}
|}


{{notelist}}
{{notelist}}


In addition to these recognitions, Steenburgen received the 1,337th star on [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] on December 16, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Spotlight: Mary Steenburgen|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spotlight-mary-steenburgen-92385|publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 15, 2009|accessdate=December 26, 2019}}</ref>
In addition to these recognitions, Steenburgen received the 1,337th star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] on December 16, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spotlight: Mary Steenburgen |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spotlight-mary-steenburgen-92385 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |first=Jo |last=Nelsen |date=December 15, 2009 |access-date=December 26, 2019}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb name}}
* {{IMDb name}}
*{{amg name}}
* {{TCMDb name|183581%7C0}}
* {{discogs artist|Mary Steenburgen}}
*[http://celebrityscribe.com/2010/12/mary-steenburgen-the-gift-of-giving/ Mary Steenburgen: The Gift of Giving]


{{Navboxes
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Mary Steenburgen
| title = Awards for Mary Steenburgen
|list =
| list =
{{AcademyAwardBestSupportingActress 1961-1980}}
{{AcademyAwardBestSupportingActress 1961-1980}}
{{Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame}}
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{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
{{Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress Series Miniseries or Television Film}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Actress}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Actress}}
}}
}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Steenburgen, Mary}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steenburgen, Mary}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Arkansas]]
[[Category:Actresses from Arkansas]]
[[Category:Actresses of British descent]]
[[Category:Actresses of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American women comedians]]
[[Category:Arkansas Democrats]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:Hendrix College alumni]]
[[Category:Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:People from Chilmark, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Newport, Arkansas]]
[[Category:People from Newport, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Hendrix College alumni]]
[[Category:William Esper Studio alumni]]
[[Category:People from Chilmark, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Comedians from Arkansas]]
[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:Comedians from Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]

Latest revision as of 18:11, 22 December 2024

Mary Steenburgen
Steenburgen at the 2009 ceremony to receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Born
Mary Nell Steenburgen

(1953-02-08) February 8, 1953 (age 71)
Newport, Arkansas, U.S.
Education
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1978–present
Known for
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1980; div. 1990)​
  • ​
    (m. 1995)​
Children2, including Charlie McDowell
RelativesLily Collins (daughter-in-law)
AwardsAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Mary Nell Steenburgen[1] (/ˈstiːnˌbɜːrdʒən/; born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in the Western comedy film Goin' South (1978). Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in Time After Time (1979) and Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama film Melvin and Howard (1980), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Steenburgen received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Miloš Forman's drama film Ragtime (1981). Her other films include A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982), Cross Creek (1983), Back to the Future Part III (1990), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Philadelphia (1993), Nixon (1995), The Brave One (2007), Last Vegas (2013), A Walk in the Woods (2015), Book Club (2018), Nightmare Alley (2021), and Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023). She also became known for playing mothers in a string of comedy films such as Parenthood (1989), Elf (2003), Step Brothers (2008), Four Christmases (2008), The Proposal (2009), Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009), The Help (2011), and Happiest Season (2020).

She received nominations for a BAFTA TV Award for the miniseries Tender Is the Night (1985) and a Primetime Emmy Award for the television film The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988). Steenburgen has worked as a singer-songwriter for numerous films, in some of which she starred. For her song "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)", written for the musical film Wild Rose (2018), she received the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song.

Early life

[edit]

Steenburgen was born February 8, 1953, in Newport, Arkansas, to Nellie Mae (née Wall),[2] a school-board secretary, and Maurice Hoffman Steenburgen, a freight-train conductor who worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.[3][4][1][5] She has a sister, Nancy Kelly (née Steenburgen), a teacher.[6] In 1971, she enrolled at Hendrix College to study drama.[1] She subsequently traveled to Dallas at the suggestion of her drama teacher where she successfully auditioned for New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.[1]

Career

[edit]

Steenburgen moved to Manhattan in 1972 after the Neighborhood Playhouse offered her an opportunity to study acting. She worked as a server at The Magic Pan and for Doubleday while studying under William Esper.[6]

Film career

[edit]

Steenburgen's break came when she was discovered by Jack Nicholson in the reception room of Paramount Pictures's New York office and was cast as the female lead in his second directorial work, the Western comedy Goin' South (1978).[6] Steenburgen had a leading role in the film Time After Time (1979), for which she won the Saturn Award for Best Actress. She played a modern woman who falls in love with author H. G. Wells, played by Malcolm McDowell, whom she married the following year.

In her third film, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film Melvin and Howard (1980). She played Lynda Dummar, the wife of Melvin Dummar, a trucker and aspiring singer who claimed to have befriended reclusive eccentric Howard Hughes. Another notable film appearance came in the well-received film Cross Creek (1983), in which she portrayed Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of The Yearling. In 1985, she starred in the film One Magic Christmas as someone who falls on devastating times at Christmas, only to rely on a miracle to save her family. In 1989, she played Karen Buckman in Parenthood. In Back to the Future Part III (1990), Steenburgen played Clara Clayton, a schoolteacher who falls in love with Doc Brown. She was persuaded to play the role by her children, as well as by fans of the Back to the Future films, and reprised the role by providing the character's voice in Back to the Future: The Animated Series.

Other performances have been in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), as a woman who is having an affair with the title character; My Summer Story (1994), as the mother of Ralphie Parker (the sequel to A Christmas Story); the role of Hannah Milhous Nixon in the Oliver Stone biopic Nixon (1995); and the Will Ferrell comedy Elf (2003), as a woman who discovers that her husband is the father of one of Santa's elves.

Steenburgen in Toronto Film Festival 2001

She has appeared in the comedy films Step Brothers (2008), playing the mother of Will Ferrell's character; Four Christmases (2008); and The Proposal (2009). Dirty Girl, which featured Steenburgen, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2010. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed film The Help (2011) and had a featured role as a lounge singer, who is the romantic interest in a love triangle, in the comedy film Last Vegas (2013). She had a small role in the comedy-drama film A Walk in the Woods as Jeannie. In 2018, Steenburgen starred with Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen in the romantic comedy film Book Club.

Television career

[edit]

In television, Steenburgen appeared as Kate Montgomery in Ink (1996) and co-starred as Mary Gulliver in Gulliver's Travels (1996). She has a recurring role as herself in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Steenburgen co-starred as Helen Girardi, the mother of Amber Tamblyn's title character in Joan of Arcadia. In 2011, she had a recurring role as Josephine in the HBO sitcom Bored to Death. Steenburgen starred as Anastasia Lee in the 2011 FX pilot Outlaw Country,[7] but it was passed by the network.[8] She appeared in the dark sitcom Wilfred from 2011 through 2013 as Catherine Newman, the title character's eccentric and mentally ill mother. Steenburgen had a recurring role as Diana Jessup on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock from 2012 to 2013.

In 2014, she began a recurring role as former Dixie Mafia boss Katherine Hale in the fifth and sixth seasons of Justified.

From 2015 to 2018, she starred as Gail Klosterman on the comedy series The Last Man on Earth.

From 2020 to 2021, she played the role of Maggie Clarke in the NBC musical comedy-drama series Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist for two seasons. She reprised the role for The Roku Channel television film Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas.

Music career

[edit]

In 2007, Steenburgen underwent minor surgery on her arm, which required a general anaesthetic; shortly thereafter, she began experiencing "music (...) playing in her head day and night". She subsequently took music lessons so that she could write down what she was hearing, and by 2013 had almost 50 songwriting credits.[9] She has collaborated with musicians from Nashville and was also signed to Universal Music Group as a songwriter.[10] She performs one of her own songs in Last Vegas.[11]

In 2018, her composition "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" as performed by Jessie Buckley featured as the climactic musical moment in the film Wild Rose and won Steenburgen several awards, including Critic Choice Award.[12] On October 30, 2020, Steenburgen signed a global publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group.[13]

Personal life

[edit]

In 1978, Steenburgen met and began dating actor Malcolm McDowell while they were co-starring in Time After Time.[14] They married and had two children together, including son Charlie McDowell. They divorced in 1990, and he remarried the next year.[15] On October 7, 1995, Steenburgen married actor Ted Danson, whom she had met on the set of the film Pontiac Moon, and became the stepmother to Danson's two daughters from his previous marriage to producer Cassandra Coates.[16][17]

Steenburgen resides in the Los Angeles area with her family.[18] An alumna of Hendrix College, she received an honorary doctorate from the institution in 1989.[19] In 2006, Steenburgen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas.[20] In September 2005, she and Danson gave a guest lecture for students at the Clinton School of Public Service, where they discussed their roles in public service as well as the foundations and causes in which they are involved.[21]

Steenburgen is a friend of former senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and supported, with Danson, Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.[22] She spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Steenburgen is involved with various groups ranging from human rights to environmental causes.[23]

Since 2014, Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell has had a running joke at her expense, claiming on numerous occasions on social media that his mother is actress Andie MacDowell.[24]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Goin' South Julia Tate Moon
1979 Time After Time Amy Robbins
1980 Melvin and Howard Lynda West Dummar
1981 Ragtime Mother
1982 A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy Adrian
1983 Cross Creek Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Romantic Comedy Phoebe Craddock
1985 One Magic Christmas Ginny Grainger
1987 Dead of Winter Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
The Whales of August Young Sarah
End of the Line Rose Pickett
1989 Miss Firecracker Elaine Rutledge
Parenthood Karen Buckman
1990 Back to the Future Part III Clara Clayton
The Long Walk Home Narrator (voice)
1991 The Butcher's Wife Stella Keefover
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape Betty Carver
Philadelphia Belinda Conine
1994 Clifford Sarah Davis Daniels
Pontiac Moon Katherine Bellamy
It Runs in the Family Mrs. Parker (mother)
1995 My Family Gloria
The Grass Harp Sister Ida
Powder Jessie Caldwell
Nixon Hannah Milhous Nixon
2001 Nobody's Baby Estelle
The Trumpet of the Swan Mother (voice)
Life as a House Colleen Beck
I Am Sam Dr. Blake
2002 Sunshine State Francine Pinkney
Wish You Were Dead Sally Rider
2003 Hope Springs Joanie Fisher
Casa de los Babys Gayle
Elf Emily Hobbs
2005 Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School Marienne Hotchkiss
2006 The Dead Girl Leah's mother
Inland Empire Visitor #2
2007 Elvis and Anabelle Geneva
Nobel Son Sarah Michaelson
Numb Dr. Blaine
The Brave One Carol
Honeydripper Amanda Winship
2008 Step Brothers Nancy Huff
Four Christmases Marilyn
2009 American Outrage Narrator Documentary
In the Electric Mist Bootsie Robicheaux
The Proposal Grace Paxton
The Open Road Katherine
Did You Hear About the Morgans? Emma Wheeler
2010 Dirty Girl Peggy
2011 Keepin' It Real Estate Claire Short film
The Help Elaine Stein
2012 Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood Mary
2013 Last Vegas Diana Boyle
Brahmin Bulls Helen West
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya The Bamboo Cutter's Wife (voice)
2014 Song One Karen
2015 A Walk in the Woods Jeannie
2016 The Book of Love Julia
Dean Carol
Katie Says Goodbye Maybelle
2017 The Discovery Interviewer
I Do... Until I Don't Cybil Burger
2018 Book Club Carol
Antiquities Dr. Margot
2019 Flannery Narrator
2020 Happiest Season Tipper Caldwell
2021 Nightmare Alley Mrs. Kimball
2023 Book Club: The Next Chapter Carol
TBA The Dink TBA Filming
Let's Have Kids! TBA Post-production

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1983 Faerie Tale Theatre Mary / Little Red Riding Hood Episode: "Little Red Riding Hood"
1985 Tender Is the Night Nicole Warren Diver Miniseries
1988 The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank Miep Gies Television film
1991–1992 Back to the Future Clara Clayton (voice) Main role
1994 The Gift Catherine Television short film
1995 Frasier Marjorie (voice) Episode: "Retirement Is Murder"
1996 Gulliver's Travels Mary Gulliver Miniseries
1996–1997 Ink Kate Montgomery Main role
1998 About Sarah Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey Television film
1999 Noah's Ark Naamah Miniseries
2000 Picnic Rosemary Sydney Television film
2000–2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Mary Steenburgen 6 episodes
2002 Living with the Dead Detective Karen Condrin Television film
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Grace Rinato Episode: "Denial"
2003–2005 Joan of Arcadia Helen Girardi Main role
2004 Becker Patient Episode: "DNR"
It Must Be Love Clem Gazelle Television film
Capital City Elaine Summer
2007 Reinventing the Wheelers Claire Wheeler
2009 Happiness Isn't Everything Audrey Veil
2010 Southern Discomfort Mary Lou Dobson
2011–2013 Wilfred Catherine Newman 4 episodes
2011 Robot Chicken Athena (voice) Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"
Bored to Death Josephine 4 episodes
2012 30 Rock Diana Jessup 5 episodes
Outlaw Country Anastasia Lee Television film
2014–2015 Justified Katherine Hale 13 episodes
2015 Togetherness Linda 2 episodes
2015–2017 Orange Is the New Black Delia Powell 6 episodes
2015–2018 The Last Man on Earth Gail Klosterman Main role
2015 7 Days in Hell Louisa Poole Television film
Turkey Hollow Aunt Cly
2016 Blunt Talk Margaret Rudolph 4 episodes
2017 Finding Your Roots Herself Episode: "Puritans and Pioneers"
2018 The Conners Marcy Bellinger Episode: "Keep on Truckin'"
2019–2021 Bless the Harts Crystalynn Poole (voice) 7 episodes
2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Ellen Joy Bonar 5 episodes
2020–2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Maggie Clarke Main role
2020 Grace and Frankie Miriam 2 episodes
The Good Place Music Teacher Episode: "Whenever You're Ready"
2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas Maggie Clarke Television film
2022 Mr. Mayor Adriana Episode: "Murder in the Old West"

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Association Category Work Result
1978 Golden Globe Awards New Star of the Year – Actress Goin' South Nominated
1979 Saturn Awards Best Actress Time After Time Won
1980 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Melvin and Howard Won
Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress Won
New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Won
1981 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Ragtime Nominated
1985 Genie Awards Actress in a Leading Role One Magic Christmas Nominated
1985 British Academy Television Awards Best Actress Tender Is the Night Nominated
1988 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank Nominated
1989 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Miss Firecracker Nominated
1990 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress Back to the Future Part III Nominated
1995 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nixon Nominated
1998 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie About Sarah Nominated
2004 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress – Television Series Joan of Arcadia Won
2011 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Help Won
2019 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Song Wild Rose
for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" 		Won[a]
Hollywood Critics Association Best Original Song Won
Houston Film Critics Society Won
  1. ^ Tied with Elton John and Bernie Taupin for "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from Rocketman

In addition to these recognitions, Steenburgen received the 1,337th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 16, 2009.[25]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Emberton, Jan. "Mary Nell Steenburgen (1953–)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  2. ^ "Steenburgen". Familysearch.org. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  3. ^ "Mary Steenburgen Biography (1953-)". Film Reference. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  4. ^ McIntosh, Barbara (April 3, 1988). "Stony Reception in Little Rock; Film by Mary Steenburgen Draws Cries of Foul in Arkansas". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2010 – via Highbeam.com.
  5. ^ Stated on Finding Your Roots, October 17, 2017
  6. ^ a b c "Mary Steenburgen: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  7. ^ Stanhope, Kate (June 21, 2010). "Mary Steenburgen Saddles Into Outlaw Country Pilot". TV Guide.
  8. ^ Levine, Stuart (November 17, 2011). "FX says no to 'Outlaw Country'". Variety. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  9. ^ Mazziotta, Julie (November 14, 2019). "Mary Steenburgen's Brain 'Became Musical' After a 'Strange' Complication from a Routine Surgery". People Magazine.
  10. ^ Fisher, Luchina (October 21, 2013). "Oscar Winning Actress Mary Steenburgen Takes Up Accordion at 60". abcnews.com.
  11. ^ Newcott, Bill (January 2014). "2014 Movies for Grownups Awards". aarp.com.
  12. ^ Ehrlich, David (November 14, 2019). "How Actress Mary Steenburgen Suddenly Became a Great Songwriter". Rolling Stone.
  13. ^ Mary Steenburgen [@mary_steenburgen] (October 30, 2020). "To write music is a blessing in any situation, but the company and warmth and inspiration of the UMPG circle is my happy place. I'm so grateful! Photo by @jessiewebster". Retrieved April 20, 2021 – via Instagram.
  14. ^ Chambers, Andrea (September 1, 1980). "Malcolm McDowell's Romance with Mary Steenburgen Has Gone Just Like Clockwork". People. p. 64. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  15. ^ Billen, Andrew (March 7, 2002). "Malcolm in middle age". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  16. ^ Mattern, Jessica (November 4, 2017). "Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Marriage Will Make You Believe in Long Lasting Love". Country Living. Hearst Digital Media. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  17. ^ Martin, Annie (October 8, 2018). "Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen Celebrate 23rd Wedding Anniversary". UPI. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  18. ^ "Mary Steenburgen". Clinton School of Public Service. Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ "Hendrix College". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  20. ^ "Acclaimed actress, Arkansas native to receive honorary Lyon degree". Lyon College Newsletter. October 2, 2006. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  21. ^ "The Clinton School Speaker Series". Clinton School of Public Service. Archived from the original on June 8, 2008. Retrieved September 7, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ Eilperin, Juliet (February 15, 2008). "Danson to Hit the Road for Clinton Again". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  23. ^ Smiley, Tavis (October 31, 2013). "Actress Mary Steenburgen". PBS. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  24. ^ "All the times Mary Steenburgen's son Charlie McDowell trolled her by pretending actress Andie MacDowell was his mother". Celebrity. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  25. ^ Nelsen, Jo (December 15, 2009). "Spotlight: Mary Steenburgen". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
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