Mary McDonnell

Mary McDonnell is an actress who has been nominated for two Oscars(r). She is known for her portrayals in characters in period and contemporary screen roles. Mary Eileen McDonnell is a Pennsylvania-born actress. She was the child of Eileen (Mundy) and an Irish-American computer expert, and John McDonnell. Born in Ithaca, New York, she graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) in Fredonia. Later, she attended drama school , and was admitted to the highly regarded Long Wharf Theatre Company on the East Coast. Two decades later she was offered her first film role, in Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves (1990) as "Stands with a Fist", a white woman that is raised by Sioux Indians. In exchange for the role, she received her first Academy Award nomination. McDonnell's credits in films include Lawrence Kasdan films Grand Canyon (1991) and Mumford (1999) (opposite such well-known actors like Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier as well as Ben Kingsley); Roland Emmerich's Independence Day (1996) (starring Will Smith); acclaimed art house cult hit Donnie Darko (2001) as well as Margin Call (2011) (opposite Kevin Spacey), which won her the Robert Altman Award at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards. On the small screen, McDonnell starred in four seasons on the Syfy Network's award-winning show Battlestar Galactica (2004) in her highly acclaimed role as President Laura Roslin. She was honored with an Emmy nomination for her frequent guest spot on the popular television series ER (1994). The popular drama series on TNT Major Crimes (2012) features McDonnell as Captain Sharon Raydor. This is the sequel to The Closer (2005) in which McDonnell developed the role. She was nominated to win an Emmy(r) from Primetime. Emmy(r). McDonnell received an Best Actress Academy Award(r) nomination as well as a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the paraplegic soap-opera star in John Sayles' critically acclaimed film, Passion Fish (1992).