Mary McDonnell

Mary McDonnell is an actress who has been nominated for two Oscars(r). She is known for her portrayals in characters in contemporary and period screen roles. Mary Eileen McDonnell was the daughter of John McDonnell (a computer consultant) and Eileen (Mundy) she was an Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania native. Her birthplace was Ithaca, New York and graduated from Fredonia State University of New York. She attended drama school, and then was accepted into Long Wharf Theatre Company (East Coast). Her film debut came in Dances with Wolves (1990) by Kevin Costner. She played the role of "Stands with a Fist" who was a Sioux Indian raised white woman. Her first Academy Award nomination was for the character. McDonnell has starred 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 played in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day (1996), with Will Smith. Margin Call (2011) that was a duet with Kevin Spacey, earned McDonnell the Robert Altman award at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards. McDonnell was President Laura Roslin in the critically loved show Battlestar Galactica (2004) on Syfy. McDonnell was a star in four seasons. McDonnell received an Emmy for her regular guest appearance on the television series ER (1994). She is the lead character of Captain Sharon Raydor on the TNT's successful drama series Major Crimes (2012), the follow-up to The Closer (2005), where McDonnell took on the role for the first time and earned an Primetime Emmy(r) nomination. Her portrayal of a paraplegic character in soap opera in John Sayles' critically acclaimed film Passion Fish (1992) earned her a Best Actress Academy Award (r) nomination as well as a Golden Globe nod.