Mary McDonnell

Mary McDonnell is an actress who has been nominated for two Oscars(r). She is known for her portrayals in characters from both contemporary and period screen roles. Mary Eileen McDonnell was the daughter of John McDonnell (a computer consultant) and Eileen (Mundy) she was the daughter of a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania native. She was born in Ithaca and then graduated from Fredonia State University of New York. She later attended the drama program and was admitted to the prestigious Long Wharf Theatre Company on the East Coast. At the age of 22, she was when she was offered her breakthrough film role in Dances with Wolves (1990), where she was "Stands with a Fist", a Sioux Indian woman that is white. McDonnell received her first Academy Award nomination for the part. McDonnell has starred in the Lawrence Kasdan films Grand Canyon (1991), and Mumford (1999) opposite such experienced actors as Robert Redford as well as Sidney Poitier. She also was a part of Roland Emmerich's Independence Day (1996), featuring Will Smith. Margin Call (2011) that was a battle with Kevin Spacey, earned McDonnell the Robert Altman award at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards. On the small screen, McDonnell starred in four seasons of Syfy Network's award-winning television series Battlestar Galactica (2004) in her critically praised performance as President Laura Roslin. McDonnell was awarded an Emmy nomination for her regular guest role on the television series ER (1994). The wildly popular TNT drama Major Crimes (2012) stars her as Captain Sharon Raydor. It is McDonnell's second series and she received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy(r). She was awarded an Best Actress Academy Award(r) nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as a paraplegic soap opera star in John Sayles' critically acclaimed film, Passion Fish (1992).