Mary McDonnell

Acting

Mary McDonnell

Born April 28, 1952Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA60 credits

Mary Eileen McDonnell (born April 28, 1952) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles as Stands With A Fist in Dances With Wolves and May-Alice Culhane in Passion Fish. McDonnell is well known for her performances as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, First Lady Marilyn Whitmore in Independence Day, and Rose in Donnie Darko. She was featured as Captain Sharon Raydor during seasons 5–7 of the TNT series The Closer and starred as Commander Sharon Raydor in the spin-off series Major Crimes on the same network. In 2023, she played Madeleine Usher in the miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mary McDonnell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas
8.5

Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas

TV

2025

Broke
7.0

Broke

Movie

2025

The Fall of the House of Usher
7.6

The Fall of the House of Usher

TV

2023

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
7.4

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

Movie

2021

Rebel
7.2

Rebel

TV

2021

Fargo
8.3

Fargo

TV

2014

Filmography

Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas
2025Twelve Dates 'Til Christmasas DelilahTV
Broke
2025Brokeas Kathy BrandywineMovie
The Fall of the House of Usher
2023The Fall of the House of Usheras Madeline UsherTV
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
2021The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolfas Lady Zerbst (voice)Movie
Rebel
2021Rebelas Helen PetersonTV
Fargo
2014Fargoas Ruby GoldfarbTV
Major Crimes
2012Major Crimesas Captain Sharon RaydorTV
Margin Call
2011Margin Callas Mary RogersMovie
Scream 4
2011Scream 4as Kate RobertsMovie
Hostile Makeover
2009Hostile Makeoveras Rose SmithsonianMovie
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
2007Battlestar Galactica: Razoras President Laura RoslinMovie
Mrs. Harris
2006Mrs. Harrisas Vivian SchulteMovie
The Closer
2005The Closeras Sharon RaydorTV
Grey's Anatomy
2005Grey's Anatomyas Virginia DixonTV
Crazy Like a Fox
2004Crazy Like a Foxas Amy BanksMovie
Battlestar Galactica
2004Battlestar Galacticaas Laura RoslinTV
Veronica Mars
2004Veronica Marsas JaneTV
Battlestar Galactica
2003Battlestar Galacticaas President Laura RoslinTV
The Making of ‘Sneakers’
2003The Making of ‘Sneakers’as SelfMovie
Dances with Wolves: The Creation of an Epic
2003Dances with Wolves: The Creation of an Epicas SelfMovie
Nola
2003Nolaas Margaret LangworthyMovie
The Locket
2002The Locketas Helen StaplesMovie
Donnie Darko
2001Donnie Darkoas Rose DarkoMovie
For All Time
2000For All Timeas Laura BrownMovie
A Father's Choice
2000A Father's Choiceas Susan ShawMovie
Ryan Caulfield: Year One
1999Ryan Caulfield: Year Oneas Rachel CaulfieldTV
Mumford
1999Mumfordas Althea BrockettMovie
Replacing Dad
1999Replacing Dadas Linda MarshMovie
Behind the Mask
1999Behind the Maskas Mary ShushanMovie
You Can Thank Me Later
1998You Can Thank Me Lateras DianeMovie
Evidence of Blood
1998Evidence of Bloodas Dora OvertonMovie
12 Angry Men
199712 Angry Menas JudgeMovie
Two Voices
1997Two Voicesas Sybil GoldrichMovie
M
1996Mariette in Ecstasyas PrioressMovie
Independence Day: The ID4 Invasion
1996Independence Day: The ID4 Invasionas SelfMovie
The Making of 'Independence Day'
1996The Making of 'Independence Day'as SelfMovie
Independence Day
1996Independence Dayas Marilyn WhitmoreMovie
Woman Undone
1996Woman Undoneas Teri HansenMovie
High Society
1995High Societyas Dott EmersonTV
Touched by an Angel
1994Touched by an Angelas Sister Theodore ClaireTV
ER
1994ERas Eleanor CarterTV
Blue Chips
1994Blue Chipsas JennyMovie
The American Clock
1993The American Clockas Rose BaumlerMovie
Passion Fish
1992Passion Fishas May-Alice CulhaneMovie
Sneakers
1992Sneakersas LizMovie
Grand Canyon
1991Grand Canyonas ClaireMovie
The Making of 'Dances with Wolves'
1990The Making of 'Dances with Wolves'as HerselfMovie
Dances with Wolves
1990Dances with Wolvesas Stands With A FistMovie
American Experience
1988American Experienceas Narrator (voice)TV
Tiger Warsaw
1988Tiger Warsawas Paula WarsawMovie
Matewan
1987Matewanas Elma RadnorMovie
Courage
1986Courageas Gabriella EstradaMovie
Garbo Talks
1984Garbo Talksas Lady CapuletMovie
E/R
1984E/Ras Eve SheridanTV
Money on the Side
1982Money on the Sideas TerriMovie
The Oscars
1953The Oscarsas SelfTV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951Hallmark Hall of Fameas Helen StaplesTV
Golden Globe Awards
1944Golden Globe Awardsas SelfTV
O
—One Second Afteras JenMovie
VisionQuest
—VisionQuestTV