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Mary Eileen McDonnell 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 in the spin-off series Major Crimes, on the same network.
Birth Name
Mary Eileen McDonnell
Born
Monday, 28 April 1952
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Fall of the House of Usher | Madeline Usher | 2023 |
| The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf | Lady Zerbst (voice) / Lady Zerbst | 2021 |
| Rebel | Helen Peterson / Helen | 2021 |
| Fargo | Ruby Goldfarb | 2014 |
| And the Oscar Goes to... | Self / Self (archive footage) | 2014 |
| The Queen Latifah Show | Self - Guest | 2013 |
| Home & Family | Self - Guest | 2012 |
| Major Crimes | Sharon Raydor / Captain Sharon Raydor | 2012 |
| Scream 4 | Kate Roberts | 2011 |
| Margin Call | Mary Rogers | 2011 |
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Fall of the House of Usher | Madeline Usher | 2023 |
| The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf | Lady Zerbst (voice) / Lady Zerbst | 2021 |
| Rebel | Helen Peterson / Helen | 2021 |
| Fargo | Ruby Goldfarb | 2014 |
| And the Oscar Goes to... | Self / Self (archive footage) | 2014 |
| The Queen Latifah Show | Self - Guest | 2013 |
| Home & Family | Self - Guest | 2012 |
| Major Crimes | Sharon Raydor / Captain Sharon Raydor | 2012 |
| Scream 4 | Kate Roberts | 2011 |
| Margin Call | Mary Rogers | 2011 |
| The Talk | Self - Guest | 2010 |
| Hostile Makeover | Rose Smithsonian | 2009 |
| Killer Hair | Rose | 2009 |
| Battlestar Galactica: Razor | President Laura Roslin | 2007 |
| Mrs. Harris | Vivian Schulte | 2006 |
| The Closer | Sharon Raydor / Captain Sharon Raydor | 2005 |
| Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Virginia Dixon | 2005 |
| Crazy Like a Fox | Amy Banks | 2004 |
| Battlestar Galactica | President Laura Roslin / Laura Roslin | 2004 |
| Veronica Mars | Jane | 2004 |
| Battlestar Galactica | President Laura Roslin | 2003 |
| Nola | Margaret Langworthy | 2003 |
| The Locket | Helen Staples | 2002 |
| Donnie Darko | Rose Darko / Mrs. Rose Darko | 2001 |
| For All Time | Laura Brown | 2000 |
| That's Life | Jules O'Grady | 2000 |
| Amargosa | Narrator | 2000 |
| A Father's Choice | Susan Shaw | 2000 |
| Ryan Caulfield: Year One | Rachel Caulfield | 1999 |
| Mumford | Althea Brockett | 1999 |
| Fly Girls | Narrator | 1999 |
| You Can Thank Me Later | Diane | 1999 |
| Replacing Dad | Linda Marsh | 1999 |
| Behind the Mask | Mary Shushan | 1999 |
| Spanish Fly | Zoe's Mother | 1998 |
| Evidence of Blood | Dora Overton | 1998 |
| 12 Angry Men | Judge | 1997 |
| Two Small Voices | Sybil Goldrich | 1997 |
| Mariette in Ecstasy | Prioress | 1996 |
| Independence Day | Marilyn Whitmore | 1996 |
| Woman Undone | Teri Hansen | 1996 |
| High Society | Dott Emerson | 1995 |
| Touched by an Angel | Sister Theodore Claire | 1994 |
| ER | Eleanor Carter | 1994 |
| Extra | Self | 1994 |
| Blue Chips | Jenny | 1994 |
| Late Show with David Letterman | President Laura Roslin - Top Ten Presenter | 1993 |
| The 65th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Nominee | 1993 |
| The American Clock | Rose Baumler | 1993 |
| Passion Fish | May-Alice Culhane | 1992 |
| Sneakers | Liz | 1992 |
| HBO First Look | Self | 1992 |
| Grand Canyon | Claire | 1991 |
| The 63rd Annual Academy Awards | Self - Nominee | 1991 |
| Dances with Wolves | Stands With A Fist | 1990 |
| A Man Called Hawk | Mrs. Kirkpatrick | 1989 |
| American Experience | Narrator | 1988 |
| Tiger Warsaw | Paula Warsaw | 1988 |
| Matewan | Elma Radnor | 1987 |
| Courage | Gabriella Estrada | 1986 |
| Garbo Talks | Lady Capulet | 1984 |
| E/R | Dr. Eve Sheridan / Eve Sheridan | 1984 |
| Money on the Side | Terri | 1982 |
| Battlestar Galactica | 1978 | |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Herself - Guest | 1962 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 2011 | Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated |
| 2002 | Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated |
| 1993 | Oscar | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated |
| 1993 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama | Nominated |
| 1991 | Oscar | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
| 1991 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture | Nominated |
