Mary-Louise Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary-Louise Parker
Parker at the 74th Tony Awards in 2021
Born	(1964-08-02) August 2, 1964 (age 61) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present
Partner(s)	Billy Crudup (1996–2003) Jeffrey Dean Morgan (2006–2008)
Children	2

Mary-Louise Parker (born August 2, 1964) is an American actress famous for her work in movies, television, and on stage. She started her career on Broadway, the famous theater district in New York City. Her first big role was in the play Prelude to a Kiss in 1990. This performance earned her a nomination for a Tony Award, which is a major award for live theater.

Parker became well-known for acting in popular movies. Some of her famous films include Grand Canyon (1991), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), and Boys on the Side (1995). She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her role in the play Proof.

On television, she played Amy Gardner in the series The West Wing. This role earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award, a top award for television shows. She also won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for her role in the TV miniseries Angels in America in 2003.

Later, she starred in action-comedy movies like Red (2010) and its sequel Red 2 (2013). She also appeared in the fantasy film The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008). Parker continues to act on Broadway and won her second Tony Award in 2021 for the play The Sound Inside.

Early Life and Education

Mary-Louise Parker was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She was the youngest of four children. Her father, John Morgan Parker, was a judge in the U.S. Army. Because of her father's job, her family moved around a lot. She lived in Tennessee, Texas, Thailand, Germany, and France during her childhood.

She went to high school in Tempe, Arizona. After graduating, she decided to study acting. She attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and earned a degree in drama in 1986.

Acting Career

Getting Started in the 1980s and 90s

Parker in 1999

Parker began her acting career with a part in the TV show Ryan's Hope. Soon after, she moved to New York City to pursue theater. Her big break came in 1990 when she starred in the Broadway play Prelude to a Kiss. Her performance was a huge success and earned her a Tony Award nomination.

Throughout the 1990s, Parker starred in many movies. She acted alongside famous stars in films like Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The Client (1994), and Boys on the Side (1995). She also continued to work in theater. In 1997, she performed in the play How I Learned to Drive and won awards for her role.

Success in the 2000s

Parker in 2008

In the 2000s, Parker's career grew even more. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as Catherine Llewellyn in Proof. This is one of the highest honors an actor can receive for a Broadway performance.

From 2001 to 2006, she had a recurring role as Amy Gardner on the popular TV show The West Wing. In 2003, she starred in the HBO television event Angels in America. For this role, she won both a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

In 2008, she played the mother, Helen Grace, in the family fantasy movie The Spiderwick Chronicles. She also continued to act in plays in New York City.

Recent Work: 2010s to Today

In 2010, Parker starred with Bruce Willis in the action-packed movie Red. The movie was so popular that they made a sequel, Red 2, in 2013, where she returned as the character Sarah Ross. She also appeared in the 2013 movie R.I.P.D.

Parker has remained very active in theater. She returned to Broadway in 2019 to star in The Sound Inside. Her performance was so amazing that she won her second Tony Award for Best Actress. In 2022, she starred in a Broadway revival of How I Learned to Drive, the play she first performed in 1997. This role earned her a fifth Tony Award nomination.

Personal Life

Mary-Louise Parker has two children. She has a son, William Atticus Parker, with actor Billy Crudup. In 2007, she adopted a daughter, Caroline Aberash Parker, from Ethiopia.

Parker is also involved in charity work. She supports an organization called Hope North. This group helps to educate and support young people in Uganda who have been affected by war. She became involved after meeting a young person who had been helped by the organization.

Parker lives in Brooklyn Heights, a neighborhood in New York City, with her two children.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Major Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mary-Louise Parker para niños