Mary Beth Peil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Beth Peil
Peil at the 2011 Peabody Awards
Born	(1940-06-25) June 25, 1940 (age 85) Davenport, Iowa, U.S.
Education	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actress Singer
Years active	1962–present

Mary Beth Peil (pronounced peel; born June 25, 1940) is an American actress and soprano singer. She started her career as an opera singer in 1962.

In 1964, she won two important singing contests. This led to her performing as a main singer with the Metropolitan Opera National Company for two years. She continued to sing in operas through the 1970s. She even created a new role, Alma, in the opera Summer and Smoke in 1971.

Later, she moved into musical theatre. In 1983, she starred in Kiss Me, Kate. That same year, she joined the national tour of The King and I on Broadway. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in that show.

After her Broadway debut, Peil continued to act in musicals and plays. She has won an Obie Award and received other nominations. In 2017, she got a second Tony nomination for her role in the musical Anastasia.

She started acting in films in 1992 and on television in 1994. She is well-known for playing Evelyn 'Grams' Ryan in Dawson's Creek (1998–2003). She also played Jackie Florrick in The Good Wife (2009–2016).

Early Life and Training

Mary Beth Peil was born in 1940 in Davenport, Iowa. She trained to be a soprano singer at Northwestern University. Her teachers included Lotte Lehmann, a famous singer. She gave her final student performance on April 9, 1962.

While in college, she was part of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

Career Highlights

Early Singing Career: 1962–1982

In her last year of college, Peil performed in the opera La traviata. A famous opera director, Boris Goldovsky, saw her performance. He invited her to audition for his opera company.

She got a contract and moved to New York City. She made her professional debut as Violetta in La traviata in 1962.

In 1964, Peil won two major singing competitions. These wins helped her career as a classical singer. She won a contract with the Metropolitan Opera National Company. She toured nationally with them from 1965 to 1967. She performed in operas like La Cenerentola, Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, and La bohème.

She also performed in concerts and with other opera companies. In 1971, she created the role of Alma in the opera Summer and Smoke. She performed this role again for television in 1982.

Moving to Stage Acting: 1983–1991

Peil started acting in musical theater with the Minnesota Opera. She played the main role in Kiss Me, Kate in 1983. She realized she loved acting while singing.

Soon after, she joined a national tour of The King and I in 1983. She played Anna Leonowens opposite Yul Brynner. The show later moved to Broadway in 1985. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. She later played Anna Leonowens again in 1990.

During this time, she also acted in plays. She performed in The Impromptu of Outremont in 1986. In 1987, she was in the musical Birds of Paradise. She also appeared in William Shakespeare's Cymbeline in 1989.

Film and TV Roles: 1992–2003

In 1993, Peil moved back to New York City. She had made her film debut in Jersey Girl in 1992. Her first TV appearance was on Law & Order in 1994.

She had a bigger film role in Comfortably Numb in 1995. She played Felice in the comedy film The Odd Couple II in 1999. She also played Nancy Reagan's mother, Edith Luckett, in the TV movie The Reagans (2003).

From 1998 to 2003, she became widely known for playing Evelyn 'Grams' Ryan. This was in the popular teen TV show Dawson's Creek. She was one of the few actors to be a regular cast member for all six seasons.

While doing TV and film, Peil continued to act in theater. She won an Obie Award in 1995 for her work in three plays. These were The Naked Truth, A Cheever Evening, and Missing Persons.

Recent Career: 2004–Present

After Dawson's Creek ended, Peil continued her acting career. In 2004, she was in the film The Stepford Wives. She also appeared in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers (2006). Other film roles include Mirrors (2008) and Collateral Beauty (2016).

From 2009 to 2016, she played Jackie Florrick on the TV drama The Good Wife. In 2019, she had a role in The Village. In 2020, she appeared in Katy Keene. In 2021, she played Martha Graham in the Netflix series Halston.

On stage, Peil continued to perform in many plays and musicals. In 2008, she was in the Broadway musical Sunday in the Park with George. She also appeared in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010-2011) and Follies (2011-2012) on Broadway.

In 2017, Peil joined the cast of the musical Anastasia. She played the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. She was nominated for a Tony Award for this role.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

See also

In Spanish: Mary Beth Peil para niños