Mary Elizabeth Winstead facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Winstead in 2010
Born	(1984-11-28) November 28, 1984 (age 40) Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Riley Stearns ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2017)​ Ewan McGregor ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	1
Signature

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (born November 28, 1984) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her many roles in movies and TV shows.

Her first big role was on the TV show Passions (1999–2000). She became more famous for her parts in horror films like Final Destination 3 (2006) and Death Proof (2007). Because of these roles, she was sometimes called a "scream queen".

Mary Elizabeth also starred as John McClane's daughter in Live Free or Die Hard (2007). She played Ramona Flowers in the popular movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). Her acting in the drama Smashed (2012) was highly praised.

She has also been in other movies like The Thing (2011) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016). Since 2013, she has also been part of a music group called Got a Girl. More recently, she played the Huntress in Birds of Prey (2020). She also appeared as Hera Syndulla in the Star Wars series Ahsoka (2023).

Early Life and Dreams

Mary Elizabeth Winstead was born on November 28, 1984. She grew up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She is the youngest of five children. When she was five, her family moved to Sandy, Utah.

She loved to dance and studied ballet in Chicago. She also sang in a children's choir. Mary Elizabeth hoped to become a ballerina. But she grew too tall for ballet as a teenager.

So, she decided to try acting instead. She was homeschooled during high school to focus on her acting career.

Becoming an Actress

Starting Out (1997–2004)

Mary Elizabeth first appeared in a play called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. After that, she got small roles in TV shows like Touched by an Angel.

Her first major TV role was Jessica Bennett in the soap opera Passions. She was on the show from 1999 to 2000. She later left to try other things.

In 2001, she had a main role in the TV series Wolf Lake. In 2004, she was in the TV movie Monster Island. She even turned down a role in A Cinderella Story to go on a cruise with friends.

Big Screen Roles (2005–2011)

In 2005, Mary Elizabeth had a small role in the comedy Checking Out. Then, she played a main character in the Walt Disney Pictures movie Sky High. This film was about a school for teenage superheroes. It was a success and got good reviews.

Winstead at the Entertainment Weekly CapeTown Film Festival

She then starred in the horror movie Final Destination 3 (2006). She played Wendy Christensen, the main hero. Her acting was praised by critics. She also appeared in another horror film, Black Christmas, that same year.

In 2006, she was in the film Bobby, which was about Robert F. Kennedy. The cast of Bobby won an award for best ensemble.

In 2007, she was in Quentin Tarantino's movie Death Proof. She played an actress in the film. Later that year, she starred with Bruce Willis in Live Free or Die Hard. She played Lucy, his daughter. This movie was a huge hit worldwide.

Mary Elizabeth also starred in the dance film Make It Happen. She loved this role because she had always wanted to be a dancer. Critics said she was the best part of the movie.

In 2010, she co-starred in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World with Michael Cera. She played Ramona Flowers, a mysterious delivery girl. Mary Elizabeth trained for two months and did many of her own stunts. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Teen Choice Awards.

In 2011, she was the main female lead in The Thing. She played Dr. Kate Lloyd, a paleontologist. Critics praised her acting in this film.

Independent Films and TV (2012–Present)

In 2012, Mary Elizabeth starred in the independent drama Smashed. Her acting in this movie received amazing reviews. She won an award for Best Actress at the Dallas International Film Festival.

She also played Mary Todd Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012). Critics liked her performance, saying she made the character feel real.

In 2012, she was in an online series called The Beauty Inside. She played Leah, the main character's love interest.

She appeared in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2013) and A.C.O.D. (2013). In A.C.O.D., her acting was noted for bringing depth to her role.

Mary Elizabeth worked again with director James Ponsoldt in The Spectacular Now (2013). She played Holly, the main character's sister. She also briefly returned as Lucy in A Good Day to Die Hard (2013).

In 2014, she played the main role in Alex of Venice. Critics praised her "extraordinary" performance in the film. She also starred in Faults, a film directed by her then-husband. Her acting in this movie was also highly praised.

She appeared in the thriller Kill the Messenger (2014). She played an editor in this true story film.

In 2015, Mary Elizabeth starred in the TV series The Returned. She also made a guest appearance on Comedy Bang! Bang!.

From 2016 to 2017, she played Mary Phinney in the historical drama Mercy Street. Her performance was highly rated by reviewers.

In 2016, she starred in the thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane. She played Michelle, a woman trapped in a shelter. The movie was a big success, and critics loved her strong performance.

She also appeared in the independent films Swiss Army Man and The Hollars in 2016.

In 2016, she was the lead in the TV show BrainDead. Critics enjoyed her as the main hero.

In 2017, Mary Elizabeth starred with Ewan McGregor in the third season of Fargo. She played Nikki Swango, a clever character. Her acting in Fargo was very well received.

In 2018, she starred in the comedy All About Nina. Her performance earned her more praise.

She reunited with Aaron Paul in The Parts You Lose (2019). In 2019, she also starred with Will Smith in the action film Gemini Man.

In 2020, she played the Huntress in the DC Comics film Birds of Prey. She also voiced a character in the animated series Love, Death & Robots (2019).

In 2021, she starred in the action film Kate. In 2023, she joined the cast of the Disney+ Star Wars series Ahsoka.

Singing Career

Mary Elizabeth has always loved to sing. In 2007, she sang "Baby It's You" in the movie Death Proof. Everyone was surprised by her singing talent.

Got a Girl

In 2012, Mary Elizabeth announced she was working on music with Dan the Automator. The next year, they formed a band called Got a Girl. Their first song, "You & Me," came out in 2013.

Their album, I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now, was released in 2014. The music has a French pop style. Mary Elizabeth wrote all the lyrics for the songs.

Other Music Appearances

She has also sung on songs for other artists. She was featured on two songs for Deltron 3030's album Event 2 in 2013.

In 2016, she sang on the song "Santa Monica" by Honus Honus. In 2016, she also appeared in the music video for "Noise Pollution" by Portugal. The Man.

Personal Life

In 2010, Mary Elizabeth married filmmaker Riley Stearns. They had met on a cruise when she was eighteen. She starred in and produced his first movie, Faults, in 2014. They separated in 2017 and later divorced.

In 2017, it was reported that she was in a relationship with actor Ewan McGregor. They met while working on the TV series Fargo. Their son, Laurie, was born in 2021. Mary Elizabeth and Ewan McGregor got married in April 2022.

Filmography

Feature films

Television

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mary Elizabeth Winstead para niños