Mary McCormack

{{short description|American actress (born 1969)}}

{{about|the actress|the opera singer|Mary McCormic|the chief justice of Michigan|Bridget Mary McCormack}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Mary McCormack

| image = Mary McCormack 2022.jpg

| caption = McCormack in 2022

| birth_name = Mary Catherine McCormack

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1969|2|8}}

| birth_place = Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.

| spouse = {{marriage|Michael Morris|2003}}

| children = 3

| relatives = Bridget Mary McCormack (sister)
Will McCormack (brother)

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1994–present

| citizenship = American

| education = Trinity College (BA)

}}

Mary Catherine McCormack (born February 8, 1969{{cite web| url = https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mary-mccormack/bio/165098 | title = Mary McCormack | website = TVGuide.com | access-date=2014-03-11}}) is an American actress.

She has had leading roles as Justine Appleton on the series Murder One (1995–1997), as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper on The West Wing (2004–2006), as Deputy U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon on In Plain Sight (2008–2012), and as Peggy on the comedy series The Kids Are Alright (2018–2019).

McCormack's film roles include Private Parts (1997), Deep Impact (1998), True Crime (1999), Mystery, Alaska (1999), K-PAX (2001), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) and 1408 (2007).

Early life

McCormack was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. She is the daughter of clinical therapist Norah and car dealership and ice cream parlor owner William McCormack.{{Cite web |title=Mary McCormack Biography (1969-) |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/7/Mary-McCormack.html |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=www.filmreference.com}} Her parents divorced in 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20121770,00.html|title=Buddy Mary|date=April 7, 1997|author=Michael A. Lipton|publisher=People|access-date=June 20, 2012}} Her sister Bridget was the chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court{{cite web|url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2012/11/09/270084.htm|title=GOP Holds on to Michigan Supreme Court Majority|date=November 9, 2012|author=Mike Householder|publisher=Insurance Journal|access-date=November 10, 2012}} and a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School.[http://web.law.umich.edu/_facultyBioPage/facultybiopagenew.asp?ID=35 "Bridget M. McCormack, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Clinical Professor of Law"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924075139/http://web.law.umich.edu/_FacultyBioPage/facultybiopagenew.asp?ID=35 |date=2012-09-24 }} Bio at Michigan Law Her brother William is an actor, writer and producer{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080601/LIVING/629564278|title='In Plain Sight': Mary McCormack relishes chance to play a character with flaws|date=June 1, 2008|author=Frazier Moore|publisher=The Herald|access-date=June 20, 2012}} who has appeared in a recurring role as FBI agent Robert O'Connor on In Plain Sight.

In 1987, McCormack graduated from the Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, New Jersey. In 1991, she received her BA in comparative arts, specifically painting and creative writing, from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.{{cite web|url=http://www.trincoll.edu/Alumni/Pages/default.aspx|title=Trinity College Alumni Pages Class of 1991|publisher=Trinity College|access-date=October 6, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928131439/http://www.trincoll.edu/Alumni/Pages/default.aspx|archive-date=September 28, 2012}}

Career

McCormack began her acting career at age 12, performing in Gian Carlo Menotti's Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/05/26/mary-mccormack-talks-female-soldiers-memorial-day-concert/35275387/|title=Mary McCormack talks to female soldiers at Memorial Day concert|work=Lansing State Journal|access-date=2018-11-21|language=en}} She continued her stage work in musicals and finished an acting program at the William Esper Studio. She has worked in New York theater productions, including The Atlantic Theater Company, Alice's 4th Floor, and Naked Angels, where she appeared in Jon Robin Baitz's A Fair Country.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/features/performers/mary-mccormack/|title=Mary McCormack {{!}} National Memorial Day Concert {{!}} PBS|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=2018-11-21}}

McCormack portrayed Justine Appleton on Murder One (1995–1997) and also starred in the HBO series K Street.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/02/mary-mccormack-set-as-the-lead-in-kari-lizers-abc-comedy-pilot-233258/|title=Mary McCormack Set As The Lead In Kari Lizer's ABC Comedy Pilot|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=2012-02-19|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-04-25}} She starred in Howard Stern's movie Private Parts in 1997. In 2004, McCormack joined the cast of The West Wing as Deputy National Security Advisor and ex-CIA officer Kate Harper. Her character soon became a recurring role throughout the last three seasons.{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/02/19/mary-mccormack/|title='West Wing' actress to star in ABC comedy pilot|date=February 19, 2012|author=James Hibberd|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 20, 2012}}

McCormack starred in the USA Network series In Plain Sight. She portrayed Mary Shannon, a deputy United States marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, office of the Federal Witness Security Program (WITSEC), more commonly known as the Federal Witness Protection Program. On July 28, 2010, the show was renewed for its fourth and fifth seasons, to run in 2011 and 2012.{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/07/28/in-plain-sight-renewed-by-usa-for-two-more-seasons/58474 |title='In Plain Sight' Renewed by USA for Two More Seasons |first=Robert |last=Seidman |date=July 28, 2010 |work=TVbythenumbers.zap2it.com |access-date=July 13, 2011 |archive-date=August 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801203008/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/07/28/in-plain-sight-renewed-by-usa-for-two-more-seasons/58474 |url-status=dead }} The show was ended in 2011, making the fifth season its last.{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/08/11/usa-renews-cancels-in-plain-sight/|title=USA cancels In Plain Sight|date=August 11, 2011|author=James Hibberd|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 20, 2012}} After its end, McCormack was cast as the lead in Kari Lizer's untitled comedy pilot on ABC.{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2012/02/19/mary-mccormack-kari-lizer-abc-comedy/|title=Mary McCormack Cast in ABC Comedy Pilot|date=February 19, 2012|author=Vlada Gelman|publisher=TVLine.com|access-date=June 20, 2012}}

McCormack was nominated for the 2008 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for the role of Gretchen in the 2008 Broadway revival of Boeing Boeing.{{Cite web |title=The Tony Award Nominations |url=https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=www.tonyawards.com |language=en-US}}

McCormack appeared seven times as a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. On her fourth visit in 2009, she gave the host, Craig Ferguson, a novelty coffee mug in the shape of a rattlesnake from the gift shop of the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque. Ferguson promised to use this mug on all future shows and kept his promise.{{Cite news |last=Yahr |first=Emily |date=2021-12-03 |title=A guide to Craig Ferguson’s weirdest traditions you’ll never see on late-night TV again after this year |language=en-US |work=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/04/29/a-guide-to-craig-fergusons-weirdest-traditions-youll-never-see-on-late-night-tv-again-after-this-year/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |issn=0190-8286}}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoAGRdA2Zpo Mary McCormack – Mother Of The RattleSnake Mug – 7/7 Visits] on Youtube After his last show, he donated the mug back to the museum.[https://www.zoochat.com/community/media/rattlesnake-mug-made-famous-by-craig-ferguson.302590/ zoochat.com]

In 2012, McCormack reunited with the cast of The West Wing to film a video that served both as a reminder that U.S. voters should vote for nonpartisan candidates when they cast their ballots and as a video promoting McCormack's sister's ultimately successful judicial candidacy for the Michigan State Supreme Court.{{cite web|url=http://www.mccormackforjustice.com/west-wing-casts-reunites-for-bridget-mary-mccormack/|title=West Wing casts reunites for Bridget Mary McCormack|date=September 20, 2012|author=Dawson Bell|website=www.mccormackforjustice.com|access-date=June 20, 2012}}

In October 2013, McCormack started filming scenes for The Crash (previously titled A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island) alongside Frank Grillo, AnnaSophia Robb, Minnie Driver, Dianna Agron, John Leguizamo, Ed Westwick, Christopher McDonald and Maggie Q.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/frank-grillo-jekyll-island-minnie-driver-1200775773/|title='The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)|author=Kroll,Justin|work=Variety|date=29 October 2013 }} The film is directed by Aram Rappaport and produced by Hilary Shor, Atit Shah and Aaron Becker.{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/2013/film/news/frank-grillo-jekyll-island-minnie-driver-1200775773/|title='The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Justin|last=Kroll|work=Variety|date=29 October 2013 |access-date=March 1, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/frank-grillo-jekyll-island-minnie-driver-1200775773/|title='The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Justin|last=Kroll|date=October 29, 2013|work=Variety}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/mary-mccormack-conspiracy-on-jekyll-island-1200910169/|title=Mary McCormack Joins Ensemble 'Conspiracy on Jekyll Island'|first=Justin|last=Kroll|date=December 2, 2013|work=Variety}} The film had a direct-to-VOD and limited release on January 13, 2017, in North America.{{cite web|url=http://theplaylist.net/frank-grillo-tries-stop-economic-cyber-attack-trailer-crash-20161213/|title=Frank Grillo Tries To Stop An Economic Cyber Attack In Trailer For 'The Crash'|date=13 December 2016|publisher=}}

In 2016, McCormack played a supporting role in the Amazon.com exclusive special An American Girl Story – Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas alongside Alyvia Alyn Lind, who played the title character.{{Cite web |title=This American Girl Christmas Special Trailer Will Warm Your Heart — Exclusive |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/11/03/american-girl-christmas-trailer-amazon/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=EW.com |language=en}}

In 2018, McCormack began starring in the ABC sitcom The Kids Are Alright as Catholic family matriarch Peggy Cleary. ABC canceled the series after one season.{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2019/05/10/the-kids-are-alright-cancelled-no-season-2-abc/|title=The Kids Are Alright Cancelled at ABC|last=Mason|first=Charlie|work=TVLine|date=May 10, 2019|accessdate=May 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510175111/https://tvline.com/2019/05/10/the-kids-are-alright-cancelled-no-season-2-abc/|archive-date=May 10, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2021, McCormack began starring in the Starz drama Heels as Willie Day, the protagonist's business partner. Starz canceled the series after two seasons.{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Racquel |date=September 25, 2023 |title='Blindspotting' and 'Heels' Among 4 Shows Canceled by Starz |url=https://www.thewrap.com/starz-cancels-blindspotting-heels-run-the-world-the-venery-of-samantha-bird/ |access-date=September 25, 2023 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}

Personal life

In July 2003, McCormack married director and producer Michael Morris.{{cite news | url = http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20483524,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110426011925/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20483524,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = April 26, 2011 | title=Mary McCormack Expecting Third Child | first=Julie | last=Jordan | work = People | date= April 22, 2011}} Together they have three children.{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20527377,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924193603/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20527377,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2011|title=Mary McCormack Welcomes a Daughter|date=September 11, 2011| first=Julie | last=Jordan | work = People | access-date=December 1, 2020}}

McCormack and Morris are executive producers of the game show 25 Words or Less, hosted by Meredith Vieira. McCormack is a frequent celebrity panelist on the show, as are fellow executive producers Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2018-07-11 |title=Meredith Vieira To Host ’25 Words or Less’ Game Show For Summer Run On Fox TV Stations |url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/meredith-vieira-host-25-words-or-less-game-show-trial-run-fox-tv-stations-1202424605/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-09-13 |title='25 Words or Less' host Meredith Vieira: I'm done with morning TV |url=https://nypost.com/2019/09/13/25-words-or-less-host-meredith-vieira-im-done-with-morning-tv/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |language=en-US}}

McCormack is the godmother of In Plain Sight co-star Fred Weller's daughter.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/news/mary-mccormack-and-frederick-weller-dish-on-in-plain-sight|title=Mary McCormack and Frederick Weller Dish on In Plain Sight|date=June 1, 2008|author=Brian Gallagher|publisher=Movieweb|access-date=January 28, 2012}}

Filmography

= Film =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1994

| Miracle on 34th Street

| Myrna Foy

|

1995

| Backfire!

| Sarah Jackson

|

1997

| Colin Fitz Lives!

| Moira

|

1997

| Private Parts

| Alison Stern

|

1997

| Fathers' Day

| Virginia Farrell

| Uncredited

1997

| {{sortname|The|Alarmist|The Alarmist (film)}}

| Sally

|

1998

| Deep Impact

| Andrea Baker

|

1998

| Harvest

| Agent Becka Anslinger

|

1999

| Getting to Know You

| Leila Lee

|

1999

| True Crime

| Michelle Ziegler

|

1999

| Mystery, Alaska

| Donna Biebe

|

1999

| {{sortname|The|Big Tease}}

| Monique

|

2000

| Other Voices

| Anna

|

2000

| {{sortname|The|Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy}}

| Anne

|

2000

| Gun Shy

| Gloria Minetti-Nesstra

|

2000

| East of A

| Daphne

|

2001

| BigLove

| Phoebe

| Short film

2001

| High Heels and Low Lifes

| Frances

|

2001

| World Traveler

| Margaret

|

2001

| K-PAX

| Rachel Powell

|

2002

| Full Frontal

| Linda

|

2003

| Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

| Grace Finney

|

2005

| Madison

| Bonnie McCormick

|

2006

| Right at Your Door

| Lexi

|

2006

| For Your Consideration

| Pilgrim Woman

|

2007

| 1408

| Lily

|

2009

| Streetcar

| Casting Director

| Short film

2012

| Should've Been Romeo

| Ellen

|

2014

| Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery

| Ms. Richards

|

2015

| A Country Called Home

| Amanda

|

2016

| An American Girl Story – Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas

| Kay Larkin

|

2017

| The Crash

| Sarah Schwab

|

2017

| Drone

| Ellen Wistin

|

2017

| Alien Code

| Rebecca Stillman

|

2020

| Unpregnant

| Debra Clarke

|

TBA

| Vicious

| {{TBA}}

| Post-production

= Television =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1994

| Law & Order

| Rickie

| Episode: "Doubles"

1994

| Roseanne

| Michele

| Episode: "Isn't It Romantic?"

1995

| {{sortname|The|Wright Verdicts|nolink=1}}

| Beth Eckhart

| Episode: "Family Matters"

1995–1997

| Murder One

| Justine Appleton

| Main role; 41 episodes

1997

| Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer

| Justine Appleton

| TV mini-series

2001

| More, Patience

| Patience More

| TV movie

2002

| Julie Lydecker

| Julie Lydecker

| TV movie

2003

| K Street

| Maggie Morris

| Main role; 10 episodes

2003, 2006

| ER

| Debbie

| Recurring role; 6 episodes

2004

| Traffic

| Carole McKay

| TV mini-series
Nominated – Prism Award for Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries (2005)

2004–2006

| {{sortname|The|West Wing}}

| Kate Harper

| Recurring role (season 5); main role (seasons 6–7); 48 episodes
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2005, 2006)

2008

| Law & Order: Criminal Intent

| Deputy US Marshal Mary Shannon

| Episode: "Contract"

2008–2012

| In Plain Sight

| Deputy US Marshal Mary Shannon

| Lead role; 61 episodes
Nominated – Prism Award for Performance in a Drama Episode (2009)

2013

| Welcome to the Family

| Caroline Yoder

| Main role; 5 episodes

2013

| Escape from Polygamy

| Leann

| TV movie

2014

| Scandal

| Lisa Elliot

| Episode: "The State of the Union"

2014

| The Newsroom

| Molly

| 2 episodes

2015

| House of Lies

| Denna Altshuler

| Recurring role; 7 episodes

2016

| Divorce

| Kathy DeSantis

| Episode: "Weekend Plans"

2016–2017

| Chelsea

| Herself

| Recurring role; 8 episodes

2016–2017

| Angie Tribeca

| Abigail Liukin

| Recurring role; 3 episodes

2017

| When We Rise

| Roberta Kaplan

| TV mini-series

2017

| Loaded

| Casey

| Main role; 8 episodes

2018–present

| 25 Words or Less

| Herself

| Recurring guest, also executive producer

2018

| Falling Water

| Taylor Bennett

| Recurring role; 8 episodes

2018–2019

| Will & Grace

| Janet Adler

| 2 episodes

2018

| For the People

| Chloe Daniels

| Episode: "The Library Fountain"

2018–2019

| The Kids Are Alright

| Peggy Cleary

| Main role, 23 episodes

2019

| Into the Dark

| Lilith

| Episode: "Treehouse"

2021–2023

| Heels

| Willie Day

| Main role, 16 episodes{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/heels-kelli-berglund-starz-wrestling-drama-series-stephen-amell-1202842743/|title='Heels': Kelli Berglund Joins Starz's Wrestling Drama Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=January 27, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/independent-wrestling-drama-heels-sets-series-debut-date-on-starz-1234747975/|title = Independent Wrestling Drama 'Heels' Sets Series Debut Date on Starz|date = May 3, 2021}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ As a producer

Year

! Title

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2010

| In Plain Sight

| Episode: "Father Goes West"

Theater

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1999

|Cabaret

|Sally Bowles

|Replacement

2008

|Boeing-Boeing

|Gretchen

|

References

{{Reflist|30em}}