Episode 268 - Mary McCormack

Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Mary McCormack is one of today’s boldest and most versatile actresses, continually challenging herself with roles that often defy Hollywood standards and bring to light the complex lives of ordinary women. The LA Times says, “McCormack has a kind of 20th century sass, a lively impertinence you find in classic Hollywood comedians like Barbara Stanwyck, Irene Dunne and Rosalind Russell.” She has shown her immense talent working in film, television and on stage, and has tackled roles ranging from slapstick comedy to intense drama. Tony-nominated for her role in Broadway’s “Boeing Boeing” opposite Mark Rylance, she is also widely known for her four seasons as a regular cast member of “The West Wing" (two SAG Award nominations), as the lead of USA’s critically acclaimed “In Plain Sight,” and for her role opposite Howard Stern in Private Parts.

McCormack’s recent television work includes starring roles in the ABC series “The Kids Are Alright,” the AMC series “Loaded,” the NBC comedy series “Welcome To The Family” as well as arcs on such shows as HBO’s “The Newsroom,” “Scandal” (ABC), Gus van Sant’s award-winning miniseries “When We Rise” (ABC), “House of Lies” (Showtime) and the “Will & Grace” reboot (NBC). McCormack will also appear in the new Hulu Blumhouse anthology series “Treehouse.” McCormack can also be seen in the HBO Max feature Unpregnant. In non-scripted, McCormack produces the hit game show “25 Words or Less” alongside Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky which was just renewed for a second season. Next up, McCormack can be seen staring in the STARZ series “Heels.”

McCormack returned to the Broadway stage in 2008 to star in “Boeing Boeing” alongside Christine Baranski, Mark Rylance and Bradley Whitford. Marc Camoletti’s classic sixties comedy won the Tony for Best Revival and earned McCormack a 2008 Tony nomination for “Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play.” Additional stage credits include a highly successful run opposite Alan Cumming as Sally Bowles in the Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall-directed Broadway production of “Cabaret” for the Roundabout Theatre Company, as well as the acclaimed London stage production of Neil LaBute’s play “Bash,” the David Warren-directed productions of “My Marriage To Earnest Borgnine” and Jon Robin Baitz’s “A Fair Country.”

McCormack breakout performance, opposite Howard Stern in Private Parts, won her universal critical acclaim. McCormack’s additional television and feature credits include: Aaron Sorkin’s NBC smash hit “The West Wing,” a recurring role on “ER,” Right At Your Door, the Stephen King thriller 1408, Christopher Guests’ “For Your Consideration,” the Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney HBO political series “K-Street,” as Justine Appleton in Steve Bochco’s “Murder One,” as well as the USA Network miniseries “Traffic,” directed by Stephen Hopkins (24). In addition, McCormack has appeared in varied roles in such films as Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star opposite David Spade; K-PAX opposite Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey; Full Frontal, directed by Steven Soderbergh and opposite David Duchovny and Catherine Keener; High Heels & Low Lifes with Minnie Driver; Mystery, Alaska, written by David E. Kelley and starring Russell Crowe; Other Voices, with Stockard Channing and Campbell Scott; The Broken Hearts Club, opposite John Mahoney and Timothy Olyphant; The Big Tease opposite Craig Ferguson; Gun Shy with Sandra Bullock and Liam Neeson; the Clint Eastwood film, True Crime; Mimi Leder’s Deep Impact; The Alarmist, opposite Stanley Tucci; Father’s Day and Miracle on 34th Street. She also appeared in Michael G. Cooney's The Men and the feature film Drone with Sean Bean as well as Amazon’s period drama American Girl: Mary Ellen.

Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, McCormack is a graduate of Trinity College and resides with her family in Los Angeles.

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