Mary McCormack

This article is about the actress. For the opera singer, see Mary McCormic.
Mary McCormack

McCormack in April 2012
Born Mary Catherine McCormack
(1969-02-08) February 8, 1969
Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1995present
Spouse(s) Michael Morris (m. 2003)
Children 3

Mary Catherine McCormack (born February 8, 1969)[1] is an American actress. She has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One (1995–97), as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing (2004–06) and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight (2008–12).

Her film roles include Private Parts (1997); Deep Impact (1998); True Crime (1999); High Heels and Low Lifes (2001); K-PAX (2001); Right at Your Door (2006), and 1408 (2007).

Early life

McCormack was born in Plainfield, New Jersey.[1] She is the daughter of clinical therapist Norah and car dealership and ice cream parlor owner William McCormack.[2] Her parents divorced in 1990.[3] Her sister Bridget is a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court,[4] and a former professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School,[5] and her brother William is an actor[6] who has appeared in a recurring role as FBI agent Robert O'Connor on In Plain Sight.

In 1983, 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.[7]

Career

McCormack began her acting career at age 12, performing in Gian Carlo Menotti's Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors. She continued her stage work in musicals and finished an acting program at the William Esper Studio.[3] 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.

McCormack portrayed Justine Appleton on Murder One (19951997)[3] and also starred in the HBO series K Street, which aired for only ten episodes. She starred in Howard Stern's movie Private Parts in 1997.[3] 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 and remained throughout the last three seasons until the series finale.[8]

McCormack starred in 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.[9] The show was cancelled in 2011, making the fifth season its last.[10] After its end, McCormack was cast as the lead in Kari Lizer's untitled comedy pilot on ABC.[11]

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.[12]

In 2012, McCormack reunited with the cast of West Wing to film a video that served both as a reminder that U.S. voters should vote for non-partisan 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.[13]

In October 2013, McCormack started filming scenes for A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island alongside Frank Grillo, AnnaSophia Robb, Minnie Driver, Dianna Agron, John Leguizamo, Ed Westwick, Christopher McDonald and Maggie Q.[14] The film is directed by Aram Rappaport and produced by Hilary Shor, Atit Shah and Aaron Becker. Jekyll Island is set to release in 2016.[15][16][17]

Personal life

In July 2003, McCormack married director and producer Michael Morris.[18] They have three daughters, Margaret (born c. 2004), Rose (born c. 2007), and Lillian (born 2011).[19]

McCormack is the godmother of In Plain Sight co-star Fred Weller's daughter.[20]

In late 2013, McCormack became estranged from Morris, when he had an affair with Katharine McPhee, an actress on the television series Smash, for which he was a director.[21] The couple had reconciled by mid-2014.[22]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role 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 Alarmist, TheThe Alarmist 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 Big Tease, TheThe Big Tease Monique
2000 Other Voices Anna
2000 Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy, TheThe 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
2013 Escape from Polygamy Leann
2014 Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery Ms. Richards
2015 A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island Sarah Schwab
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1994 Law & Order Rickie Episode: "Doubles"
1995 Wright Verdicts, TheThe Wright Verdicts Beth Eckhart Episode: "Family Matters"
1995–1997 Murder One Justine Appleton 41 episodes
1997 Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer Justine Appleton TV miniseries
2001 More, Patience Patience More TV movie
2002 Julie Lydecker Julie Lydecker TV movie
2003 K Street Maggie Morris 10 episodes
2003 ER Debbie Episode: "The Lost"
Episode: "Makemba"
2004 Traffic Carole McKay TV miniseries
2004–2006 West Wing, TheThe West Wing Kate Harper 48 episodes
2006 ER Debbie 4 episodes
2008 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Mary Shannon Episode: "Contract"
2008–2012 In Plain Sight Mary Shannon 61 episodes, lead role
2013 Welcome to the Family Caroline Yoder 5 episodes
2014 The Newsroom (U.S. TV series) Molly 1
2015 House of Lies Denna Altshuler 7 episodes
Theatre
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Cabaret Sally Bowles Replacement
2008 Boeing-Boeing Gretchen
Producer
Year Title Notes
2010 In Plain Sight Episode: "Father Goes West"

References

  1. 1 2 "Mary McCormack". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  2. Mary McCormack Biography (1969-) Film Reference.com
  3. 1 2 3 4 Michael A. Lipton (April 7, 1997). "Buddy Mary". People.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  4. Mike Householder (November 9, 2012). "GOP Holds on to Michigan Supreme Court Majority". Insurance Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  5. "Bridget M. McCormack, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Clinical Professor of Law" Bio at Michigan Law
  6. Frazier Moore (June 1, 2008). "'In Plain Sight': Mary McCormack relishes chance to play a character with flaws". The Herald. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  7. "Trinity College Alumni Pages Class of 1991". Trinity College. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  8. James Hibberd (February 19, 2012). "'West Wing' actress to star in ABC comedy pilot". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  9. Seidman, Robert (July 28, 2010). "'In Plain Sight' Renewed by USA for Two More Seasons". TVbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  10. James Hibberd (August 11, 2011). "USA cancels In Plain Sight". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  11. Vlada Gelman (February 19, 2012). "Mary McCormack Cast in ABC Comedy Pilot". TVLine.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  12. Nominations Tony Awards
  13. Dawson Bell (September 20, 2012). "West Wing casts reunites for Bridget Mary McCormack". http://www.mccormackforjustice.com. Retrieved June 20, 2012. External link in |publisher= (help)
  14. Justin Kroll. "‘The Butler’ Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  15. Kroll, Justin. "'The Butler' Producer Sets up Next Pic Starring Frank Grillo and Minnie Driver (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  16. http://variety.com/2013/film/news/frank-grillo-jekyll-island-minnie-driver-1200775773/
  17. http://variety.com/2013/film/news/mary-mccormack-conspiracy-on-jekyll-island-1200910169/
  18. Jordan, Julie (April 22, 2011). "Mary McCormack Expecting Third Child". People.
  19. Jordan, Julie (September 11, 2011). "Mary McCormack Welcomes a Daughter". People. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  20. Brian Gallagher (June 1, 2008). "Mary McCormack and Frederick Weller Dish on In Plain Sight". Movieweb. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  21. "Mary McCormack has girls’ night out". New York Post. January 18, 2014.
  22. "Mary McCormack to Katharine McPhee -- Suck It! I'm Keeping My Husband". TMZ.com. July 3, 2014.

External links

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