Mary McDonnell
ActingAbout Mary McDonnell
Mary Eileen McDonnell (born April 28, 1952) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles as Stands With A Fist in Dances With Wolves and May-Alice Culhane in Passion Fish. McDonnell is well known for her performances as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, First Lady Marilyn Whitmore in Independence Day, and Rose in Donnie Darko. She was featured as Captain Sharon Raydor during seasons 5–7 of the TNT series The Closer and starred as Commander Sharon Raydor in the spin-off series Major Crimes on the same network. In 2023, she played Madeleine Usher in the miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mary McDonnell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Mary McDonnell Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Mary McDonnell reflects a strong mix of popular and critically appreciated roles. Across 40 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Mary McDonnell's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 57% of Mary McDonnell's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Mariette in Ecstasy, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Mary McDonnell Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Mary McDonnell's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Mary McDonnell has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Broke | Kathy Brandywine | Hit | Similar → |
| 2021 | The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf | Lady Zerbst (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | Margin Call | Mary Rogers | Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | Scream 4 | Kate Roberts | Hit | Similar → |
| 2009 | Hostile Makeover | Rose Smithsonian | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | Battlestar Galactica: Razor | President Laura Roslin | Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | Mrs. Harris | Vivian Schulte | Average | Similar → |
| 2004 | Crazy Like a Fox | Amy Banks | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | The Making of ‘Sneakers’ | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Dances with Wolves: The Creation of an Epic | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Nola | Margaret Langworthy | Hit | Similar → |
| 2002 | The Locket | Helen Staples | Flop | Similar → |
| 2001 | Donnie Darko | Rose Darko | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2000 | For All Time | Laura Brown | Average | Similar → |
| 2000 | A Father's Choice | Susan Shaw | Flop | Similar → |
| 1999 | Mumford | Althea Brockett | Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | Replacing Dad | Linda Marsh | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | Behind the Mask | Mary Shushan | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | You Can Thank Me Later | Diane | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | Evidence of Blood | Dora Overton | Hit | Similar → |
| 1997 | 12 Angry Men | Judge | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1997 | Two Voices | Sybil Goldrich | Average | Similar → |
| 1996 | Mariette in Ecstasy | Prioress | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Independence Day: The ID4 Invasion | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | The Making of 'Independence Day' | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 1996 | Independence Day | Marilyn Whitmore | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Woman Undone | Teri Hansen | Flop | Similar → |
| 1994 | Blue Chips | Jenny | Average | Similar → |
| 1993 | The American Clock | Rose Baumler | Average | Similar → |
| 1992 | Passion Fish | May-Alice Culhane | Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | Sneakers | Liz | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Grand Canyon | Claire | Average | Similar → |
| 1990 | The Making of 'Dances with Wolves' | Herself | Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Dances with Wolves | Stands With A Fist | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Tiger Warsaw | Paula Warsaw | Average | Similar → |
| 1987 | Matewan | Elma Radnor | Hit | Similar → |
| 1986 | Courage | Gabriella Estrada | Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | Garbo Talks | Lady Capulet | Average | Similar → |
| 1982 | Money on the Side | Terri | Flop | Similar → |
| N/A | One Second After | Jen | Flop | Similar → |
Mary McDonnell - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Mary McDonnell?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Mary McDonnell is "Mariette in Ecstasy" with a rating of 8.0/10.
How many movies has Mary McDonnell acted in?
Mary McDonnell has been featured in at least 40 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Mary McDonnell?
Other notable films include "Dances with Wolves: The Creation of an Epic", "Donnie Darko", and "Dances with Wolves".