Mary Stuart Masterson (born June 28, 1966) is an American actress and director. She has starred in the films '' At Close Range'' (1986), '' Some Kind of Wonderful'' (1987), '' Chances Are'' (1989), ''

Fried Green Tomatoes ''Fried Green Tomatoes'' is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel ''Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe''. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jes ...

'' (1991) and '' Benny & Joon'' (1993). She won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1989 film '' Immediate Family'', and was nominated for the

Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical has been presented since 1950. The award was not given at the first three Tony Award ceremonies. Nominees were not announced publicly until 1956. Winners and nominees 1950 ...

for the 2003

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

revival of '' Nine''.

Early life and education

Masterson was born June 28, 1966, in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

(some sources cite Los Angeles, CA) the daughter of writer-director-actor-producer Peter Masterson and singer-actress

Carlin Glynn Carlin Glynn (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer and retired actress. She is the mother of actress Mary Stuart Masterson. Life and career Glynn was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in Houston, Texas ...

. She has two siblings: Peter Jr., and Alexandra. As a teenager, she attended

Stagedoor Manor Stagedoor Manor is a performing arts training center located in Loch Sheldrake, New York. Since its opening, it has trained thousands of young actors, many of whom have gone on to success in film, television, and theater. Stagedoor Manor is ...

Performing Arts Training Center in upstate New York with actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Cryer. Later, she attended schools in New York, including eight months studying

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

Career

Masterson's first film appearance was in '' The Stepford Wives'' (1975) at the age of eight, playing a daughter to her real-life father. Rather than continue her career as a child actor, she chose to continue her studies, although she did appear in several productions at the

Dalton School The Dalton School, originally the Children's University School, is a private, coeducational college preparatory school in New York City and a member of both the Ivy Preparatory School League and the New York Interschool. The school is located i ...

. In 1985, she returned to cinema in '' Heaven Help Us'' as Danni, a courageous teen running the soda shop of her gravely depressed father. She appeared with

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

and

Christopher Walken Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. Prolific in film, television and on stage, Walken is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Awa ...

in the film '' At Close Range'' (1986) as Brad Jr's girlfriend Terry, a film based on an actual rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. during the 1960s and 1970s. She later starred as the tomboyish drummer Watts in the teenage drama '' Some Kind of Wonderful'' (1987). As a result, she is loosely connected with the

Brat Pack The ''Brat Pack'' is a nickname given to a group of young actors who frequently appeared together in teen-oriented coming-of-age films in the 1980s. First mentioned in a 1985 ''New York'' magazine article, it is now usually defined as the cast ...

. The same year

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...

cast her in '' Gardens of Stone'' in which she acted with her parents who were hired by Coppola to play her on-screen parents. In 1989, she played in '' Chances Are'' alongside

Cybill Shepherd Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born February 18, 1950) is an American actress and former model. Her film debut and breakthrough role came as Jacy Farrow in Peter Bogdanovich's coming-of-age drama ''The Last Picture Show'' (1971) alongside Jeff Bridges. ...

Ryan O'Neal Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941) is an American actor and former boxer. He trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera '' Peyton Place ...

and Robert Downey Jr., and she starred as Lucy Moore, a teenage girl giving up her first baby to a wealthy couple, played by Glenn Close and

James Woods James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off- Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in ''The Trial of the ...

in '' Immediate Family''. For her work in that film she received a "Best Supporting Actress" award from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.

1990s

Masterson continued acting in films and television during the 1990s. In 1991, she starred in ''

'', a film based on the novel ''

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe ''Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe'' is a 1987 novel by American author Fannie Flagg. Set in Alabama, it weaves together the past and the present through the blossoming friendship between Evelyn Couch, a middle-aged housewife, and N ...

''. The film was well-received, with film critic

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

applauding Masterson's work. The following year she was invited to host ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

''. In 1993, she played opposite

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Awa ...

in '' Benny & Joon'' as Joon, his mentally ill love interest. In 1994, she acted in '' Bad Girls'', playing Anita Crown, a former prostitute, who joins with three other former prostitutes (played by Madeleine Stowe,

Andie MacDowell Rosalie Anderson MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell's known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. MacDowell has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman ...

and Drew Barrymore) in traveling the

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

. In 1996, Masterson acted alongside

Christian Slater Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." D ...

in the romantic drama '' Bed of Roses''.

2000s

Although Masterson carried on her work in the film industry, by 2000 she had made a move towards television. In 2001, she produced her own television series, '' Kate Brasher'', which was canceled by CBS after six episodes. In 2004, Masterson played Dr. Helen Taussig in the

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

and

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

-winning HBO biographical drama '' Something the Lord Made''. Between 2004 and 2007, she made five guest starring appearances on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' as Dr. Rebecca Hendrix. A decade later, she appeared in a recurring role as FBI director Eleanor Hirst in the second and third seasons of '' Blindspot''. Masterson has appeared in Broadway theater productions, and was nominated for a 2003

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

as "Best Featured Actress in a Musical" in the

Maury Yeston Maury Yeston (born October 23, 1945) is an American composer, lyricist and music theorist. He is known as the initiator of new Broadway musicals and writing their music and lyrics, as well as a classical orchestral and ballet composer, Yale Uni ...

musical '' Nine: The Musical'', directed by David Leveaux. Masterson has narrated several audiobooks, including ''I See You Everywhere'' by

Julia Glass Julia Glass (born March 23, 1956) is an American novelist. Her debut novel, ''Three Junes'', won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2002.

, ''

Book of the Dead The ''Book of the Dead'' ( egy, 𓂋𓏤𓈒𓈒𓈒𓏌𓏤𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤, ''rw n(y)w prt m hrw(w)'') is an ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom ( ...

'' by

Patricia Cornwell Patricia Cornwell (born Patricia Carroll Daniels; June 9, 1956) is an American crime writer. She is known for her best-selling novels featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta, of which the first was inspired by a series of sensational murders i ...

, ''The Quickie'' by

James Patterson James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author. Among his works are the '' Alex Cross'', '' Michael Bennett'', '' Women's Murder Club'', '' Maximum Ride'', '' Daniel X'', '' NYPD Red'', '' Witch & Wizard'', and ''Private'' ...

and ''Look Again'' by Lisa Scottoline.

Directing

In May 1993, Masterson revealed she had written a screenplay for a film tentatively entitled ''Around the Block'', a romantic comedy about a "woman who conquers her fears by becoming a singer"; in a cover story about ''Benny & Joon''s box office success, she told ''Entertainment Weekly'' she was going to direct it herself, with

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as ...

expected that autumn. In 2001, she began her directing career with a segment titled "The Other Side" in the television movie ''On the Edge''. Masterson made her feature film directorial debut in 2007, with '' The Cake Eaters'', which premiered at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival as well as the

Ashland Independent Film Festival The Ashland Independent Film Festival is held in Ashland, Oregon, United States. It has been organized by the non-profit Southern Oregon Film Society since 2001. Founded by D.W. and Steve Wood, the festival is held each spring over five days at th ...

where it received the 'Audience Award – Dramatic Feature' prize in 2008. Of her move to directing, Masterson said in an interview, "When I signed to do this, I wasn't scared but, yes, it was scary. I'm already 40, although we don't want to talk about that. In '92, I wrote my first screenplay, which I then was to direct, but I ended up taking an acting job because it takes forever to get a movie made."

Personal life

Masterson was married to George Carl Francisco from 1990 to 1992 and to filmmaker

Damon Santostefano Damon Santostefano (born August 15, 1959) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the 1999 Warner Brothers feature film ''Three to Tango'' starring Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell and Dylan McDermott; '' Brin ...

from 2000 to 2004. In 2006, Masterson married actor Jeremy Davidson after they starred together in the 2004 stage production of ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

''. In October 2009, Masterson gave birth to their first child, son Phineas Bee. She gave birth to twins in August 2011, son Wilder and daughter Clio.

Filmography

Film

As director

Television

Awards and nominations

*2008: Won, "Best Dramatic Feature" – ''The Cake Eaters''

DVD Exclusive Awards The DVD Exclusive Awards was an awards program that honored direct to video productions released on DVD. From 2001 to 2006, honorees were selected and the awards were presented by periodical ''DVD Exclusive'', a sister publication of ''Variety Var ...

*2001: Nominated, "Best Actress" – ''The Book of Stars'' Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival *2007: Won, "Best American Indie" – ''The Cake Eaters'' Lone Star Film & Television Awards *1997: Won, "Best TV Actress" – ''Lily Dale'' MTV Movie Awards *1994: Nominated, "Best On-Screen Duo" – ''Benny and Joon'' (shared w/

) National Board of Review of Motion Pictures *1989: Won, "Best Supporting Actress" – ''Immediate Family''

Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...

*2005: Nominated, "Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television" – ''Something the Lord Made''

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Masterson, Mary Stuart 1966 births Actresses from New York City American child actresses American film actresses Film producers from New York (state) American musical theatre actresses American television actresses American women film directors Dalton School alumni Living people New York University alumni People from Manhattan Film directors from New York City American women film producers Theatre World Award winners 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses