Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe-winning actress Mary Louise Parker is not your regular A-list celebrity. She has notable made her mark in television and theatre. Needless to say, she is appreciated for her funny and expressive performances. Throughout her years, she has undoubtedly mastered the art of capturing her audiences.
She isn’t one for putting her life in the limelight, and there isn’t a lot out there about her personal life. However, there are several facts about Mary Louise Parker worth knowing. Here’s a sneak peek into this amazing actress’s life.
1. Her Family Moved Around a Bunch When She Was a Child
Mary Louise Parker’s family moved a lot during her childhood. She got to live in multiple states and countries, consequently attending multiple schools in the process. Her father, John Morgan Parker, was a US Army judge, and that required him to change location often.
Parker was born in North Carolina, USA but shortly moved with her family to Tennessee. From there, they moved to Texas, then Thailand, Germany, and France. One would think that this naturally meant her childhood was a happy one. However, she admitted to being quite unhappy as a child. Nevertheless, she admits that she had all her basic needs met.
2. Mary Louise Parker Adopted an Ethiopian Child in 2007
Like a handful of celebrity families, Mary Louise Parker has adopted a child internationally. Besides her biological son Will (who Parker had with Billy Crudup), she’s mom to Caroline Aberash Parker. She adopted her daughter from Ethiopia in 2007. In an interview, she mentioned that she was drawn to adopting Caroline and knew she would regret it if she never did. According to Parker, her first son William was glad to meet his baby sister back in 2007, and the pair are thick as thieves. She keeps both her children out of the spotlight, but they’re usually by her side.
3. She Loves The Theatre
Not many movie actors can say they prefer working in the theatre. In fact, most love the thrill of being on the big screen. However, Mary Louise Parker seems to be an exception. She mentioned in an interview that she prefers stage performances, mainly because of scheduling issues. She went on to say that acting on television is almost as satisfying. Her reason? Well, it’s quite similar to theatre work and has more regularity in scheduling, unlike movie sets where filming can go on endlessly.
Parker is tremendously great in her Broadway performances, with a Tony award to prove it. She won Best Actress in a Play for her role in David Auburn‘s piece — Proof. She was also fondly recognized for her performance in Simon Stephen‘s Heisenberg.
4. Her Roles Often Lean Toward the Comic Side
Although Parker usually plays supporting roles, her characters are known for being the comic relief or existing at the center of the story’s humor. Her roles as Amy Gardner in West Wing and Lucy Stevens in Behaving Badly are both clear proof of this. Parker’s lead role as Nancy Botwin (the black widow) in Weeds was meant to be a somewhat sober role. Her husband’s death turns her into a single mom of three who can barely afford the life they’re familiar with.
To keep her family afloat and maintain her affluent lifestyle, Nancy becomes a top weed dealer in her community. Unfortunately, the show got canceled after 8 seasons. But Parker’s ability to portray the suffering character without overly victimizing her not only helps keep this dark comedy show light. Additionally, it earned her the opportunity to play another strong woman with a comic touch.
5. Mary Louise Parker is an Author
Parker is the author of the bestseller, “Dear Mr. You”, published in 2015. The book received very positive reviews, including a notable one by the New York Times. Written in the form of short letters, the book gives us an insight into Parker’s experience with men. According to New York Times’ Kate Bolick, reading “Dear Mr. You” is “… like being right there inside her head.”
The actress has been writing since she was little. In fact, she says she wrote short stories and poems for friends from time to time. “Dear Mr. You” is her first and only published book so far. But who knows what other ideas she’s planning to share with the world?
6. She has won Multiple Awards
Parker has won a good number of awards for her performances on stage and on screen. Needless to say, she’s quite good at her craft. The actress won her first professional award in the 1990 Theatre world awards, and since then, more awards and nominations have rolled in.
Her performance in the Broadway show, Proof earned her a Tony in 2001 for Best Actress in a Play. She also bagged a Golden Globe as Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film for her role in Angels in America featuring Jason Isaacs. In 2020, she got another Tony for her role in The Sound Inside, in the Outstanding Actress in a Play category.
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