Mary-Louise Parker Biography (3)
For her role as 'Rita' in the Craig Lucas/Norman Rene Broadway production of Prelude To A Kiss, Mary-Louise received a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, Theatre World Award, The Clarence Derwent Award and a Drama Desk nomination for her performance. She originated the role of 'L'il Bit' in the critically lauded How I Learned To Drive, alongside David Morse, where she received an Obie Award, a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress and a Best Actress nomination from the Outer Critics Circle.
She followed How I Learned To Drive with the American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's play, Communicating Doors. Previously, she appeared on Broadway as 'Cherie' in the Broadway revival of Bus Stop, opposite Billy Crudup, and originated the role of 'Brenda' in the Manhattan Theatre Club production of Four Dogs And A Bone.
Other stage credits include Throwing Your Voice at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Babylon Gardens at Circle Repertory Company (of which she was a member), The Importance Of Being Earnest at the Hartford Stage, Up In Saratoga at the Old Globe, The Miser at the Syracuse Stage, Hayfever at the Studio Arena Theatre with Joe Mantello and Peter Hedges, where she performed in The Age Of Pie and The Girl In Pink, among others.
Mary-Louise began in film with starring roles in Fried Green Tomatoes and Lawrence Kasden's Grand Canyon. Other film credits include starring roles in Reckless, Boys On The Side, The Client, Naked In New York, Bullets Over Broadway and Norman Rene's highly acclaimed, Longtime Companion. She also starred in The Five Senses, for which she was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Actress.
On television, Parker starred for HBO in John Smith's Sugartime, opposite John Turturro, and in the Hallmark Hall of Fame telefilms, A Place For Annie, Saint Maybe, and Cupid And Cate. She also starred in The Simple Truth Of Noah Dearborne, opposite Sidney Poitier.
Mary-Louise recently completed production on Brett Ratner's Red Dragon, opposite Edward Norton. Also starring Anthony Hopkins, this prequel to The Silence of the Lambs opens on October 4th.
She recently received an Emmy nomination for her role as 'Amy Gardner' on NBC's The West Wing and will soon be seen alongside Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson in the Mike Nichols production of Angels In America on HBO.
Mary-Louise is a graduate of the North Carolina School Of The Arts and lives in New York City.
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