This is an accepted version of this page Margo Martindale (born July 18, 1951)[1] is an American character actress who has appeared on television, film, and stage.

[3][4] Martindale is known for her extensive supporting roles in numerous films such as The Rocketeer (1991), Lorenzo's Oil (1992), The Firm (1993), Dead Man Walking (1995), Marvin's Room (1996), The Hours (2002), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Walk Hard (2007), The Savages (2007), Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), Secretariat (2010), Win Win (2011), August: Osage County (2013), Instant Family (2018), Uncle Frank (2020), and Cocaine Bear (2023).

For her portrayal of Bella Abzug on the FX miniseries Mrs. America (2020) she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie nomination.

She made her Broadway debut in the 2004 revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for which she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

[5][6] In addition to owning and operating a lumber company in Jacksonville, her father was known as a champion dog handler in Texas and throughout the Southern United States.

While at Michigan, she attended summer courses at Harvard University, appearing onstage with future movie and TV stars Jonathan Frakes and Christopher Reeve.

[8] In the early 1980s, Martindale worked for four years at the Actors Theatre, Louisville, Kentucky, where she became good friends with fellow actress Kathy Bates.

[citation needed] Martindale's film roles include acting alongside Susan Sarandon in both Lorenzo's Oil (1992), and Dead Man Walking (1995).

Martindale made her Broadway debut in 2004 as Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

For her performance as US Congresswoman Bella Abzug on the FX miniseries Mrs. America (2020) for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Recent roles include portrayals of Lucianne Goldberg in Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021), Maureen in The Watcher (2022), and Mother Superior in Mrs. Davis (2023).