Mary McDonnell Net Worth

Overview

Mary McDonnell is an American actress with a career spanning over 40 years. She was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and grew up in upstate New York. She graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia. McDonnell honed her skills at the Long Wharf Theatre Company for twenty years and appeared in Broadway productions like ‘The Heidi Chronicles’ and ‘Summer and Smoke’. She won an Obie Award in 1980 for her performance in ‘Still Life’. McDonnell gained widespread recognition for her role as Stands with a Fist in the film ‘Dances with Wolves’ (1990), for which she received an Oscar nomination. She has since starred in projects like ‘Passion Fish,’ ‘ER,’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, along with another Oscar nomination. From 2012 to 2018, she starred in the series ‘Major Crimes’, earning $125,000 per episode at her peak, and appeared in several episodes of ‘Fargo’ in 2017.

Long Wharf Theatre Company

Member

What Is Mary McDonnell Net Worth?

As of March 2025, Mary McDonnell, an accomplished American actress with a career spanning over four decades, has an estimated net worth of $12 million. This wealth has been accumulated through her extensive work in film, television, and theatre.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Mary Eileen McDonnell was born on April 28, 1952, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Eileen (Mundy) and John McDonnell, a computer consultant. She was raised in Ithaca, New York, and graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia. After graduation, she pursued her passion for acting by attending drama school and subsequently joined the prestigious Long Wharf Theatre Company in New Haven, Connecticut. She remained with Long Wharf for twenty years. McDonnell made her initial foray into television with a guest appearance on the soap opera “As the World Turns” on January 24, 1980, playing Claudia Colfax.

Breakthrough Roles and Recognition

In 1980, McDonnell’s talent was recognized with an Obie Award for her performance in “Still Life”. Her breakthrough role came in 1990 with the film “Dances with Wolves,” where she played Stands with a Fist. This role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Following the success of “Dances With Wolves”, McDonnell received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of a paraplegic soap opera star in John Sayles’s critically acclaimed film, Passion Fish (1992).

Television Success and Salary Highlights

McDonnell’s career includes notable television roles, such as her Emmy-nominated recurring role on “ER” and her critically acclaimed performance as President Laura Roslin in the Syfy Network’s “Battlestar Galactica” (2004). From 2012 to 2018, McDonnell starred as Captain Sharon Raydor in the TNT series “Major Crimes,” a spin-off of “The Closer”. During her time on “Major Crimes,” Mary McDonnell’s salary reached $125,000 per episode, equating to approximately $2-3 million per season. This substantial income significantly contributed to her overall net worth.

Other Notable Roles and Appearances

Besides her prominent roles, McDonnell has appeared in various films, including “Grand Canyon” (1991), “Independence Day” (1996), “Donnie Darko” (2001), and “Margin Call” (2011). She also had a recurring role on “The Closer” as Captain Sharon Raydor before leading the spin-off series “Major Crimes”. In 2017, she appeared in several episodes of “Fargo”. McDonnell’s stage work includes Broadway productions of “The Heidi Chronicles”, “Summer and Smoke”, and “The Execution of Justice”.

Real Estate and Personal Life

Mary McDonnell resides in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, California. She was married to actor Randle Mell from September 29, 1984, until they filed for divorce. They have two children: Olivia and Michael.