Mary-Louise Parker

**Mary-Louise Parker**, born August 2, 1964, is an esteemed American actress. Her illustrious career began with a bold Broadway debut in Craig Lucas' Prelude to a Kiss in 1990, leading to acclaim for her film roles in renowned movies such as Grand Canyon, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Client, Bullets Over Broadway, and A Place for Annie. With an enduring presence both on stage and in independent cinema, Parker's portrayal of Catherine Llewellyn in David Auburn's Proof manifested in a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2001. Her recurrent role as Amy Gardner in the NBC TV series The West Wing between 2001 and 2006 earned her an Emmy nomination. This was surpassed by her dual accolade achievement for her depiction of Harper Pitt in HBO's miniseries Angels in America in 2003, in which she received both a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award. Continuing her career, Parker took on a significant role as Nancy Botwin in the TV series Weeds from 2005 to 2012, earning three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Other prominent film appearances include The Spiderwick Chronicles, Red, R.I.P.D., and Red 2. Parker made a triumphant return to Broadway, winning her second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for The Sound Inside in 2019. In 2022, she reprised her role as Li'l Bit in How I Learned to Drive on Broadway, which she had originated off-Broadway in 1997, resulting in her fifth Tony nomination. Parker has also expressed her literary side, contributing articles to Esquire since 2007 and publishing her memoir, Dear Mr. You, in 2015.