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Margo Martindale

Highest Rated: 99% Blow the Man Down (2019)

Lowest Rated: 8% Mother's Day (2016)

Birthday: Jul 18, 1951

Birthplace: Jacksonville, Texas, USA

A standout in roles earthy, empathetic and hardboiled, Emmy-winning Margo Martindale made herself one of the most distinctive character actors of the 1990s and early 2000s. Wielding a dulcet Texan lilt, Martindale carved a niche as a New York stage actor before securing her footing in feature films as the mother of a chronically ill boy in "Lorenzo's Oil" (1992). It began a series of projects with Susan Sarandon - most notably a turn as a fellow crusading nun in the Oscar-winning "Dead Man Walking" (1995) - and a career track of playing matronly authority figures. She ventured into series television in the courtroom drama "100 Centre Street" (A&E, 2001-02), opening a spigot of series work that would include "The Riches" (FX, 2007-08) and "Dexter" (Showtime, 2006-13). In 2004, Martindale earned a Tony for her part in the revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." In 2010, she joined the cast of the crime drama "Justified" (FX, 2010-15), wowing critics as a sweet-natured yet murderously Machiavellian godmother of a drug cartel. A go-to performer for tough but textured characters, Martindale well earned the reputation of a supporting player able to effortlessly steal scenes wholesale.

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Highest rated movies

99% 74% Blow the Man Down Watchlist
95% 85% Win Win
Watchlist
93% 80% Lorenzo's Oil
Watchlist
92% 80% The Laramie Project
Watchlist
91% 81% Nobody's Fool
Watchlist
90% 90% Million Dollar Baby
Watchlist
84% 72% Rocket Science
Watchlist
84% 63% Marvin's Room
Watchlist
82% 83% Instant Family Watchlist
80% 84% The Hours
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
66% 71% Cocaine Bear Ranger Liz (Character) $64.4M 2023
75% 85% Family Squares Diane (Character) - 2022
77% 83% Uncle Frank Mammaw Bledsoe (Character) - 2020
10% 49% Lazy Susan Mary (Character) - 2020
99% 74% Blow the Man Down Enid Nora Devlin (Character) - 2019
24% 69% The Kitchen Helen O'Carroll (Character) $12.2M 2019
82% 83% Instant Family Grandma Sandy (Character) $67.3M 2018
47% 25% Downsizing Woman on Shuttle (Character) $24.4M 2017
69% 68% Cars 3 Louise Nash (Voice) $152.9M 2017
47% 30% Wilson Alta (Character) $653.0K 2017
25% 41% Table 19 Freda Eckberg (Character) $3.6M 2017
75% 62% Sophie and the Rising Sun Anne Morrison (Character) $30.3K 2016
45% 59% The Hollars Sally Hollar (Character) $1.0M 2016
8% 44% Mother's Day Flo (Character) $32.5M 2016
22% 38% The Boss Sister Aluminata (Character) $63.0M 2016
52% 66% Heaven Is for Real Nancy Rawling (Character) $91.4M 2014
79% 45% Bluebird Crystal (Character) - 2013
67% 65% August: Osage County Mattie Fae Aiken (Character) $37.7M 2013
48% 54% Beautiful Creatures Aunt Del (Character) $19.4M 2013
78% 52% Scalene Janice Trimble (Character) - 2011
95% 85% Win Win Eleanor (Character) $10.2M 2011
No Score Yet 86% Forged Dianne (Character) - 2010
13% 11% Main Street Mrs. Parker (Character) $1.6K 2010
64% 76% Secretariat Miss Ham (Character) $59.7M 2010
52% 54% The Winning Season Donna (Character) - 2009
47% 73% The Butcher's Son Flannigan (Character) $210.6K 2009
60% 63% Orphan Dr. Browning (Character) $41.6M 2009
44% 67% Hannah Montana: The Movie Ruby (Character) $79.6M 2009
46% 30% Management Trish (Character) $933.2K 2008
74% 57% Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Ma Cox (Character) $18.3M 2007
34% 58% Rails & Ties Judy Neasy (Character) $21.4K 2007
84% 72% Rocket Science Coach Lumbly (Character) $712.4K 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out There Jeri (Character) - 2006
33% 38% Wedding Daze Betsy (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 68% Silver Bells Mrs. Quinn (Character) - 2005
40% 15% The Best Thief in the World Miss Mason (Character) - 2004
56% 89% Iron Jawed Angels Harriot Blatch (Character) - 2004
90% 90% Million Dollar Baby Earline Fitzgerald (Character) $100.4M 2004
No Score Yet 66% An Unexpected Love Maggie (Character) - 2003
19% 27% It's All About Love Betsy (Character) - 2003
42% 48% The Human Stain Psychologist (Character) $5.4M 2003
92% 80% The Laramie Project Trish Steger (Character) - 2002
80% 84% The Hours Mrs. Latch (Character) $41.6M 2002
No Score Yet 61% A Girl Thing May (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 57% What Girls Learn Lainey (Character) - 2001
39% 43% Proof of Life Ivy (Character) $32.6M 2000
33% 50% 28 Days Betty (Character) $37.0M 2000
64% 66% Ride With the Devil Wilma Brown (Character) $630.8K 1999
No Score Yet 58% Earthly Possessions Libby (Character) - 1999
25% 40% In Dreams Nurse Floyd (Character) $11.9M 1999
61% 31% Twilight Gloria Lamar (Character) $15.0M 1998
No Score Yet 66% ...First Do No Harm Marjean (Character) - 1997
59% 30% Critical Care Constance "Connie" Potter (Character) $169.4K 1997
84% 63% Marvin's Room Dr. Charlotte (Character) $12.8M 1996
No Score Yet 83% Ruby Jean and Joe Frankie (Character) - 1996
91% 81% Nobody's Fool Birdy (Character) $38.3M 1994
93% 80% Lorenzo's Oil Wendy Gimble (Character) $6.9M 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Emma and Elvis Jenny (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Child Saver Alma (Character) - 1988

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Sticky Ruth Clarke (Character) 2024
54% 35% The Watcher Mo (Character) 2022
84% 90% American Crime Story Lucianne Goldberg (Character) 2021
100% 93% Infinity Train Judge Morpho (Voice) 2021
96% 70% Mrs. America Bella Abzug (Character) 2020
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2019
96% 90% Sneaky Pete Audrey Bernhardt (Character) 2015 2017-2019
No Score Yet 93% DuckTales Ma Beagle (Guest Voice) 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2017-2019
96% 94% The Americans Claudia (Character),
Claudio (Guest Star)
2013-2018
95% 65% The Good Fight Unknown (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Chew Guest 2016 2018
65% 91% BrainDead Unknown (Guest Star) 2016
93% 90% The Good Wife Ruth Eastman (Guest Star) 2015-2016
47% 44% The Millers Carol Miller (Character) 2013-2015
No Score Yet 63% Mike & Molly Rosemary (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2013
84% 85% Masters of Sex Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
95% 85% New Girl Bonnie (Guest Star) 2013
68% 80% Smash Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
92% 78% Person of Interest Barbara Russell (Guest Star) 2012
91% 87% Suits Nell Sawyer (Guest Star) 2012
66% 75% A Gifted Man Rita Perkins-Hall (Character) 2011-2012
47% No Score Yet CHAOS Unknown (Guest Star) 2011
97% 95% Justified Unknown (Guest Star) 2011
43% 77% Harry's Law Unknown (Guest Star) 2011
25% No Score Yet Mercy Unknown (Guest Star) 2009-2010
71% 81% Dexter Camilla (Guest Star) 2006-2008
86% 57% The Riches Nina (Character) 2008
No Score Yet 80% Medium Unknown (Guest Star) 2005-2006
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Rita Gabler (Guest Star) 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet 100 Centre Street Unknown (Character) 2001-2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Snoops Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
91% 90% Homicide: Life on the Street Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet 83% Law & Order Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet New York Undercover Unknown (Guest Star) 1994
54% No Score Yet Welcome to New York Unknown (Guest Star)