Mary Steenburgen Bio, Age, Husband, Children, 2019

American actress and singer Mary Steenburgen is one of the prominent icons in the field of entertainment. She first started gaining recognition after portraying the character of Lynda Dummar in Jonathan Demme’s 1980s movie named Melvin and Howard.

For her mesmerizing performance in this movie, she has also been able to win awards from various associations, including the Golden Globe Award and the Academy Awards for the category of supporting actress. Along with a successful career, Mary has been enjoying a delightful relationship with her husband for two and a half decades.

Family And Short Bio

Born on 8th February 1953 in Newport, Arkansas, Mary’s mother, Nellie Mae, was a school-board secretary, and her father, Maurice Hoffman Steenburgen, worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad as a freight-train conductor. She also has a sister named Nancy, who is a teacher by profession. 

In 1971, she enrolled at Hendrix College to study drama, and in 1972, she moved to New York City to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. While in New York, she was discovered by Jack Nicholson in the reception room of Paramount’s New York office and cast in the lead role of the 1978 Western film Goin’ South.

First Husband And Divorce

The "Step Brothers" actress Mary Steenburgen has been married twice. She first tied the knot with her Time After Time co-star, Malcolm McDowell. In the movie, McDowell portrayed the role of author H. G. Wells, while Steenburgen played a modern woman who falls in love with H. G. Wells.

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They have two children together, Lilly McDowell and Charlie McDowell. Their marriage lasted from 1980 until they divorced on October 1, 1990. Despite the divorce over three decades ago, they maintain an amicable relationship and have even acted together again in the upcoming film Last Train to Fortune.

Blissful Relationship With Ted Danson

Mary Steenburgen later married actor Ted Danson, whom she met at the age of 40 on the set of Pontiac Moon in 1993. She became the stepmother of Ted’s two daughters, Kate and Alexis, while Ted also became the stepfather to Mary’s two children from her previous marriage to Malcolm McDowell.

Ted recalls that they started as friends, and by the time they realized it, they were already in love. After nearly two years of dating, they married in 1995. As of 2025, the couple has been married for 30 years and continues to express how deeply in love they are.

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During PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive 2018 issue, the Book Club star shared that she is more in love with her husband, Ted Danson, than ever. She said:

“[Our love] just gets more profound and deeper as we go through the blessings and joys, but also the hurdles, of life together. He is my partner in the deepest sense of the word in this life.”

Similarly, Ted Danson continues to praise his wife. In an interview with AARP The Magazine in September 2017, he stated that he loves the way Mary laughs and smiles, her sense of fairness, and her moral compass. Even in his 70s, he openly acknowledges that he finds her attractive.

In an industry where Hollywood marriages often fall apart, Mary and Ted have proven that enduring love is possible. They are still head over heels for each other and continue to give major relationship goals. As a couple, they often surprise one another and cherish the moments they share.

The duo now resides in Los Angeles and maintains a warm, close relationship with their children and grandchildren.

Movies, Net Worth & Awards

Ever since her debut in 1978 with Goin' South, Mary Steenburgen has appeared in a wide variety of movies and TV series. Some of her recent films include Happiest Season (2020), Nightmare Alley (2021), Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023), and Antiquities (2023). She has also lent her voice to the animated sitcom Bless the Harts and appeared in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

The Oscar-winning actress’s net worth has grown significantly over the years; while it was estimated at $20 million in 2019, as of 2025, her net worth is approximately $75 million, reflecting her successful career in film, television, and music.

Mary has earned numerous accolades for her outstanding performances, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Melvin and Howard (1980), as well as a Golden Globe Award, Saturn Award, and National Society of Film Critics Award for the same role.

She also won the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series for Joan of Arcadia (2004), a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in the ensemble cast of The Help (2011), and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Song in 2018 for “Glasgow (No Place Like Home)” from Wild Rose.

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Most recently, she and her husband, Ted Danson, received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2025 Emmy Awards. Mary Steenburgen continues to be celebrated not only for her acting but also for her contributions to music, humanitarian causes, and her enduring presence in Hollywood.

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