What happened to Mare Winningham? Husband, Kids, Net Worth

 

Who is Mare Winningham?

American actress and singer-songwriter Mary Megan ‘Mare’ Winningham was born in Phoenix, Arizona USA, on 16 May 1959, making Taurus her zodiac sign. She’s had roles in more than 100 movies and TV series, but is perhaps still known best for playing Wendy Beamish in the 1985 romantic movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”, written and directed by Joel Schumacher, and which starred Demi Moore, Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy. It follows a group of friends who’ve recently graduated from college and are now struggling with adulthood; the film won one of its two award nominations.

Mare’s still today active in the film industry, and is currently working on a couple of upcoming projects.

Early life and education

Mare was raised in Northridge, California alongside her sister and three brothers, by their father Sam Neal Winningham who’s an American former Football Player and coach, and mother Marilyn Jean (nee Maloney) who was an English teacher at both Grant High School and Monroe High School.

Mare’s revealed that she was only six when she became interested in acting, after having watched an interview with American former actress Kym Karath. She studied at Andasol Avenue Elementary School, at which she was mostly into music and acting; Mare was a member of the school’s drama club, and learned to play both the drums and the guitar.

She continued her education at Patrick Henry Junior High School, while she spent the summers honing her acting skills at Teenage Drama Workshop; Mare eventually transferred to Chatsworth High School, from which she matriculated in 1977.

Roles in movies

Mare made her debut film appearance in the 1976 western “Young Pioneers”, while some of her following roles were in the 1978 sports drama “Special Olympics”, the drama “Steeletown” and the thriller “The Death of Ocean View Park” both in 1979.

She gained recognition in 1982, when cast to star as Kate Bradshaw in the drama “Missing Children: A Mother’s Story”, directed by Dick Lowry, and which also starred Polly Holliday and John Anderson. It follows a mother who’s left her children at a childcare center while she’s trying to find a new home, but has now learned that her three kids have been adopted; the film was nominated for three awards. Some of Mare’s other notable performances in the ‘80s were in the 1985 drama “Love Is Never Silent”, the 1986 science fiction “Who Is Julia?”, and the 1989 war drama “Crossing to Freedom”.

In 1994, she played Mattie Blaylock in the popular biographical action “Wyatt Earp”, which starred Dennis Quaid and Kevin Costner, and was written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. The film follows the life of a heroic man, and it won three of its 10 award nominations. Mare could then have been seen appearing in the 1995 thriller “Letter to My Killer”, the 1997 thriller “Bad Day on the Block”, and the 1998 thriller “Little Girl Fly Away”.

What marked the 2000s for Mare was perhaps playing one of the main characters Belle, in the drama “War Eagle, Arkansas”, directed by Robert Milazzo, and which also starred Brian Dennehy and Mary Kay Place. It follows a teenage baseball star who has to choose between staying in his small hometown where all his family members and friends are, and pursuing a career in baseball; the film won nine awards.

Mare’s also known for playing Baker Margaret in the 2012 adventure comedy “Mirror Mirror”, which starred Julia Roberts and Lily Collins, and was directed by Tarsem Singh. It follows an evil queen who’s stolen a kingdom from its princess – the film won two of its 11 award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Achievement in Costume Design.

Mare’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2019 biographical historical drama “Dark Waters”, the 2020 action adventure “News of the World”, and the 2021 drama “All My Puny Sorrows”.

Roles in TV series

Mare’s debut TV series role was playing Wanda in the 1977 episode “The Girl with the Bad Rep” of the drama “James at 16”, and the remainder of the ‘70s saw her appear in an episode or two of the crime action “Police Woman”, the western “The Young Pioneers”, and the drama “The Runaways”.

She had only three TV series roles in the ‘80s, playing Justine O’Neill in two episodes of the 1983 romantic mini-series “The Thorn Birds”, Beth in the 1985 episode “One Too Many” of the adventure comedy “ABC Afterschool Specials” and Norma Lewis in the 1986 episode “Button, Button” of the fantasy horror “The Twilight Zone”.

Mare also had only three roles in the ‘90s, and what marked the decade for her was perhaps playing Dr. Amanda Lee in four episodes (1998-1999) of the romantic mystery “ER”, which starred George Clooney and Anthony Edwards, and was created by Michael Crichton. The series aired from 1994 through 2009, follows a group of people who are working at a hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and won 156 of its 526 award nominations.

Addiction touches entire families. Congratulations to Mare Winningham, #Emmy nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series! #DopesickHulu pic.twitter.com/yLc8qgofU6

— Dopesick On Hulu (@DopesickOnHulu) July 12, 2022

Some of Mare’s most notable performances in the 2000s were perhaps in the family fantasy “Touched by an Angel”, the family sports drama “Clubhouse”, and the romantic drama “Grey’s Anatomy”.

From 2013 through 2017, she played various characters in 14 episodes of the anthology science fiction “American Horror Story”; each of its episodes is a stand-alone story, the series has been airing since 2011, and has won 128 of its 531 award nominations.

Mare’s since appeared in three TV series, playing Cherry Lockhart in 14 episodes of the drama “The Affair” from 2014 through 2018, Jeannie Anderson in 10 episodes of the 2020 crime horror “The Outsider” and Diane Mallum in all the eight episodes of the 2021 drama mini-series “Dopesick”.

Other credits

Mare’s sung songs in six movies and TV series, including the song “Me and Bobby McGee” in the 1980 film “One-Trick Pony”, three songs in the 1981 movie “Freedom” and the song “Save Myself” in the 1994 movie “Teresa’s Tattoo”.

She received special thanks for the 2009 short biographical documentary film “Vision and Conflict: Collaborating on the Wallace Saga”.

Some of Mare’s most recent talk-show appearances have been in “CBS Cares”, “The Broadway.com Show” and “The Wendy Williams Show”.

Awards and nominations

Mare’s won four of her 22 award nominations. She won a 1996 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for “Georgia”, two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries in 1980 and 1998, for her performances in “Amber Waves” and “George Wallace”, respectively, and a 2006 Character and Morality in Entertainment Camie Award for “The Magic of Ordinary Days”.

Husband and kids

Mare’s married four times, and has five children. While attending high school, she was in a relationship with future American actor Val Edward Kilmer.

Mare married her first husband, American actor and singer Adolfo Larrue ‘Al’ Martinez III in 1981, but they divorced on 29 January 1982.

She married her second husband William Sweet Mapel later that year; he’s a TV technical advisor, and they met on a movie set. Mare gave birth to their first son Riley on 7 November 1981, their second son Patrick followed in 1983, and third son Jack on 15 April 1985, daughter Calla Louise in 1987 and fourth son Happy Atticus on 13 September 1988. Their oldest son Riley committed suicide on 14 August 2005. Mare and William divorced in 1996.

Her third husband was American film producer and director Jason Trucco, and they were married from 15 November 2008 through 2012.

Since 2021, Mare’s been married to her fourth husband Anthony Charles Edwards, a famous American actor and director; the two had previously known each other for over 30 years.

Interesting facts and hobbies

Mare’s been passionate about singing since her teenage years, and has released four albums; her debut album “What Might Be” was released in 1992, and was followed by “Lonesomers” in 1997, “Refuge Rock Sublime” in 2007 and “What’s Left Behind” in 2014.

She was pregnant while portraying a virgin in the 1985 movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”.

Mare studied at Chatsworth High School together with famous American actors Kevin Spacey and Van Kilmer.

She was raised Irish Catholic, but on 3 March 2003 converted to Judaism.

One of Mare’s closest friends is American actress, screenwriter and producer Jennifer Jason Leigh.

She had to learn sign language for her role in the 1985 movie “Love Is Never Silent”.

One of Mare’s favorite actresses is Maggie Smith, while some of her favorite movies include “Sister Act”, “Hook” and “Death on the Nile”.

Height, appearance and wealth

Mare’s age is 63. She has blonde hair and brown eyes, is 5ft 6ins (1.68m) tall and weighs around 140lbs (64kgs).

Mare’s net worth’s been estimated at over $2.5 million, as of May 2023.