Martha Plimpton Biography Quotes 4 Report mistakes
| 4 Quotes | |
| Occup. | Actress |
| From | USA |
| Born | November 16, 1970 New York City, USA |
| Age | 55 years |
Martha Plimpton was born on November 16, 1970, in New York City, into a family of actors whose names were fixtures on American stages and screens. Her mother, Shelley Plimpton, became known for originating roles in the musical Hair, and her father, Keith Carradine, is part of the Carradine acting dynasty that includes his father John Carradine and brothers David and Robert Carradine. Immersed in a milieu where storytelling was a vocation and rehearsal rooms were as familiar as classrooms, she grew up with a practical understanding of the craft and the work ethic it demands.
Early Screen Work and Breakthrough
Plimpton found her way to film while still very young. After early appearances in the first half of the 1980s, she caught wider attention with The River Rat (1984), a drama that showcased her capacity for natural, unforced performance. The Goonies (1985) followed, directed by Richard Donner and produced by Steven Spielberg, and her dry, quick-witted turn as Stef made her a favorite among audiences who grew up on the film. As she navigated the transition from adolescent roles, she chose projects that highlighted depth over novelty.
Her late-1980s work, in particular, established her as a serious actor. Running on Empty (1988), directed by Sidney Lumet, paired her with River Phoenix, Christine Lahti, and Judd Hirsch; the film's quiet moral complexity allowed Plimpton to play against youthful type with intelligence and restraint. Shy People (1987), directed by Andrei Konchalovsky and starring Barbara Hershey, further demonstrated her willingness to inhabit complicated, emotionally charged environments. Parenthood (1989), directed by Ron Howard and featuring Dianne Wiest, Keanu Reeves, Steve Martin, and an ensemble of seasoned performers, gave her a mainstream showcase without sacrificing nuance.
Stage as a Proving Ground
Even as film and television roles accumulated, Plimpton's steady presence onstage affirmed her identity as an actor of range and rigor. At Lincoln Center Theater, she joined the large ensemble of Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia, earning a Tony Award nomination and critical praise for clarity and command within an ambitious trilogy. She returned to Broadway in Caryl Churchill's Top Girls and later in Pal Joey, both performances securing additional Tony nominations and reinforcing her reputation for exacting, text-driven work. A subsequent revival of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance placed her alongside prominent stage veterans and confirmed her ease in classic repertory as well as new work.
Television and a Wider Audience
Plimpton's television career expanded her reach and displayed a keen sense for character detail. On The Good Wife she recurred as the razor-sharp attorney Patti Nyholm, opposite Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles, Christine Baranski, and Archie Panjabi, a performance that earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She then anchored the comedy series Raising Hope, created by Greg Garcia, as Virginia Chance, playing alongside Garret Dillahunt, Lucas Neff, Shannon Woodward, and Cloris Leachman. The show's blend of absurdity and heart made space for her lived-in timing and grounded humor, and it brought her further awards recognition.
She later headlined The Real O'Neals, bringing caustic wit and empathy to a family comedy that explored faith and identity. In 2022 she reunited with Raising Hope creator Greg Garcia and longtime colleague Garret Dillahunt in the series Sprung, again demonstrating her ability to shift fluidly between broad comedic beats and moments of hard-earned sincerity.
Selected Film Highlights and Maturing Roles
In the 1990s she moved among independent films and studio comedies, including the New Year's Eve ensemble 200 Cigarettes (1999), where she played an anxious Manhattan party host among a sprawling cast featuring Christina Ricci, Paul Rudd, and Ben Affleck. As her career matured, she gravitated toward intimate, actor-driven projects. Mass (2021), written and directed by Fran Kranz and co-starring Jason Isaacs, Ann Dowd, and Reed Birney, offered her one of her most demanding screen roles, a portrait of grief and moral reckoning that critics singled out for restraint and ferocity in equal measure.
Collaboration, Craft, and Influences
Surrounded from childhood by artists like Shelley Plimpton and Keith Carradine, and connected through family to figures such as John and David Carradine, she learned to respect repertory essentials: listen, partner, and serve the story. On sets with directors like Sidney Lumet and Ron Howard and in rooms led by theater stalwarts mounting Stoppard and Albee, she refined a process that favors preparation and precision. Her collaborations with River Phoenix in the late 1980s are remembered not just for the films' quality but for the trust and curiosity they brought out in both actors. Later ensembles on The Good Wife and Raising Hope gave her a platform to integrate those dramatic instincts with comedic agility.
Advocacy and Public Voice
Beyond performing, Plimpton has been an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights. In the early 2010s she helped found the nonprofit A Is For, working with fellow artists and activists to support access to reproductive healthcare and to counter stigma through arts-focused campaigns and public events. She has used her visibility to amplify legal and grassroots efforts, appearing at benefits and in conversations with policymakers and healthcare providers to connect policy to lived experience.
Continuing Work and Legacy
Martha Plimpton's career resists easy categorization, moving effortlessly from studio soundstage to Broadway rehearsal hall to intimate independent film set. She is a performer who grew up in the business without becoming defined by it, who chose projects for their challenge and their humanity. Whether trading verbal thrusts with Christine Baranski in a courtroom series, mining the eccentric rhythms of Greg Garcia's comedies with Garret Dillahunt and Cloris Leachman, or confronting the raw heartbreak of Mass alongside Ann Dowd and Jason Isaacs, she has consistently prioritized craft over spectacle. The through-line is a commitment to ensemble, a respect for language, and a willingness to let characters be complicated.
Rooted in a storied American acting family yet wholly her own artist, Plimpton has built a body of work that continues to evolve. She remains a sought-after collaborator for directors who value intelligence and emotional clarity, and for casts that rely on trust. The trajectory from The Goonies and Running on Empty to The Coast of Utopia, The Good Wife, Raising Hope, and Mass marks a sustained, thoughtful journey, one that has left a distinct imprint on contemporary American film, television, and theater.
Our collection contains 4 quotes who is written by Martha, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Movie - Best Friend - Teamwork.
Other people realated to Martha: Richard Donner (Director), Corey Feldman (Actor)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Martha Plimpton steven spielberg: Martha Plimpton worked with Steven Spielberg in the 1985 film 'The Goonies'.
- Martha Plimpton father: Martha Plimpton's father is actor Keith Carradine.
- Martha Plimpton river phoenix baby: Martha Plimpton and River Phoenix did not have a baby together.
- Martha Plimpton children: Martha Plimpton does not have any children.
- Martha Plimpton stroke: As of now, there's no public information about Martha Plimpton having a stroke.
- How old is Martha Plimpton? She is 55 years old
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