Martha Plimpton

Martha Plimpton was born on November 16, 1970, in New York City, to actors Keith Carradine and Shelley Plimpton, establishing her early connection to the entertainment industry. Her career began at the age of 8 with an actors’ workshop, followed by a role in “Rollover” (1981) at age 10 and appearances in Calvin Klein commercials. Her initial substantial film role was in “The River Rat” (1984), and she gained wider recognition as Stef Steinbrenner in Steven Spielberg’s “The Goonies” (1985). This period established her as a prominent teen actress, often cast in roles portraying rebellious tomboys, as seen in “The Mosquito Coast” (1986) and “Running on Empty” (1988), for which she received a Young Artist Award nomination.

Transitioning to adult roles, Plimpton continued to build a diverse filmography. Notable film appearances in the 1990s include “Parenthood” (1989), “Samantha” (1991), “I Shot Andy Warhol” (1996), and “Beautiful Girls” (1996). Her theatre work also flourished, particularly with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, which she joined in 1996 and with whom she received a National Medal of Arts. Her significant stage contributions led to three consecutive Tony Award nominations: for “The Coast of Utopia” (2006–2007), “Top Girls” (2007–2008), and the musical “Pal Joey” (2008–2009). On television, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2012 for her recurring role as Patti Nyholm in “The Good Wife” (2009–2013) and received an Emmy nomination for her leading role as Virginia Chance in the sitcom “Raising Hope” (2010–2014).

In recent years, Plimpton has continued to engage in acclaimed projects across different mediums. She voiced Yelena in “Frozen 2” (2019) and appeared in the critically acclaimed drama film “Mass” (2021), for which she received nominations from the Dorian Awards and the San Diego Film Critics Society, and shared the Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award. Her television presence includes roles in “Generation” (2021), “Sprung” (2022), and “The Regime” (2024), demonstrating her sustained activity and critical reception in the entertainment industry.