Mary Elizabeth Winstead
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Mary Elizabeth Winstead (born November 28, 1984) is an American actress and singer. Her first significant role was that of Jessica Bennett on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
soap opera ''
Passions ''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
'' (1999–2000). She went on to appear in series such as ''
Tru Calling ''Tru Calling'' is an American Supernatural fiction, supernatural Drama (film and television), drama television series that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox. Original episodes aired between October 30, 2003, and April 21, 2005; however, the ...
'' (2004) and films including the superhero film '' Sky High'' (2005). She came to wider attention for her roles in the horror series ''
Wolf Lake ''Wolf Lake'' is an American supernatural drama television series that originally aired on CBS from September 19 to October 24, 2001. Nine episodes were produced, but only five aired before the series was canceled by CBS. The full series, includ ...
'' (2001–2002), the giant monster film '' Monster Island'' (2004), the supernatural horror film ''
Final Destination 3 ''Final Destination 3'' is a 2006 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wong. A standalone sequel to ''Final Destination 2'' (2003), it is the third installment in the ''Final Destination'' film series. Wong and Glen Morgan, who ...
'' (2006), the slasher film '' Black Christmas'' (2006), and the exploitation horror film ''
Death Proof ''Death Proof'' is a 2007 American action-thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Kurt Russell as a stuntman who murders young women with modified cars he purports to be "death-proof". Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito ...
'' (2007), the
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
'' The Thing'' (2011), the action thriller film '' Gemini Man'' (2019), and the
superhero film A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature Action film, ac ...
''
Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators ...
'' (2020). Further success came with her roles as
John McClane John McClane is a fictional character and main protagonist of the ''Die Hard'' film series, based on Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's action novel, '' Nothing Lasts Forever''. McClane was portrayed in all five films by actor Bruce Willis, and ...
's daughter Lucy Gennero-McClane in ''
Live Free or Die Hard ''Live Free or Die Hard'' (released as ''Die Hard 4.0'' outside North America) is a 2007 American action-thriller film directed by Len Wiseman, and serves as the fourth installment in the ''Die Hard'' film series. It is based on the 1997 articl ...
'' (2007) and Ramona Flowers in '' Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'' (2010). Her critically acclaimed performance as an alcoholic struggling with sobriety in the Sundance drama '' Smashed'' (2012) was followed by a series of roles in other well-received independent films, including '' The Beauty Inside'' (2012), ''
The Spectacular Now ''The Spectacular Now'' is a 2013 American coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by James Ponsoldt, from a screenplay written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Tim Tharp. It stars Mile ...
'' (2013), '' Faults'' (2014), ''
Alex of Venice ''Alex of Venice'' is a 2014 drama film directed by Chris Messina in his directorial debut. It is written by Jessica Goldberg, Katie Nehra and Justin Shilton. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Katie Nehra, Chris Messina, Derek L ...
'' (2014), and ''
Swiss Army Man ''Swiss Army Man'' is a 2016 American absurdist black comedy film written and directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (in their respective feature directorial debuts). The film stars Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winste ...
'' (2016). Winstead continued her Scream Queen roles in the sci-fi horror film '' The Thing'' (2011), as
Mary Todd Lincoln Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818July 16, 1882) served as First Lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Mary Lincoln was a member of a large and wealthy, slave-owning ...
in the fantasy horror film '' Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'' (2012), and in the psychological horror thriller film '' 10 Cloverfield Lane'' (2016). She reprised her role as Lucy Gennero-McClane in ''
A Good Day to Die Hard ''A Good Day to Die Hard'' is a 2013 American action thriller film and the fifth and final installment in the ''Die Hard'' film series. The film was directed by John Moore and written by Skip Woods, and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane in hi ...
'' (2013) and returned to television with roles in the supernatural drama series '' The Returned'' (2015), the political satire science fiction comedy series ''
BrainDead ''BrainDead'' is an American political satire science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Robert and Michelle King. The series stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Laurel Healy, a documentary film-maker who takes a job working for he ...
'' (2016), the period medical drama series ''
Mercy Street "Mercy Street" is a song written by English musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album '' So''. Background and recording The song was inspired by the personal and confessional works of the American poet Anne Sexton, who wrote a play titled '' ...
'' (2016–17) and the black comedy crime drama anthology series '' Fargo'' (2017). Her other roles include the comedy drama '' All About Nina'' (2018), the action thriller film '' Gemini Man'' (2019), and as the Huntress in ''
Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators ...
'' (2020). Since 2013, Winstead has performed as music duo
Got a Girl Got a Girl is an American musical duo formed in 2012 consisting of singer Mary Elizabeth Winstead and music producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura. The band's first studio album, '' I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now'', was released i ...
with
Dan the Automator Daniel M. Nakamura better known by his stage name Dan the Automator, is an American record producer from San Francisco, California. He is the founder of the publishing company Sharkman Music and the record label 75 Ark. Early life Nakamura was bo ...
.


Early life

Mary Elizabeth Winstead was born on November 28, 1984, in
Rocky Mount, North Carolina Rocky Mount is a city in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe and Nash County, North Carolina, Nash counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The city's population was 54,341 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it ...
, to Betty Lou (née Knight) and James Ronald Winstead and is the youngest of five children. Her grandfather, Ambler William Winstead, was a cousin of actress
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...
. When she was five years old, her family moved to
Sandy, Utah Sandy is a city in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, located in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. The population of Sandy was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah. The population is currently estimated ...
, where she attended Peruvian Park Elementary and took advanced classes. She studied dance in a
Joffrey Ballet The Joffrey Ballet is one of the premier dance companies and training institutions in the world today. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the Joffrey regularly performs classical and contemporary ballets during its annual performance season at Lyric O ...
summer program in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and sang in the International Children's Choir. During her youth, she hoped to pursue a career as a ballerina and appeared in local ballet productions. As she entered her teens, she was forced to quit ballet due to her height. She later said, "I realized pretty early on that I was already too tall by the time I was 13... You know, your body has to stay that way for your entire life, and it's pretty hard on your muscles and your bones." Realizing a dance career was unlikely, she turned to acting. As she was still a teenager at the time, this required her to be
homeschooled Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...
through most of high school.


Career


Acting


1997–2004

Winstead appeared in a production of ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
'' starring
Donny Osmond Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host, and former teen idol. He first gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gol ...
. After her brief performance in that show, Winstead began making appearances in various television series and earned guest roles in ''
Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced b ...
'' and ''
Promised Land The Promised Land ( he, הארץ המובטחת, translit.: ''ha'aretz hamuvtakhat''; ar, أرض الميعاد, translit.: ''ard al-mi'ad; also known as "The Land of Milk and Honey"'') is the land which, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew ...
''. She gained her first major role as Jessica Bennett in the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
soap opera ''
Passions ''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
'', from 1999 to 2000. She left to pursue other interests, later stating, "I really had one of the smallest roles on ''Passions'', so I didn't get too involved... I was able to leave pretty easily". Winstead's next significant television role was in the short-lived
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
drama series ''
Wolf Lake ''Wolf Lake'' is an American supernatural drama television series that originally aired on CBS from September 19 to October 24, 2001. Nine episodes were produced, but only five aired before the series was canceled by CBS. The full series, includ ...
'' (2001–02), as the daughter of
Tim Matheson Tim Matheson (born Timothy Lewis Matthieson; December 31, 1947) is an American actor and director. Some of his best-known acting roles include the title character of the 1960s animated ''Jonny Quest'' TV series, Eric "Otter" Stratton in the 197 ...
's character. The series was canceled after ten episodes. In 2004, Winstead played a supporting role in
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's
made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
film '' Monster Island''. She was offered a role in the film ''
A Cinderella Story ''A Cinderella Story'' is a 2004 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Mark Rosman, written by Leigh Dunlap and starring Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, and Regina King. A modernization of the classic Cinderella ...
'', but turned it down as she had just graduated from school and was going on a cruise with friends (where she met Riley Stearns, her future husband).


2005–2011

Following a minor role in the
indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
'' Checking Out'' (2005), she took on a larger role as a school senior turned the main antagonist in the
Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios uni ...
film '' Sky High'', about an airborne school for teenage superheroes. Winstead said of her role, "I bounced around. I was either the hero of the sidekicks or the sidekick to the heroes." The film was released on July 29, 2005, receiving favorable reviews, and budgeted at US$35 million, it grossed US$63.9 million domestically. Winstead then began working with filmmakers James Wong and
Glen Morgan Glen Morgan (born July 12, 1961) is an American television producer, writer and director. He is best known for co-writing episodes of the Fox science fiction supernatural drama series ''The X-Files'' with his partner, James Wong. He served as ...
, previously known for their contributions to ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation ...
''. She starred in the 2006
horror movie Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, ap ...
''
Final Destination 3 ''Final Destination 3'' is a 2006 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wong. A standalone sequel to ''Final Destination 2'' (2003), it is the third installment in the ''Final Destination'' film series. Wong and Glen Morgan, who ...
'' (which Wong directed and Morgan produced) as lead character
Wendy Christensen Wendy Christensen is a fictional character in the ''Final Destination'' franchise. The character, created by James Wong and Glen Morgan, and portrayed by actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, serves as the protagonist in ''Final Destination 3''. Ou ...
, the "beleaguered heroine who experiences the premonition" that sets the story in motion. The production was a commercial success, but received a mixed response from critics. Winstead's performance fared positively with reviewers;
James Berardinelli James Berardinelli (born September 25, 1967) is an American film critic and former engineer. His reviews are mainly published on his blog ''ReelViews.'' Approved as a critic by the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, he has published two collections of r ...
stated she "does as competent a job as one could expect in these dire circumstances," while Felix Gonzalez, Jr found her "likeable" in her role. Winstead would collaborate again with Morgan and Wong later that year, in the slasher film '' Black Christmas''. The movie, a loose remake of the 1974 film of the same name, follows a group of sorority sisters who are stalked and murdered by the house's former inhabitants during a winter storm. It received poor reviews, but earned her a nomination for Scream Queen at the 2007
Scream Awards The Scream Awards was an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films. Originally only having ''Scream Queen'' and ''Heroic Performance'' awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors a ...
. Winstead got a chance to lampoon horror scream queens when ''
Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 2010 ...
'' host
Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...
, unaware of who she was, knocked on her front door and included her in a comedy segment spoofing horror films. She appeared in
Emilio Estevez Emilio Estevez (; born May 12, 1962) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the son of actor Martin Sheen and the older brother of Charlie Sheen. Emilio Estevez started his career as an actor and is known for being a member of the acting Br ...
's ''
Bobby Bobby or Bobbie may refer to: People * Bobby (given name), a list of names * Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh * Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea * Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter * Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
'', a 2006 film depicting the last hours of
Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
. Winstead became interested in ''Bobby'' after learning that
Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
would appear in the film. A moderate
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
success in selected theaters, ''Bobby'' received mixed reviews with many criticisms directed at the film's script. The film's cast was nominated for the
Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Motion Picture is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in film. Winners and nominees : 1990s 2000s 2010s 2 ...
, but won the Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast. In 2007, Winstead appeared in a pair of high-profile event films.
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...
cast her as a well-intentioned but vapid and naïve actress in ''
Death Proof ''Death Proof'' is a 2007 American action-thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Kurt Russell as a stuntman who murders young women with modified cars he purports to be "death-proof". Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito ...
'', his high-speed segment of the double–feature
exploitation Exploitation may refer to: *Exploitation of natural resources *Exploitation of labour ** Forced labour *Exploitation colonialism *Slavery ** Sexual slavery and other forms *Oppression *Psychological manipulation In arts and entertainment *Exploi ...
horror ''
Grindhouse A grindhouse or action house is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter and exploitation films for adults. According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a film ...
''. She appeared alongside
Rosario Dawson Rosario Isabel Dawson (born May 9, 1979) is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in the 1995 independent drama ''Kids''. Her subsequent film roles include '' He Got Game'' (1998), ''Josie and the Pussycats'' (2001), ''Men in Bl ...
,
Tracie Thoms Tracie Nicole Thoms is an Emmy-nominated American television, film, and stage actress and singer. She is known for her roles in ''Rent'', ''Cold Case'', '' The Devil Wears Prada'', ''Death Proof'', and the short-lived Fox television series ''Won ...
,
Zoë Bell Zoë E. Bell (born November 17, 1978) is a New Zealand stuntwoman and actress. Some of her most notable stunt-work includes doubling for Lucy Lawless in '' Xena: Warrior Princess'' and for Uma Thurman in ''Kill Bill''. As an actress, Bell has ap ...
, and
Kurt Russell Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began acting on television at the age of 12 in the Westerns on television, western series ''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV series), The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'' (19 ...
in the movie's second part, which followed a
psychopathic Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Different conceptions of psychopathy have been ...
stunt man A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...
, played by Russell, stalking and murdering young women. It is the second film to feature Winstead with Russell (after '' Sky High''), although she only filmed scenes with Dawson, Thoms, and Bell. The production under-performed commercially but attracted significant media buzz and critical acclaim, ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' magazine noted that ''Death Proof'' "proves its worth as a stand-alone feature" and found Winstead's "emergence" to be "one agreeable plus o the movie. Her next film appearance of the year was opposite
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero a ...
in ''
Live Free or Die Hard ''Live Free or Die Hard'' (released as ''Die Hard 4.0'' outside North America) is a 2007 American action-thriller film directed by Len Wiseman, and serves as the fourth installment in the ''Die Hard'' film series. It is based on the 1997 articl ...
'', portraying
John McClane John McClane is a fictional character and main protagonist of the ''Die Hard'' film series, based on Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's action novel, '' Nothing Lasts Forever''. McClane was portrayed in all five films by actor Bruce Willis, and ...
's estranged daughter,
Lucy Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning ''as of light'' (''born at dawn or daylight'', maybe also ''shiny'', or ''of light complexion''). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Lu ...
. The movie grossed US$383.5 million and was highly acclaimed. She starred in a lead role in '' Make It Happen'', a
dance film A dance film (also known as screen dance) is a film in which dance is used to reveal the central themes of the film, whether these themes be connected to narrative or story, states of being, or more experimental and formal concerns. In such films, ...
. The film went
straight to DVD Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
in the United States, and fared poorly in its UK release. Nevertheless, it proved a delight for Winstead, who once dreamed of being a dancer. Critics agreed that she was the film's best asset. Reviewer Mike Martin wrote, "Winstead infuses every moment with an amazing amount of charm". Matthew Turner of ''ViewLondon'' wrote, " insteadcompensates for the generally poor direction." Winstead co-starred opposite
Michael Cera Michael Austin Cera (; ; born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian actor and musician. He started his career as a child actor, voicing the character of Brother Bear on the children's television show ''The Berenstain Bears (2003 TV series), The Berenstain ...
in the film '' Scott Pilgrim vs. The World'', an adaptation of the comic-book
Scott Pilgrim ''Scott Pilgrim'' is a series of graphic novels by Canadian author and comic book artist Bryan Lee O'Malley. The series is about Scott Pilgrim, a slacker and part-time musician who lives in Toronto, Ontario, and plays bass ‍in a band. He fal ...
, under the direction of
Edgar Wright Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical genre films, which feature extensive utilisation of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zooms and a ...
. Her role was Ramona Flowers, a mysterious delivery girl and Scott's love interest. Winstead went through fight training for two months and performed most of her own stunts. Filming occurred from March to August 2009, and the film was released in late 2010, to critical acclaim but poor box office returns. Winstead's performance was well received generally, and earned her a
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
nomination for Choice Actress Action. Winstead was cast as the lead female in the 2011
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...
film to 1982's '' The Thing'', which followed a group of scientists who discover an alien buried deep in the ice of Antarctica, realizing too late that it is still alive. Winstead portrayed paleontologist Dr. Kate Lloyd, a character she based on her sister, a neurologist. The production received a U.S. theatrical release on October 14, 2011, garnering a mixed critical reception and little commercial interest. Critics singled out Winstead for praise in her performance, with ''
Las Vegas Weekly ''Las Vegas Weekly'' is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Henderson, Nevada, covering Las Vegas arts, entertainment, culture and news. ''Las Vegas Weekly'' is published by Greenspun Media Group. The paper was founded in 1992 by James P ...
'' asserting that she "makes for an appealing protagonist, and Kate is portrayed as competent without being thrust into some unlikely action-hero role".


2012–2014

Winstead appeared opposite
Aaron Paul Aaron Paul (born Aaron Paul Sturtevant; August 27, 1979) is an American actor best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series '' Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013), for which he won several awards, including the Critics' Choice Television ...
in '' Smashed'', an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
drama directed by
James Ponsoldt James Adam Ponsoldt (born 1978) is an American film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed the drama films ''Off the Black'' (2006) and ''Smashed (film), Smashed'' (2012), the romantic comedy-drama ''The Spectacular Now'' (2013), and the dr ...
about a married alcoholic couple (Paul and Winstead) whose relationship is put to test when the wife decides to get sober. She said that the film was shot in 19 days. Screened during the
2012 Sundance Film Festival The 2012 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 19 until January 29, 2012 in Park City, Utah. 64 short films were selected for the festival from 7,675 submissions, including 27 international shorts from 3,592 submissions. Non-competition ...
, Winstead's performance earned her rave reviews, with ''
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'' calling it: "the type of performance that could be Award-worthy if given the right kind of build-up by whichever studio picks it up". The film was released theatrically on October 12, 2012, and saw Winstead snagging the Dallas International Film Festival Award for Best Actress. During a promotional interview for the movie with website ''
Collider A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators. Colliders are used as a research tool in particle ...
'', she expressed pride in working on an independent project: "It's something I've been trying to do for years and years ..It's almost like my first movie in a weird way, cause it's my first movie in this world, which is a world I've been trying to break into. 've wantedto be around filmmakers that are trying new things and not part of the system, so to speak, and they're doing things on their own terms." Winstead played the role of
Mary Todd Lincoln Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818July 16, 1882) served as First Lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Mary Lincoln was a member of a large and wealthy, slave-owning ...
opposite Benjamin Walker in '' Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter''. The film, also released in 2012, received a mixed critical response while it flopped at the box office. Nevertheless, critics praised Winstead's performance. The ''
San Jose Mercury News ''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidiar ...
'' called Winstead "a standout", and the ''
Illinois Times ''Illinois Times'' is a weekly free newspaper (distributed every Thursday) based in Springfield, Illinois. Founded in 1975, the newspaper was acquired in 1977 by Fletcher Farrar Sr., a Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and ...
'' film critic wrote, "Winstead humanizes Mary odd Lincolnby giving her a fiery wit and sense of resolve in the face of considerable adversity". Winstead was commended for scenes opposite Benjamin Walker, with '' Little White Lies'' writing that they shared: "a sweet chemistry that gives their handful of scenes an endearing warmth". In 2012, Winstead and
Topher Grace Christopher John Grace ( ; born July 12, 1978) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Eric Forman in the Fox sitcom ''That '70s Show'', Eddie Brock / Venom in Sam Raimi's film ''Spider-Man 3'', Pete Monash in ''Win a Date with Tad Ham ...
appeared in '' The Beauty Inside'', an " interactive social film". It was broken into six filmed episodes interspersed with interactive storytelling, all on Alex (the main character)'s
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
timeline. He awakes each day with a different appearance; Winstead appeared as Leah, Alex's love interest. The
web series A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single i ...
served as an advertising campaign for
Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...
and
Toshiba , commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure system ...
; it ran from August 16 through September 20, 2012. Winstead was also cast in
Roman Coppola Roman François Coppola (born April 22, 1965) is an American director, screenwriter, producer and the son of Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola. For the 2012 film ''Moonrise Kingdom'', he and co-writer Wes Anderson were nominated for the A ...
's ''
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III ''A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III'' is a 2012 American comedy film written, directed, and produced by Roman Coppola. It stars Charlie Sheen, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Katheryn Winnick and Patricia Arquette. It premiered at th ...
'' (2013), as Kate, "the best friend of harlie Sheen'sgirlfriend who just broke up with him. She is not so supportive of their relationship." The film reunited her with
Jason Schwartzman Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician. Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjeeling Limited'' (2 ...
and
Aubrey Plaza Aubrey Christina Plaza (born June 26, 1984) is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She began her career performing improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. She starred as April Ludgate on the NBC sitcom '' Par ...
, her collaborators on ''Scott Pilgrim vs. the World''. Winstead next co-starred with Adam Scott,
Richard Jenkins Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor who is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Tri ...
,
Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series ''Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recogni ...
,
Jessica Alba Jessica Marie Alba ( ; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in '' Camp Nowhere'' and '' The Secret World of Alex Mack'' (1994), and rose to prominence at age 19 ...
,
Amy Poehler Amy Poehler (; born September 16, 1971) is an American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy trou ...
, and
Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian-American actress. She is known for her comedy work on ''Second City Television'' (1976–84) and ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020) and in films such as '' After Hours'' (1985), ''Beetleju ...
in ''
A.C.O.D. ''A.C.O.D.'' is a 2013 American comedy film directed by Stu Zicherman, based on a script by Zicherman and Ben Karlin, and starring Adam Scott (actor), Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Jessica Alba and Jane Lynch. The title of the film is an abbreviation ...
'' (2013), portraying Lauren Stinger, the "long-time girlfriend of Carter (Scott) and the rock in his increasingly chaotic life." Although the film received mixed reviews, Winstead's acting was singled out by the ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'': "Winstead brings surprising depth to a small role, in which she has little to do except wait for her boyfriend to grow up, or to at least let go of his cynicism about love." ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' critic Ben Kendrick wrote: " insteadand lbaalso deliver in their contributions – though both of their characters are mainly designed to be mirrors for Carter to examine his own life and choices." ''A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III'' and ''A.C.O.D.'' both received a limited theatrical run in North America. Winstead collaborated again with James Ponsoldt in ''
The Spectacular Now ''The Spectacular Now'' is a 2013 American coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by James Ponsoldt, from a screenplay written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Tim Tharp. It stars Mile ...
'' (2013) as Holly, the sister of
Miles Teller Miles Teller (born February 20, 1987) is an American actor. He played a jazz drummer in '' Whiplash'' and a supporting pilot in '' Top Gun: Maverick''. Teller made his feature film debut in 2010 and gained recognition for his starring role in ...
's lead character. She appeared with
Brie Larson Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers (born October 1, 1989), known professionally as Brie Larson, is an American actress. Known for her supporting roles in comedies as a teenager, she has since expanded to leading roles in independent films and blockb ...
, her co-star in ''Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'', and with
Shailene Woodley Shailene Diann Woodley (born November 15, 1991) is an American actress. Born in San Bernardino, California, Woodley was raised in Simi Valley, and started modeling at the age of four and began acting professionally in minor television roles. She ...
,
Kyle Chandler Kyle Martin Chandler (born September 17, 1965) is an American actor. Making his screen acting debut in a 1988 television film, '' Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story'', Chandler's first regular television role was in the ABC drama '' Hom ...
, and
Bob Odenkirk Robert John Odenkirk (; born October 22, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker best known for his role as Saul Goodman on ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–2022). For the latter, he has re ...
. The film garnered critical acclaim and was an arthouse success. Next, Winstead briefly reprised her role in the film ''
A Good Day to Die Hard ''A Good Day to Die Hard'' is a 2013 American action thriller film and the fifth and final installment in the ''Die Hard'' film series. The film was directed by John Moore and written by Skip Woods, and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane in hi ...
'' (also 2013), shooting her scenes in only one day. Winstead stated in an interview with ''
Yahoo! Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
'' that she was not expecting another sequel but " ad fun reprisingthe father-daughter rapport." Winstead's scene was only available in the theatrical version, and was cut from the unrated version. In 2014, Winstead was given the title role in ''
Alex of Venice ''Alex of Venice'' is a 2014 drama film directed by Chris Messina in his directorial debut. It is written by Jessica Goldberg, Katie Nehra and Justin Shilton. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Katie Nehra, Chris Messina, Derek L ...
'', directed by
Chris Messina Christopher Messina (born August 11, 1974)Hochberg, Mina.Chris Messina stars in 'Ruby Sparks'. ''Newsday'' (Long Island, New York). August 8, 2012: “...the actor, who turns 38 Saturday ugust 11, 2012 After graduating from Northport ew Yor ...
and penned by
Jessica Goldberg Jessica Goldberg (born 1975) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and television writer. In 1999, she won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for her play, '' Refuge''. Goldberg is the creator of the Hulu series '' The Path'' and served as the ...
. She played "an environmental lawyer who is left to raise her 12-year-old son alone after her husband bolts." Premiering at the 57th
San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
, reviews for the film were mostly positive, with many critics praising Winstead's part in it; ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' magazine called her performance "extraordinary", saying the film: "belongs to Winstead, whose minor-key thesping proves as compelling as her heavy lifting in ''Smashed''. Alex's gradual metamorphosis into a richer, more fully realized young woman is accomplished in hundreds of tiny emotional brushstrokes, flitting across her girl-next-door wholesomeness in ever-shifting patterns". Website ''
Twitch Film Screen Anarchy, previously known as Twitch Film or Twitch, is a Canadian English-language website featuring news and reviews of mainly international, independent and cult films. The website was founded in 2004 by Todd Brown. In addition to films, ...
'' wrote:
insteadhas matured from her early roles in horror films, to more impressive fare such as ''Smashed''. She has grace, courage, knows how to move the audience and the camera loves her. While her resume up 'til now is a mix of blockbusters (''Final Destination 3'', ''Live Free or Die Hard'') and indie favorites (''Scott Pilgrim vs. the World''), this will change as she continues to grow into her profoundly blossoming career. This is an actress ready to do great things. As Alex, she always wears a look of determination, even when she's exhausted and losing the new battles thrown at her: learning how to be alone, taking care of her family and keeping the job she's worked her entire life for. Alex is a tender soul but does her damnedest to keep it together. It's an admirable trait not many can do, let alone be challenged with.
In 2014, Winstead starred in Stearns' debut feature film '' Faults''. Winstead and co-star
Leland Orser Leland Jones Orser (born August 6, 1960) is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous film and television roles, notably as Lucien Dubenko in the television series '' ER'' (2004–2009) and Sam Gilroy in the '' Taken'' film series (2008–20 ...
were praised for their performances, with ''
Film School Rejects Film School Rejects is an American blog devoted to movie reviews, interviews, film industry news, and feature commentary. It was founded by Neil Miller in February 2006. The site was nominated for Best News Blog by ''Total Film'' magazine and na ...
'' calling it an "exceptional performance" and ''
Indiewire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...
'' saying " instead'sinscrutable expression epitomizes this unique movie's enigmatic appeal", and even "ranks among her best". Winstead was next cast alongside
Jeremy Renner Jeremy Lee Renner (born January 7, 1971) is an American actor and musician. He began his career by appearing in independent films such as '' Dahmer'' (2002) and ''Neo Ned'' (2005), then supporting roles in bigger films, such as ''S.W.A.T.'' (2 ...
and
Rosemarie DeWitt Rosemarie Braddock DeWitt (born October 26, 1971) is an American actress. DeWitt played Emily Lehman in the Fox television series '' Standoff'' (2006–07), co-starring with her future husband Ron Livingston, as well as Charmaine Craine on ''Unit ...
in '' Kill the Messenger''. The thriller tells the true story of
investigative journalist Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years rese ...
Gary Webb Gary Stephen Webb (August 31, 1955 – December 10, 2004) was an American investigative journalist. He began his career working for newspapers in Kentucky and Ohio, winning numerous awards, and building a strong reputation for investigative ...
. Winstead portrayed Dawn Garcia, Webb's editor at the
San Jose Mercury News ''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidiar ...
. It received a limited theatrical release on October 10, 2014, to favorable reviews but little commercial interest.


2015–present

By January 2015, Winstead had been already cast as a series regular on A&E's U.S. remake of the French drama series '' The Returned'', with
Sandrine Holt Sandrine Claire Holt (born Sandrine Vanessa Ho; 19 November 1972) is a British-born Canadian model and actress. Early life Holt was born Sandrine Vanessa Ho in Croydon. Her middle name was later changed to Claire. Her father, Man Shun ("Horace" ...
and
Agnes Bruckner Agnes Bruckner is an American actress and former model. She began acting in television in the late 1990s and has since appeared in several films, including '' The Woods'', '' Blue Car'', '' Murder by Numbers'', '' Blood and Chocolate'', ''The An ...
. The adapted show followed residents in a small town whose lives are disrupted when people who have been dead for many years begin reappearing. It premiered on March 9, 2015, for a 10-episode run, to mostly critical acclaim. The series was cancelled after its first season though, due to low ratings. Also in 2015, she also made a guest-appearance on the August 6 episode of IFC's ''
Comedy Bang! Bang! ''Comedy Bang! Bang!'' (formerly ''Comedy Death-Ray Radio'') is a weekly comedy audio podcast, which originally began airing as a radio show on May 1, 2009.A Special Thing Forums:Comedy Death-Ray Radio starts today! Popularly known as ''Humanit ...
'' ("Mary Elizabeth Winstead Wears an A-Line Skirt and Pointy Black Boots"). Winstead next portrayed the leading role of
Mary Phinney Mary Phinney von Olnhausen (1818–1902) was an American nurse, abolitionist, and diarist. Historians look to the book extracted from her diaries -- ''" Adventures of an Army Nurse in Two Wars"'' to understand the medical techniques of the Civil W ...
in
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
' civil rights drama ''
Mercy Street "Mercy Street" is a song written by English musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album '' So''. Background and recording The song was inspired by the personal and confessional works of the American poet Anne Sexton, who wrote a play titled '' ...
''. The six-part series, about two volunteer nurses on opposing sides of the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, premiered on-demand on January 14, 2016, and made its broadcast debut three days later, on January 17. It rated favorably with reviewers, who also showed praise of Winstead's performance; ''Variety'' magazine described her as the "smart, capable center around which ''Mercy Street'' pivots" and therefore noted that she was "so good that it's hard not to wish the show had pared down the sheer number of storylines it attempts to service in its six installments". The show was renewed for a second season, which premiered on January 22, 2017, and was cancelled after its finale aired. Winstead headlined the psychological thriller '' 10 Cloverfield Lane'', appearing as Michelle, a woman held in a shelter with two men, who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack. The film, directed by
Dan Trachtenberg Dan Trachtenberg (born May 11, 1981) is an American filmmaker and podcast host.Rachel Kurland, Scare Tactics Pay off for Cheltenham’s Dan Trachtenberg'. The Jewish Exponent. March 14, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2017. He is best known for direct ...
, was released on March 11, 2016, to a widely positive reception from critics who, according to website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, agreed that the movie "makes the most of its confined setting and outstanding cast". ''
Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...
'' found Winstead "sympathetic" and remarked that she "creates a character who is smart and resourceful", while writer James Berardinelli called her a "good choice" to play the heroine as she is "strong yet feminine". ''10 Cloverfield Lane'' had the highest debut at the box office for Winstead in a leading role, with over US$24 million grossed on its opening weekend; it went on to gross US$72 million in North America and US$110.2 million worldwide. Winstead appeared in ''
Swiss Army Man ''Swiss Army Man'' is a 2016 American absurdist black comedy film written and directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (in their respective feature directorial debuts). The film stars Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winste ...
'', an independent comedy-drama directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. The film, co-starring
Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...
and
Paul Dano Paul Franklin Dano (; born June 19, 1984) is an American actor. He began his career on Broadway before making his film debut in ''The Newcomers'' (2000). He won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance for his role in '' L.I.E.' ...
, follows a hopeless man stranded on an island who befriends an apparent dead body as he tries to get back home. It premiered at the 2016
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
and was released in selected theaters on June 24, to a positive reception. Winstead also had a role in
John Krasinski John Burke Krasinski (; born October 20, 1979) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his role as Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom ''The Office''. He also served as a producer and occasional director of the series throughout its nine ...
's small-scale dramedy ''
The Hollars ''The Hollars'' is a 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by John Krasinski and written by James C. Strouse. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Krasinski, starring Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick and Margo Ma ...
'', opposite Richard Jenkins,
Anna Kendrick Anna Cooke Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including a Satellite Award, five Teen Choice Awards, three MTV Movie Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award a ...
,
Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place (born September 23, 1947) is an American actress, singer, director, and screenwriter. She is known for portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series ''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'', a role that won her the 1977 Primetime Emmy ...
, and
Margo Martindale Margo Martindale (born July 18, 1951) is an American character actress who has appeared on television, film, and stage. In 2011, she won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award for her recurring role as Mags Bennett on '' ...
. She played the ex-girlfriend of Krasinski's struggling New York City
graphic novelist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and g ...
, who returns to his hometown after learning his mother has fallen ill. Like ''Swiss Army Man'', the production was screened at Sundance and received a limited U.S. theatrical release in August 2016. Winstead appeared in CBS'
political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
comic thriller ''
BrainDead ''BrainDead'' is an American political satire science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Robert and Michelle King. The series stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Laurel Healy, a documentary film-maker who takes a job working for he ...
'', as leading character Laurel, "the daughter of a Democratic political dynasty who left
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
to become a documentary filmmaker, but is pulled back into the family business when her brother needs political help". The series received mildly positive reviews by critics, with ''
New York Magazine ''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, and with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'', ...
'' calling Winstead's casting the "smartest decision the makers made", and ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' said that she "makes an eminently watchable, formidable heroine". Despite a largely positive critical response, the series debuted to lackluster ratings and after the airing of its 13-episode first season, CBS announced its cancellation. Winstead starred opposite
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...
in the third season of '' Fargo'' as Nikki Swango, "a crafty and alluring recent parolee with a passion for competitive bridge playing with a plan, focused on always being at least one move ahead of her opponents". The season is set around December 2010 in
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and follows the lives of McGregor and Winstead's criminal couple roles; it premiered on April 19, 2017, to positive reviews. In an interview with ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', Winstead spoke of the character, "I'd never played a character like this. Once I was on set and doing it, it was so easy but it took all the elements coming together for me to feel confident and comfortable." In October 2017, ''
Deadline Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to: * Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain * ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...
'' reported that Winstead would be starring as lead in the semi-autographical dark comedy '' All About Nina'', opposite
Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...
. The film screened at the
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...
in April 2018 and won Winstead rave reviews, with ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' calling it "yet another impressive performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead" and earning her a nomination for Bravest Performance at the
Alliance of Women Film Journalists The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006. It is based in New York City and is dedicated to supporting work by and about women in the film industry. The AWFJ is composed of 84 professional female ...
. In December 2017, it was reported that Winstead would co-star in '' The Parts You Lose''; the romantic thriller saw her reuniting with her '' Smashed'' co-star,
Aaron Paul Aaron Paul (born Aaron Paul Sturtevant; August 27, 1979) is an American actor best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series '' Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013), for which he won several awards, including the Critics' Choice Television ...
. In January 2018, it was reported that Winstead was cast as female lead opposite
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...
in '' Gemini Man''. The film, directed by
Ang Lee Ang Lee (; born October 23, 1954) is a Taiwanese filmmaker. Born in Pingtung County of southern Taiwan, Lee was educated in Taiwan and later in the United States. During his filmmaking career, he has received international critical and popula ...
, was released in the United States on October 11, 2019, by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. In late-September 2018, Winstead was announced to play Huntress in
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
'
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
film '' Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)''. Directed by
Cathy Yan Cathy Y. Yan is a Chinese-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Her films include the comedy-drama film ''Dead Pigs'' (2018) and '' Birds of Prey'' (2020), the eighth installment of the DC Extended Universe. Early life and e ...
, and starring
Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie (; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Known for her work in both blockbuster and independent films, she has received several accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, four Golden Glob ...
, who reprised her role as
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
, the film was released in February 2020. In February 2019, it was revealed that Winstead is also voice starring in the Netflix adult-oriented animated
anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
''
Love, Death & Robots ''Love, Death & Robots'' (stylized as ''LOVE DEATH + R⬮BOTS'', and represented in emoji form as ❤️❌🤖) is an adult animated anthology streaming television series created by Tim Miller and streaming on Netflix. Produced by Blur Studio ...
''. The series saw her reuniting with '' The Beauty Inside'' co-star
Topher Grace Christopher John Grace ( ; born July 12, 1978) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Eric Forman in the Fox sitcom ''That '70s Show'', Eddie Brock / Venom in Sam Raimi's film ''Spider-Man 3'', Pete Monash in ''Win a Date with Tad Ham ...
and was released on March 15. In April 2019, Winstead joined the cast of
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
action film ''
Kate Kate name may refer to: People and fictional characters * Kate (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname * Gyula Káté (born 1982), Hungarian amateur boxer * Lauren Kate (born 1981), American autho ...
'' as the titular lead character. The film was released in September 2021 to lukewarm reviews, but Winstead was praised for her performance. In January 2022, Winstead was added to the cast of
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' series ''
Ahsoka Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated te ...
''. She is also set to co-star with Xochitl Gomez in Jonathan and Josh Baker's second feature film ''Ursa Major'', based on an original script by
Patrick Somerville Patrick Somerville (born April 14, 1979) is an American novelist and television writer living in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Career Novels Somerville graduated from Cornell University in 2005. He published his debut novel, ''The Cradle'', i ...
, for
XYZ Films XYZ Films is an American film production and sales company founded in 2008 by Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin and Nick Spicer, and is based in Los Angeles. It focuses on international genre films, including '' The Raid: Redemption'', '' The Raid 2'' ...
.


Singing

Winstead has expressed her interest in singing, but initially did not plan on pursuing it as a career. "I wasn't ever really going to be a singer, but it's just something I've always loved." For her part in 2007's ''Death Proof'', Tarantino had Winstead sing an
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
cover of
The Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFadd ...
' hit recording "
Baby It's You "Baby It's You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach (music), Luther Dixon (credited as Barney Williams), and Mack David (lyrics). It was recorded by the Shirelles and the Beatles, and was a hit for both. The highest-charting version of "Baby I ...
". She was asked without warning to perform the song and the cast were reportedly "gob-smacked" by her singing. Winstead and
music producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
Thai Long Ly eventually co-wrote a song, called "Warmth of Him". Although first rumored to be a pre-release single, Winstead confirmed that she was just exploring her interest and did not plan at the time on releasing any music albums.


Got a Girl

In an interview with ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' magazine for the June/July 2012 issue, Winstead revealed she was working with
Dan the Automator Daniel M. Nakamura better known by his stage name Dan the Automator, is an American record producer from San Francisco, California. He is the founder of the publishing company Sharkman Music and the record label 75 Ark. Early life Nakamura was bo ...
and was indeed planning on releasing a music album. The duo formed the band
Got a Girl Got a Girl is an American musical duo formed in 2012 consisting of singer Mary Elizabeth Winstead and music producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura. The band's first studio album, '' I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now'', was released i ...
the following year, and released their demo "You & Me" on May 21, 2013. The album, titled '' I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now'', was released on July 22, 2014, via Bulk Recordings. The first single, "Did We Live Too Fast" premiered on June 3, and its music video, directed by
Hope Larson Hope Raue Larson (born 1982) is an American illustrator and cartoonist. Her main field is comic books. Biography Larson grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and attended Carolina Day School.Anne Fitten Glenn"Graphic Insight" ''Mountain Xpress'' ...
, premiered online on June 16. The album features heavy influences of
French pop music French pop music is pop music sung in the French language. It is usually performed by singers from France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, or any of the other francophone areas of the world. The target audience is the francophone market (primaril ...
, with Winstead detailing that the inspiration behind the project came from "French '60s pop—
Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin, Order of British Empire, OBE (born 14 December 1946) is an English-French singer and actress. She attained international fame and notability for her decade-long musical and romantic partnership with Serge Gainsbourg. She als ...
, and stuff like that. It's kind of married with Dan's sensibility, which is his beats and a little bit of that low-key hip-hop vibe. So it makes for something that's very unique; it's very lounge-y and light. It's got a little bit of a French quality." All lyrics were written by Winstead while all music was composed by Dan the Automator.


Guest appearances

Winstead was also featured on the songs "The Agony" and "Look Across The Sky" on
Deltron 3030 Deltron 3030 is an alternative hip hop trio composed of producer Dan the Automator (as the Cantankerous Captain Aptos), rapper Del the Funky Homosapien (as Deltron Zero/Deltron Osiris), and DJ Kid Koala (as Skiznod the Boy Wonder). They also ...
's second studio album ''
Event 2 ''Event 2'' is the second album by hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030. The album was released on September 30, 2013. It is the group's first album since their 2000 debut, ''Deltron 3030'' and a narrative sequel. Production history Production be ...
'', released on September 30, 2013. In November 2016, Honus Honus from
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
band
Man Man Man Man is an American experimental rock band from Philadelphia currently based in Los Angeles. Their multi-instrumental style is centered on the piano playing of lead singer, songwriter, and lyricist Honus (Ryan Kattner). Honus is accompanied ...
released a song on
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, "Santa Monica," that features Winstead. In December 2016, Portugal. The Man released the single and video for "Noise Pollution (Version A, Vocal Up Mix 1.3)" from their album ''
Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
'', featuring Winstead and Zoe Manville.


Personal life

In 2010, Winstead married filmmaker
Riley Stearns Riley Stearns (born June 29, 1986) is an American filmmaker best known for directing the films '' Faults'' (2014) and '' The Art of Self-Defense'' (2019). Early life Stearns was born on June 29, 1986 in Austin, Texas, and grew up in Pflugerville ...
, whom she had met at age eighteen on an ocean cruise. She starred in and produced Stearns' debut feature film, '' Faults'', in 2014. She announced their separation in May 2017 and their divorce was finalized later that year. It was reported in October 2017 that she was in a relationship with Scottish actor
Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...
, whom she had met on the set of '' Fargo''. Their son, Laurie, was born on June 27, 2021. Winstead and McGregor married in April 2022.


Filmography


Feature film


Short film


Television


Music videos


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Winstead, Mary Elizabeth 1984 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from North Carolina Actresses from Utah American child actresses American film actresses American soap opera actresses American television actresses Daytime Emmy Award winners Living people People from Rocky Mount, North Carolina People from Sandy, Utah Singers from North Carolina Singers from Utah