Character actors are in their own unique class within the acting community. These thespians tend to gravitate toward the unusual characters rather than the more mainstream, cookie-cutter roles. But from the sidelines, these actors dig into their parts, creating something meaty and memorable. There are plenty of great character actors out there, such as Sam Elliot and Judy Greer, yet many get typecast and are unable to show off their range as an actor. That, however, cannot be said for Margo Martindale.
Martindale’s appeared in a wide variety of films and TV series, but she isn't necessarily a household name. From Days of Thunder to Mrs. Davis and everything in between, the three-time Emmy-winning actress has shown audiences time and time again what she is capable of through the variety of roles she’s taken on.
Her Recognition Is Completely 'Justified'
Margo Martindale has lent her talents on television in critically acclaimed drama series such as The Good Wife, Dexter, and Mrs. America. Part of what makes Martindale stand out among her dramatic roles is her appearance, as she uses her looks of a docile, older woman in order to shock audiences with her characters’ darker intentions. This is very notable in her work on Sneaky Pete and in her arc as Mags Bennet in Justified. On the surface, she appears to be the warm matriarch of her family when in reality she’s out for blood against her rivals, the Given family. With the deep octave of her voice, Martindale is venomous and downright terrifying as Mags Bennet, showing no mercy when she hammers her youngest son’s hand, Coover (Brad William Henke). In fact, her turn as this detestable character in Justified earned Martindale her first Emmy win.
Martindale brings a similar cutthroat intensity in The Americans where she plays the KGB supervisor to Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys). Instead of lashing out in violent acts, what makes Claudia so unnerving is her calm, cool demeanor. Despite her non-threatening appearance, Claudia commands your attention as she holds power and influence over the Jennings. Her composed disposition leaves viewers in an uneasy state, questioning if she is someone to be trusted since her loyalty to the KGB runs deep. This ability to keep audiences on their toes in this way earned Martindale not one, but two Emmy wins.
While she’s more known for her dramatic television roles, Martindale also brings her exceptional talents to the silver screen. She has played the mother to one rock star, Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly) in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, and the grandmother to a pop sensation, Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) in Hannah Montana: The Movie. In this medium, she has also immersed herself in complicated, morally questionable characters. For instance, instead of being a supportive mother, she’s a selfish freeloader to her daughter, Maggie (Hilary Swank) in Million Dollar Baby. In August: Osage County, Margo Martindale’s Mattie Fae tells her niece, Barbara (Julia Roberts), that there’s more to her than just being Barbara’s "old" and "fat" aunt. Martindale's unthreatening looks mask a hardened woman, which brings a layer of pathos to these roles and leaves the audience wondering what her characters will do next.
Martindale Can Also Bring the Laughs
Although Margo Martindale has been awarded for her cruel, anti-hero type roles, she does know how to have fun, too. Her tough demeanor gives way for great comedic moments. While she’s done her fair share of guest spots on comedy series like New Girl and Mike & Molly, Martindale starred in her first sitcom, The Millers, on CBS in the 2010s. Though Carol Miller is going through a divorce with her husband (Beau Bridges) of over forty years, she finds the humor through it all in this multi-camera sitcom. On air for just two seasons, The Millers gave audiences a showcase of this hilarious yet overbearing mother to her kids, played by Will Arnett and Jayma Mays. Her presence on the sitcom taps into her "relatable" factor, from the way she pushes her adult children with love to the stubbornness you find in the most well-intentioned mothers. The versatility to jump from scripted dramas to traditional sitcoms is not as easy as it looks, yet Martindale makes the switch effortlessly.
As a seasoned actress, Margo Martindale is at her best when she’s able to pull from different acting sensibilities across genres. In The Hollars, Martindale brings light-hearted humor from a hospital bed to her onscreen son, played by John Krasinski. In the DuckTales reboot series, she uses her deep voice to bring the nefarious Ma Beagle to life. However, the role that sums up the most everything Martindale can do is her fictionalized self in the adult animated series, BoJack Horseman. With just her voice, Character Actress Margo Martindale channels her previous criminal characters for an off-the-wall version of herself. Among the zany misadventures she goes on with BoJack (Arnett) and Todd Chavez (Aaron Paul), she pairs the intensity with the sharp humor of the series. Martindale doesn’t take herself so seriously, and she’s able to play herself without losing what makes her special to Hollywood (or should I say, Hollywoo) at large. The combination of her deep voice, the writing of the series, and her personal pedigree of roles results in a fan-favorite character across the series’ six-season run. And, let's not forget how wonderfully weird Martindale is in Ryan Murphy's The Watcher.
Margo Martindale Steals the Spotlight in ‘Cocaine Bear'
Sometimes actors fear that their career might slow down as they get older. For Martindale, who is 71, this has been quite the opposite. As mentioned earlier, Martindale is at her best when she combines her talents across genres. She harmonizes her tough-as-nails disposition with her comedic sensibilities as Ranger Liz in the horror comedy, Cocaine Bear. Not only did it mark a reunion with her former costar, Keri Russell, but it also showcases Martindale’s physical comedy. In a movie with such an absurd premise, Martindale commits to the bit while making audiences laugh as she faces off against the titular bear. Ranger Liz’s appearance, attempted flirtatious advances on Peter (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), and intensity highlights Martindale amid an ensemble cast in this gory, horror comedy.
Martindale continues her daring character work in Peacock’s newest series, Mrs. Davis starring Betty Gilpin. Though she plays Simone’s Mother Superior in this genre-bending series about artificial intelligence, her holy role has an edge to it, quick to pull out some liquor and party. In addition to her supporting work, Martindale is also set to star in a new comedy series, The Sticky, coming to Prime Video. Based on a true story, she will portray Ruth Clarke, a well-seasoned maple syrup farmer who will go on to pull off a heist that leads to the loss of 70% of the world’s maple product, known as the “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist.” This combination of true crime and comedy is sure to be a delicious new role for Martindale to sink her teeth into.
Margo Martindale has almost 130 acting credits to her name. Even though we’ve only scratched the surface of her entire filmography, her skills as a character actress has given her the platform to weave back and forth from genre to genre and from TV to silver screen. Her mild appearance masks intense rage, while her deep voice can provide moments ranging from heartbreaking to hilarious. She seems unassuming, and it’s her greatest superpower. It’s why she has remained a fixture on our screens for decades. The only genre she has yet to face is the superhero blockbuster, but if there’s anyone who could jump into the comic book space, you better believe it’s Margo Martindale!
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