Mare Winningham Biography: Awards, Husband, Films, Children, Music, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents

Mare Winningham is an American actress and singer‑songwriter who first gained widespread attention in the early 1980s through acclaimed roles in television and film.

She earned both respect and recognition for her performance in the ABC miniseries “The Thorn Birds” (1983), before joining the cast of the iconic coming‑of‑age film “St. Elmo’s Fire” (1985) as one of the original Brat Pack.

Over the decades, she has built a career defined by powerful, emotionally rich supporting roles in projects such as “Amber Waves,” “Georgia,” and “George Wallace,” earning her multiple Emmy Awards and an Academy Award nomination.

Profile

• Full name: Mary Megan Winningham
• Nickname: Mare
• Date of birth: May 16, 1959
• Age: 66 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
• State of origin: Arizona
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actress; singer‑songwriter
• Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)  
• Eye color: Brown  
• Hair color: Brown  
• Parents: Sam Neal Winningham and Marilyn Jean (Maloney) Winningham  
• Siblings: Three brothers and one sister, including Patrick Winningham  
• Spouse: A Martinez (m. 1981–1982); William Sweet Mapel (m. 1982–1996); Jason Trucco (m. 2008–2012); Anthony Edwards (m. 2021–present)  
• Children: Riley Mapel, Patrick Mapel, Jack Mapel, Calla Louise Mapel, Happy Atticus Mapel  
• Relationship status: Married to Anthony Edwards
• Religion: Raised Roman Catholic; converted to Judaism in her early 40s  
• Ethnicity: Caucasian‑American
• Net worth: US$2–2.5 million

Early Life and Education

Mare Winningham is now 66 years old. She was born on May 16, 1959, in Phoenix, Arizona, and shortly after, her family moved to Northridge, California.

Her father, Sam Neal Winningham, was chairman of physical education at California State University, Northridge, and her mother, Marilyn Jean, taught English and worked as a college counselor.

Mare grew up with three brothers and a sister, and attended Andasol Avenue Elementary and Patrick Henry Junior High, where she took drama and performed in guitar and drum ensembles. She completed high school at Chatsworth High School alongside classmates Kevin Spacey and Val Kilmer.

Personal Life

Mare’s personal life has been marked by long-term relationships and family commitments. Her first marriage was to actor A Martinez in 1981, ending in divorce a year later.

Later that year, she married television technician William Sweet Mapel; together they had five children—Riley, Patrick, Jack, Calla Louise, and Happy Atticus—before divorcing in 1996. Riley tragically died by suicide in 2005.

Mare then married artist Jason Trucco in 2008; they divorced in 2012. In 2021, she eloped with longtime friend and actor Anthony Edwards, with whom she had reconnected during the COVID‑19 pandemic after first meeting on the set of “Miracle Mile” in 1988.

Career

Mare began performing on television in 1976, singing on “The Gong Show” at age 16. She earned her Screen Actors Guild card with “James at 15,” then landed a role on the short‑lived “Young Pioneers” (1978).

In 1980, she won her first Emmy Award for the TV movie “Amber Waves”. She became more widely known with roles in “The Thorn Birds” (1983) and “St. Elmo’s Fire” (1985).

Her critically acclaimed film “Georgia” (1995) earned her an Oscar nomination, and another Emmy followed for “George Wallace” (1997). On stage, she debuted Off-Broadway in 2007 and made her Broadway debut in 2013’s “Picnic.”

She has received two Tony nominations for “Casa Valentina” (2014) and “Girl From the North Country” (2022). Her television roles in “Mildred Pierce,” “Hatfields & McCoys,” “American Horror Story,” “The Affair,” “Dopesick,” and others continue to draw praise.

Awards

• Emmy Award – Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Amber Waves (1980)
• Emmy Award – Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – George Wallace (1998)
• Academy Award nomination – Best Supporting Actress – Georgia (1995)
• Golden Globe nomination – Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film – George Wallace (1998)
• Tony Award nominations – Best Featured Actress in a Play – Casa Valentina (2014); Girl From the North Country (2022)
• Independent Spirit Award – Best Supporting Female – Georgia (1995)
• Drama Desk Award nomination – 10 Million Miles (2007)
• Lucille Lortel Award win – 10 Million Miles (2008)

Net worth

Mare Winningham’s estimated net worth is between US$2 million and US$2.5 million. She built her wealth through decades of work in film, television, theater, and music, earning accolades and steady roles that combined performance and songwriting income.

Social Media

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Filmography

• The Thorn Birds (1983)
• St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
• Miracle Mile (1988)
• Turner & Hooch (1989)
• Wyatt Earp (1994)
• The War (1994)
• Georgia (1995)
• Dandelion (2004)
• Swing Vote (2008)
• Brothers (2009)
• Mildred Pierce (2011)
• Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
• American Horror Story (Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Cult)
• Dopesick (2021)

Discography

• What Might Be (1992)
• Georgia: Original Soundtrack (1995)
• Lonesomers (1997)
• Refuge Rock Sublime (2007)
• What’s Left Behind (2014)