Mary Steenburgen is a beloved Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress, celebrated songwriter, and masterful storyteller whose work has left an indelible mark on both big and small screens. With a career spanning over four decades and roles in iconic films like Melvin and Howard, Parenthood, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Philadelphia, Stepbrothers, and Book Club and television shows including Justified, Orange is the New Black, Togetherness, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Last Man on Earth, Steenburgen has built a legacy defined by resilience, reinvention, and deep creative exploration. She brings audiences into the heart of Hollywood—offering a rare, intimate look behind the scenes of acting, songwriting, and navigating an ever-evolving industry. Whether she’s writing award-winning original songs or lighting up screens in beloved shows like Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Mary speaks to the power of reinvention, authenticity, and the creative spirit that connects us all.

With a stage presence as warm and captivating as her performances, Mary instantly disarms audiences with humility, humor, and her genuine heart. She invites listeners to reflect on their own paths with courage and curiosity, offering rich storytelling, unexpected inspiration, and a dose of behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic. Ideal for creative professionals, women’s leadership events, entertainment and media industry gatherings, and university audiences, Mary’s talks are as entertaining as they are empowering—reminding us that it’s never too late to begin a new chapter or find a new voice.

More About Mary Steenburgen

Mary’s journey is full of unexpected turns—and maybe the most surprising came after a routine arm surgery, when she woke up with melodies in her head. She still can’t quite explain it, but that moment sparked a brand new chapter as a songwriter. With no formal music training, she is now a songwriter for Universal Music Publishing Group. Along with co-writers Troy Verges and Caitlyn Smith, Mary wrote the acclaimed song "This Is Christmas" for HBO's Holiday Harmony, "North Star" for Roku's original film Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas, and “See Me” for the animated film 10 Lives. Mary was shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)", featured in the film Wild Rose. "Glasgow" received the Critics' Choice Award and the Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Original Song. She also wrote “Anywhere With You” for Book Club: The Next Chapter, which she also starred in alongside Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, and Candice Bergen. Her pivot from screen to song later in life has become a powerful story of reinvention that inspires creatives, professionals, and dreamers alike to embrace change with heart and courage.

Next up, Mary will star in the Josh Greenbaum-directed comedy The Dink alongside Jake Johnson and Ed Harris, and in the second season of the Netflix comedy series A Man on the Inside, opposite her husband Ted Danson. She is currently writing the music for The Underneath, an animated film adaptation of the Newbery Award-winning book of the same name.

In addition to her illustrious acting and songwriting career, Mary is a vocal climate change and conservation advocate, and has partnered with organizations like Greenpeace USA and Oceana to raise awareness and advocate for action.