Margo Martindale

Margo Martindale

Birthday: July 18
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Texas

Emmy® winner Margo Martindale is one of the world’s busiest and most acclaimed character actresses. She received the 2011 Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her tour de force performance as Mags Bennett, the diabolical matriarch on the FX drama series, Justified. The role also earned her the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and a 2011 Television Critics Association Award nomination for Individual Achievement in Drama.

Emmy® winner Margo Martindale is one of the world’s busiest and most acclaimed character actresses. She received the 2011 Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her tour de force performance as Mags Bennett, the diabolical matriarch on the FX drama series, Justified. The role also earned her the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and a 2011 Television Critics Association Award nomination for Individual Achievement in Drama. USA Today described her performance as “smart, chilling, amusing, convincing and unfailingly entertaining”, and The Huffington Post dubbed it “the television performance of the year!” Martindale can also be seen as Claudia on FX’s The Americans.

On Broadway, Martindale received a Tony Award nomination for her riveting portrayal of Big Mama in the revival of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

A native of Jacksonville, Texas, she began her career on the New York stage creating such iconic roles as Truvy in the original production of Steel Magnolias. This brought her to the attention of Hollywood and appearances in some of the most notable films of the past two decades.

Moviegoers will recognize her work in Million Dollar Baby, Dead Man Walking, Nobody’s Fool, Lorenzo’s Oil, The Hours, Practical Magic, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Secretariat, Paris, Je T’Aime and Win Win among others. In 2013, filmgoers shall see her in the highly anticipated films, Bluebird, Beautiful Creatures with Emily Rossum and Jeremy Irons and August: Osage County with Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Chris Cooper. Her recent television credits include stand out performances on A Gifted Man, Medium, Dexter, The Riches and Hung.

Martindale resides in New York City with her husband, Bill. They are the parents of a daughter, Maggie.

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Awards & Nominations

6 Nominations | 3 Emmys
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie - 2020
  • Nominee
  • Margo Martindale, as Bella Abzug
  • Mrs. America
  • FX Networks
  • FX Productions
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 2016
  • Winner
  • Margo Martindale, as Claudia
  • The Americans
  • FX Networks
  • Fox 21 Television Studios, FX Productions
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 2015
  • Winner
  • Margo Martindale, as Claudia
  • The Americans
  • FX Networks
  • Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 2014
  • Nominee
  • Margo Martindale, as Claudia
  • The Americans
  • FX Networks
  • Fox Television Studios and FX Productions
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series - 2013
  • Nominee
  • Margo Martindale, as Claudia
  • The Americans
  • FX Networks
  • Fox Television Studios and FX Productions
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series - 2011
  • Winner
  • Margo Martindale, as Mags Bennett
  • Justified
  • FX Networks
  • Sony Pictures Television

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

MargoMartindaleLucianneGoldberg
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Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Mac Quayle, Margo Martindale and Sean P. Callery at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.
Margo Martindale accepts an award at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Margo Martindale onstage at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Margo Martindale at the 2015 Creative Arts Ball.
Margo Martindale backstage at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
Seth Green, Margo Martindale and Mae Whitman backstage at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
Margo Martindale arrives at the Performers Peer Group nominee reception in West Hollywood.
Alysia Reiner (l) of Orange Is the New Black, Sarah Paulson (c) of American Horror Story: Coven and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.
Bob Bergen (l) and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.
Margo Martindale of The Americans arrives for the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.
James Burrows with Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges
Margo Martindale, Will Arnett, and Jim Parsons on stage at the 65th Emmys
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale on stage at the 65th Emmys
Margo Martindale on the Red Carpet at the 65th Emmys
Bob Newhart and Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale presents Bob Newhart with his Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actors in a Comedy Series, The Big Bang Theory
Margo Martindale on the Red Carpet at the 65th Creative Arts Emmys
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale poses with the award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" in the press room
Margo Martindale
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Margo Martindale as Lucianne Goldberg

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(From left) Margo Martindale, Sarah Paulson, Judith Light, Edie Falco, Beanie Feldstein, Annaleigh Ashford, Cobie Smulders

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(Standing from left) Cobie Smulders, Beanie Feldstein, Edie Falco, Sarah Paulson, Margo Martindale (Seated from left) Judith Light, Annaleigh Ashford

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Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 70th Emmy Awards. 

Invision/ AP
Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
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Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.

Invision/AP
Mac Quayle, Margo Martindale and Sean P. Callery at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.
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Mac Quayle, Margo Martindale and Sean P. Callery at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.

Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Margo Martindale accepts an award at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
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Margo Martindale accepts an award at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys. 

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale onstage at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
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Margo Martindale onstage at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys. 

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
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Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale at the 2015 Creative Arts Ball.
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Margo Martindale at the 2015 Creative Arts Ball.

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale backstage at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
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Margo Martindale backstage at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.

Invision/AP
Seth Green, Margo Martindale and Mae Whitman backstage at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
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Seth Green, Margo Martindale and Mae Whitman backstage at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
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Margo Martindale on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale arrives at the Performers Peer Group nominee reception in West Hollywood.
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Margo Martindale arrives at the Performers Peer Group nominee reception in West Hollywood.

Invision/AP
Alysia Reiner (l) of Orange Is the New Black, Sarah Paulson (c) of American Horror Story: Coven and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.
Camera

Alysia Reiner (l) of Orange Is the New Black, Sarah Paulson (c) of American Horror Story: Coven and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.

Invision/AP
Bob Bergen (l) and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.
Camera

Bob Bergen (l) and Margo Martindale (r) of The Americans attend the Performers nominee reception.

Invision/AP
Margo Martindale of The Americans arrives for the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.
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Margo Martindale of The Americans arrives for the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
James Burrows with Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges
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Invision/AP
Margo Martindale, Will Arnett, and Jim Parsons on stage at the 65th Emmys
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@PrimetimeEmmy
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale on stage at the 65th Emmys
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Invision/AP
Margo Martindale on the Red Carpet at the 65th Emmys
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Invision/AP
Bob Newhart and Margo Martindale
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Phil McCarten/Invision/AP
Margo Martindale presents Bob Newhart with his Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actors in a Comedy Series, The Big Bang Theory
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Invision/AP
Margo Martindale on the Red Carpet at the 65th Creative Arts Emmys
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Invision/AP
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale
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Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP
Will Arnett and Margo Martindale
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Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP
Margo Martindale poses with the award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" in the press room
Margo Martindale
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