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Madeleine Stowe

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Madeleine Stowe
Stowe in 2014
Born (1958-08-18) August 18, 1958 (age 68)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1978–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1982)​
Children1

Madeleine Stowe (born August 18, 1958) is an American actress. She appeared mostly on television before her role in the 1987 crime-comedy film Stakeout. She went on to star in the films Revenge (1990), Unlawful Entry (1992), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Blink (1993), 12 Monkeys (1995), The General's Daughter (1999), and We Were Soldiers (2002). For her role in the 1993 independent film Short Cuts, she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress.

From 2011 to 2015, Stowe starred as Victoria Grayson, the main antagonist of the ABC drama series Revenge. For this role, she was nominated for the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. She also played Ingrid Kersh in the HBO series It: Welcome to Derry.

Early life and education

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Madeleine Stowe was born at the Queen of Angels Hospital[1] in Los Angeles, California,[2] on August 18, 1958,[3] the first of three children.[1] She was raised in Eagle Rock, a section of Los Angeles. Her father, Robert, was a civil engineer from Oregon, while her mother, Mireya (née Mora Steinvorth), came from a prominent family in Costa Rica.[4][5][6]

Stowe's father suffered from multiple sclerosis, and she accompanied him to all his medical treatments.[7][8]

Acting career

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Early years

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Stowe began her career performing on stage at the Solaris, a Beverly Hills theater, where a movie agent saw her in a play and got her several offers of appearances in TV and films.[9] In 1978, she made her debut in an episode in the police drama series Baretta, followed by a string of TV work, with guest appearances on The Amazing Spider-Man, Barnaby Jones and Little House on the Prairie. In 1978, she played a leading role as Mary in the television movie, The Nativity (1978).[3] She starred in two NBC miniseries: Beulah Land (1980) and The Gangster Chronicles (1981), which starred Brian Benben, her future husband.[citation needed] She also starred in several television films, such as Amazons (1984) and Blood & Orchids (1986).[citation needed] In 1984, she was featured in the music video for JD Souther's song "Go Ahead and Rain"[10]

Breakthrough and film career

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Madeleine Stowe in 2002

In 1987, Stowe appeared in her first breakthrough role in the feature film Stakeout with Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez.[3] The film debuted at number one at the U.S. box office.[11][12] In 1988, she played a leading role in Ciro Durán's film Tropical Snow, with David Carradine.[citation needed] She co-starred with Mark Harmon in the comedy Worth Winning, with Kevin Costner in the 1989 thriller Revenge, and opposite Jack Nicholson in 1990 in The Two Jakes.[citation needed] She played a leading role in the 1991 independent film Closet Land.[13]

In 1992, she appeared opposite Kurt Russell in the crime drama Unlawful Entry.[14] That same year, Stowe played Cora Munro in The Last of the Mohicans, which also starred Daniel Day-Lewis. Her critically acclaimed performance in the film, which grossed more than $75 million worldwide, elevated Stowe from supporting player to an A-list movie star.[3][15] The next year, director Robert Altman cast Stowe in his ensemble film Short Cuts, where she gave one of her most acclaimed screen performances as the wife of a compulsively lying and adulterous police officer played by Tim Robbins. She won the National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award and a Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast for her performance in the movie.[citation needed] She also made a cameo appearance in Stakeout's sequel Another Stakeout.[3] The following year, Stowe played a leading role as a blind musician in the thriller Blink, in the neo-noir thriller China Moon, and in the Western Bad Girls.[15] The year after that, she played Kathryn Railly, a sympathetic psychiatrist, in Terry Gilliam's dystopian science fiction film 12 Monkeys. Stowe received a Saturn Awards nomination for this performance.[citation needed]

Madeleine Stowe in 2008

In 1994, Stowe was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World".[3][16] In 1995, Stowe was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History".[17]

2000-present

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Stowe postponed her acting career in 1996 to concentrate on her family life. She settled for several years in a Texas ranch, with her daughter May and husband Brian Benben.[18] In 1998, she came back with The Proposition and Playing by Heart, and then The General's Daughter, opposite John Travolta in 1999.[15] In 2001, she starred in the science-fiction box office bomb Impostor.[19] In 2002, she played Julia Moore in the war film We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson, and the box office flop action-comedy Avenging Angelo opposite Sylvester Stallone.[15] In 2003, she starred in the thriller Octane as Senga Wilson, a single mother trying to save her teenage daughter (Mischa Barton) from a bizarre cult obsessed with blood and cars.[citation needed]

Stowe's onscreen appearances became increasingly rare in the 2000s, as she focused on motherhood.[18] She occasionally appeared in some TV productions, such as Saving Milly, an adaptation of Morton Kondracke's book of the same name, of a woman diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.[20] Stowe starred in the not-picked-up Fox pilot Southern Comfort about a woman who takes over her mobster husband's business when he gets sent to prison.[21] In 2007, she appeared in the recurring role of Dr. Samantha Kohl in Jeff Goldblum's detective drama Raines on NBC, a mid-season replacement. The series was canceled after two months. In 2009 she starred in the Lifetime movie, The Christmas Hope.[15]

Stowe at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2011, Stowe announced her return and began playing Victoria Grayson, the glamorous and powerful matriarch of the Grayson family, on ABC's television drama series Revenge.[22][23] It debuted on September 21, and was picked up for a full season by ABC on October 13.[24] Stowe's portrayal of the character received critical praise,[25] and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for this role.[26] In April 2012, she was listed at No. 5 in People magazine's annual Most Beautiful Woman list.[27] The series ended in 2015 after four seasons and 89 episodes.[citation needed]

In May and June 2016, Stowe guest hosted primetime films on Turner Classic Movies, appearing in dozens of wraparounds on the channel. In 2019, she returned to acting starring as actress Margot Weston in the Netflix musical drama series, Soundtrack.[28] The series was canceled after one season.[29]

In 2025, Stowe stars in the HBO supernatural horror television series It: Welcome to Derry which is based on Stephen King's novel It (1986) and serves as a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019).[30]

In 2026, Stowe stars as the conniving, wealthy heiress, Gertrude Payne in the Netflix crime drama miniseries I Will Find You adapted from Harlan Coben's 2023 novel of the same name. [31]

Personal life

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In 1982, Stowe married Brian Benben, whom she had met on the set of the NBC miniseries The Gangster Chronicles the previous year. Together they have one daughter, born in 1996. Before living in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, they lived on a ranch west of Austin, near Fredericksburg, Texas.[32][1][33] As of 2025, Stowe resides in Memphis, Tennessee in the Midtown historic district of Chickasaw Gardens.[34]

In 2008, Stowe traveled to Haiti and helped found Artists for Peace and Justice. She serves on the board of directors of the foundation.[35]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 Gangster Wars Ruth Lasker
1987 Stakeout Maria McGuire
1988 Tropical Snow Marina
1989 Worth Winning Veronica Briskow
1990 Revenge Mireya Mendez
The Two Jakes Lillian Bodine
1991 Closet Land Victim
1992 Unlawful Entry Karen Carr
The Last of the Mohicans Cora Munro
1993 Another Stakeout Maria McGuire Uncredited cameo
Short Cuts Sherri Shepard
1994 China Moon Rachel Munro
Blink Emma Brody
Bad Girls Cody Zamora
1995 12 Monkeys Kathryn Railly
1998 The Proposition Eleanor Barret
Playing by Heart Gracie
1999 The General's Daughter Warr. Off. Sara Sunhill
2001 Impostor Maya Olham
2002 We Were Soldiers Julia Moore
Avenging Angelo Jennifer Barrett Allieghieri
2003 Octane Senga Wilson aka Pulse

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Baretta Anna Episode: "The Marker"
The Amazing Spider-Man Maria Calderon Episode: "Escort to Danger"
The Nativity Mary, mother of Jesus Movie
The Deerslayer Hetty Hutter Movie
1979 Barnaby Jones Diane Episode: "School of Terror"
1980 Beulah Land Selma Kendrick Davis Miniseries
Little House on the Prairie Annie Crane Episode: "Portrait of Love"
1981 Trapper John, M.D. Cassie Episode: "Creepy Time Gal"
The Gangster Chronicles Ruth Lasker Miniseries
1984 Amazons Dr. Sharon Fields Movie
1986 Blood & Orchids Hester Ashley Murdoch Movie
2002 The Magnificent Ambersons Isabel Amberson Minafer Movie
2005 Saving Milly Milly Martinez Movie
2006 Southern Comfort Charlotte Pilot
2007 Raines Dr. Samantha Kohl 5 episodes
2009 The Christmas Hope Patricia Addison Movie
2011–2015 Revenge Victoria Grayson 89 episodes
2016 12 Monkeys Lillian Episode: "Memory of Tomorrow"
2019 Soundtrack Margot Weston 10 episodes
2021 Eli Roth's History of Horror Herself Docuseries; episode: "Infections"
2025 It: Welcome to Derry Ingrid Kersh / Periwinkle[36] 6 episodes
2026 I Will Find You Gertrude Payne 5 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Work Result
1993 Venice Film Festival Special Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast Short Cuts Recipient
1994 National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Won
Golden Globe Awards Special Award for Ensemble Cast (non-competitive) Recipient
1996 Sci-Fi Universe Magazine, USA Best Actress in a Genre Motion Picture 12 Monkeys Won
Saturn Awards Best Actress Nominated
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense The General's Daughter Nominated
ALMA Awards Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film Nominated
2003 American Veterans Center Best Actress We Were Soldiers Won
2005 Imagen Awards Best Actress Saving Milly Won
2012 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama Revenge Nominated
Dorian Awards Television Performance of the Year Nominated
ALMA Awards Favorite TV Actress – Drama Nominated
2013 TV Guide Awards Favorite Villain Nominated
2014 Keck School of Medicine of USC Humanitarian Award[37] Won

References

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  1. 1 2 3 Wallace, Amy (February 1, 2012). "Madeleine Stowe". Los Angeles magazine. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  2. ↑ Jackson, Vannessa (May 17, 2016). "Madeleine Stowe". Hollywood Life. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Biography for Madeleine Stowe". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ "The Leading Madeleine Online Site on the Net". MadeleineOnline.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ Rickey, Carrie (January 4, 1996). "Quiet Siren". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. C1, C10. Retrieved August 14, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ↑ Dougherty, Margot. "Madeleine Stowe's Second Act". MORE Magazine. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  7. ↑ de Vries, Hilary (January 30, 1994). "The Trip to Bankable". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ Best, Amanda (October 23, 2014). "Madeleine Stowe on Caring For Someone With MS". NewLifeOutlook | Multiple Sclerosis.
  9. ↑ Reporter, IBTimes Staff (February 16, 2012). "Madeleine Stowe: 10 Things You Didn't Know About ABC's 'Revenge' Star". International Business Times. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  10. ↑ "J.D. Souther, The Real Watty White". American Songwriter.
  11. ↑ "Stakeout' Ranks No. 1 In Box-Office Sales". The New York Times. September 2, 1987. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Stakeout in First Place In Week's Ticket Sales". The New York Times. August 27, 1987. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
  13. ↑ Closet Land (1990), AllRovi.
  14. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (June 22, 1992). "Film Reviews: Unlawful Entry". Variety. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "Madeleine Stowe- Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  16. ↑ "The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World". People. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  17. ↑ "100 Sexiest Movie Stars Of All Time". Empire. No. 74. August 1995. ISSN 0957-4948.
  18. 1 2 Rizzo, Monica (December 12, 2011). "Madeleine Stowe: Best Revenge". People. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Impostor - boxofficemojo". Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  20. ↑ Gates, Anita (March 12, 2005). "When the Course of True Love Is Derailed by Disease". The New York Times.
  21. ↑ "In Other Fall Pilot News". TV Guide. February 27, 2006. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009.
  22. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 15, 2011). "Madeleine Stowe Among Latest Pilot Castings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Revenge on ABC". ABC. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  24. ↑ Ausiello, Michael (October 13, 2011). "Breaking: ABC Orders Full Seasons of Revenge and Suburgatory". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  25. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (January 4, 2012). "The New Queen of Mean: Madeleine Stowe of 'Revenge'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Golden Globes nominations: 'The Artist' leads pack of nominees". Entertainment Weekly. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  27. ↑ "PEOPLE's 2012 World's Most Beautiful Woman". People. April 28, 2012.
  28. ↑ Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (February 16, 2018). "'Mixtape': Madeleine Stowe To Co-Star In Fox Musical Drama Pilot". Deadline Hollywood.
  29. ↑ Petski, Denise (January 31, 2020). "'Soundtrack' Canceled After One Season At Netflix". Deadline Hollywood.
  30. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2023). "Max 'It' Prequel Series 'Welcome To Derry' Welcomes Madeleine Stowe & Stephen Rider". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  31. ↑ Corbett, Erin; DiLillo, John (May 7, 2026). "Harlan Coben's I Will Find You Can Be Found on June 18". Tudum (Press release). Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Tree Crushes Actress Madeleine Stowe's Car in Pacific Palisades". November 28, 2011.
  33. ↑ Macor, Alison (June 1999). "Madeleine in the Hill Country". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  34. ↑ Hardiman, Samuel (January 6, 2025). "Hollywood actress takes leading role in Chickasaw Gardens gate controversy". Daily Memphian. Archived from the original on January 7, 2025.
  35. ↑ Wright, David; Patria, Melia. "Madeleine Stowe: Scheming Vixen On-Screen, Philanthropist in Haiti Off-Screen". ABC News. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  36. ↑ Rouse, Isaac (November 25, 2025). "Welcome to Derry just revealed a character from It that's been under our nose the whole time". Polygon. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  37. ↑ "Twitter / USCHealthNews: Actress Madeleine Stowe takes". Twitter.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
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