Born on November 16, 1970, in New York City, Martha Plimpton was steeped in the theatrical world from the start. She is the daughter of actress Shelley Plimpton and actor Keith Carradine – making her part of the storied Carradine acting dynasty that includes artists across film and theater. From an early age she displayed not just a familiarity with performance, but an innate ease that would serve her throughout her complex and varied career.
From Child Actor to Screen Presence
Plimpton’s experimentation with performance began in childhood. Modeling and acting opportunities came early, and her film debut took place in Rollover (1981). But it was her breakthrough role in The Goonies (1985), as the tomboyish Stef Steinbrenner, that vaulted her into the public spotlight and cemented her association with a generation of filmgoers. While the cult classic remains a cultural touchstone, Plimpton herself has admitted in interviews that she has watched the film only once and largely prefers to move forward, focusing on the present work rather than revisiting her storied past.
Through the late 1980s and 1990s, she built a versatile portfolio, moving fluidly between studio films, independent projects, and television. Films such as The Mosquito Coast (1986), Running on Empty (1988), and Parenthood (1989) showcased her range. Rather than remain typecast as the sharp-tongued rebel of her youth, she consistently gravitated toward roles that presented rich inner lives and emotional grit, illustrating a strategic and fearless approach to her craft.
Broadway, Awards, and Mature Roles
As Plimpton matured both as an artist and a person, she expanded her career into Broadway and television. Her stage work earned multiple Tony Award nominations, affirming her dramatic chops beyond film and TV. On the small screen, she gained wide recognition for her role in the sitcom Raising Hope (2010–2014), where her comic timing and grounded realism brought warmth and chaos in equal measure.
In recent years, even as Hollywood’s commercial center shifted toward streaming and serialized storytelling, Plimpton remained in demand. Her work in dramatic films like Mass (2021) — a profound examination of grief and loss co-starring Ann Dowd — underscored her capacity to handle weighty material with poise and depth.
Advocacy at the Forefront
From early in her adult life, Plimpton has been outspoken about issues she deems central to dignity and justice — particularly women’s reproductive rights. She helped found A Is For, a nonprofit aimed at promoting access to reproductive healthcare and dispelling stigma through arts-oriented activism. Her public voice on abortion rights has not been cautious or moderate; she has openly shared her personal experiences and framed reproductive care as essential, normal, and humane. Her commitment to that cause has involved speaking at rallies, engaging with policymakers, and weaving advocacy into her public persona.
Personal Insight and Mental-Health Advocacy
In 2025, Plimpton revealed something deeply personal that further reshaped public understanding of her life story: she was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at around age 50. This admission wasn’t simply a biographical note — it was a message to adults who, like her, lived many years without a diagnosis and struggled to reconcile patterns of behavior with internal self-critique. She described the diagnosis as “a huge relief”, a framework that finally helped make sense of aspects of her personality, career decisions, and lived experience that had previously felt chaotic or ephemeral. By wearing jewelry that proclaimed “ADHD” on the red carpet and speaking about her diagnosis publicly, she used her platform to reduce stigma and shift the conversation about adult neurodiversity.
This revelation dovetails with her broader commitment to openness about health and identity. As a public figure, Plimpton has used her own journey — her uncertainties, revelations, and moments of growth — to encourage others to feel less alone and to embrace authenticity over curated persona.
Artistic Visibility in the 2020s: ‘Task’ and Beyond
In addition to her activism and personal revelations, Plimpton’s artistic output in the mid-2020s demonstrates a continued vigor for compelling roles. In 2025 she starred in the HBO series Task, portraying a strong, resilient FBI bureau chief opposite Mark Ruffalo — a performance that highlighted her ability to convey authority, wit, and nuance. The series, which began airing on September 7, 2025, brought her renewed attention in the era of streaming dramas, allowing her to engage with audiences on terms far different from the theatrical cinema of her youth.
Earlier in 2025 she appeared in Prime Target, playing a high-ranking operative in an NSA intelligence narrative — further evidence that, for Plimpton, aging in Hollywood did not mean fading into the background, but instead finding roles of substance, complexity, and narrative tension capable of anchoring a story.
Family, Loss, and Public Mourning
The beginning of 2026 saw Plimpton publicly honor a member of her extended family: her uncle, actor Robert Carradine, who died at 71 after a long battle with bipolar disorder. Taking to Instagram, Plimpton shared heartfelt reflections, recalling how her uncle’s kindness and presence shaped her early memories and personal world. Her tribute wasn’t merely sentimental; it highlighted mental health struggles faced by many and called for compassion and understanding toward those navigating similar battles.
This moment of loss illustrates the way Plimpton’s personal and public lives consistently intersect: she has repeatedly used her own experiences – familial, artistic, or medical – as opportunities to broaden the public discourse about what it means to be human, vulnerable, tenacious, and interconnected.
Beyond Screen and Stage: Personal Style, Community, and Lifestyle
While the roles she plays and the causes she champions tell much about Plimpton’s public life, glimpses into her personal rhythms also show a woman deeply rooted in place, community, and everyday joy. Media coverage in early 2026 noted her sale of a historic Brooklyn home adorned with a natural front yard full of wildflowers – a whimsical landscape that led observers to remark on how her personal style reflects authenticity, natural beauty, and a certain resistance to conventional expectations.
Like her approach to acting – honest, heartfelt, and unpretentious – her connection to community life, animals, and personal spaces suggests an anchor that extends beyond Hollywood sets and award stages.
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