Maria Bello

Maria's theatrical credits include After the Fact, Big Talk, His Pillow, A Life of the Mind, Out of Gas on Lover's Leap, and Young Frankenstein.

In the 2000 movie Coyote Ugly, Maria played a bar owner and bartender. In real life, she once worked as a bartender, as well as a dog walker and a house cleaner.

Maria attended Archbishop John Carroll High School for Girls in Philadelphia. She was a varsity cheerleader while she studied there.

In her 2006 film Flicka, Maria's character was scripted to pick up a snake for one of her scenes. You would never know it by watching the scene, but the director of the movie said in a DVD commentary that Maria is absolutely terrified of snakes. Allegedly, the actress prepared for this by carrying a rubber snake in her pocket for a while, and when the time came to do the real thing, she was completely natural. She even kissed the live snake, as you can clearly see when you watch the scene!

While starring on ER, Maria appeared once on NBC's "The More You Know" public service announcement. The topic she addressed was teen pregnancy.

Maria's height is 5'5" (1.65 m).

Maria has been nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award: in 2004 as Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Natalie Belisario in The Cooler, and in 2006 as Best Actress for playing Edie Stall in A History of Violence.

In 1992, Maria, along with actor Tim Lord and writer Jason Duchin, founded DreamYard Drama Project, a nonprofit arts and education program for urban kids that brings writers, directors, dancers, painters and musicians into public schools, juvenile centers, and community centers.

Maria was a bridesmaid at Andrea Bendewald's wedding in 2001, the same one at which Jennifer Aniston was the matron of honor.

In an April 2004 interview conducted by close friend Carrie-Anne Moss, Maria revealed that her best friend when she was a student at Villanova University was an Augustinian priest named Father Ray Jackson.

Maria has one son with ex-partner and scriptwriter Dan McDermott; Jackson Blue McDermott was born March 5, 2001.

It is a popular misconception that Maria practices Muay Thai (lethal) kickboxing. In a February 12, 2006 interview in the Santa Barbara Independent, Maria states that the rumor was sparked when she did some training in 1996 for the short-lived television series Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Maria is of Polish and Italian descent.