Rosemarie DeWitt Bio
Rosemarie Braddock DeWitt (born October 26, 1971) is an American actress recognized for her work across film and television. She is known for her performances in Rachel Getting Married, La La Land, Poltergeist, the television series Standoff and United States of Tara, and the independent film Your Sister’s Sister. A New Jersey-raised graduate of Hofstra University, she trained at The Actors Center in New York before building a career that spans independent features, major studio productions, and stage work. She is married to actor Ron Livingston, with whom she has two adopted daughters, and continues to take on leading and supporting roles in acclaimed dramatic and comedic projects.
Early Life and Background
Rosemarie Braddock DeWitt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Rosemarie (Braddock) and Kenny DeWitt. Through her mother’s family, she is the granddaughter of James J. Braddock, the former World Heavyweight Champion whose life inspired the 2005 film Cinderella Man. DeWitt herself later appeared in Cinderella Man, playing the role of neighbor Sara Wilson, connecting her family history to her acting career in a meaningful way.
DeWitt grew up in Hanover Township, New Jersey, where she attended Whippany Park High School and took part in several school productions. Her early experiences on stage sparked an interest in acting that would shape her future path. She went on to attend the New College at Hofstra University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in creative studies, and while there she joined the sorority Alpha Phi. She later sharpened her craft with additional training at The Actors Center in New York City, laying a strong foundation for her professional work.
Path to Acting
After completing her studies, DeWitt pursued acting with focus, building her résumé through stage work in New York. She became a familiar face in the off-Broadway scene, performing in productions such as John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at the Second Stage Theatre, George S. Kaufman’s The Butter and Egg Man at the Atlantic Theater Company, and Craig Lucas’s Small Tragedy, for which the entire cast won an Obie Award. These early theatre experiences gave her a reputation as a serious dramatic performer and opened doors to film and television work.
Her transition to screen acting began with small roles in television, leading to her casting as Emily Lehman in the Fox series Standoff (2006–2007), where she co-starred with Ron Livingston. The role marked her first major television credit and set the stage for the broader recognition that would follow with her breakthrough film performance in 2008.
Rosemarie DeWitt Career
Early Career (2001–2007)
DeWitt began her professional acting career in 2001, with her earliest screen credits leading to recurring roles on television. Her most notable early role came when she was cast as Emily Lehman in the Fox drama Standoff, which ran from 2006 to 2007. The series paired her with Ron Livingston, an actor she would later marry, and gave her steady exposure in front of primetime audiences. During this same period, she also continued to build her stage résumé in New York, taking on roles in off-Broadway productions that deepened her range as a performer.
Her work in the mid-2000s also included smaller film appearances that helped her gain experience on camera. These early projects allowed her to develop a screen presence grounded in the same emotional honesty that defined her theatre work. By the end of 2007, she had established a clear path toward more significant leading roles in independent film and major television productions.
Breakthrough (2008–2011)
DeWitt’s breakthrough arrived with the 2008 Jonathan Demme-directed film Rachel Getting Married, in which she co-starred alongside Anne Hathaway. Playing the title role of Rachel, the sister of the bride, she earned several critics’ awards and a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress. The performance also brought her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, establishing her as a respected dramatic talent in Hollywood.
Following this recognition, DeWitt took on a variety of projects across film and television. She appeared in Gus Van Sant’s Promised Land opposite Matt Damon, Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister opposite Emily Blunt and Mark Duplass, and Michael Cuesta’s Kill the Messenger opposite Jeremy Renner. On television, she joined the Showtime series United States of Tara alongside Toni Collette for three seasons, and recurred on AMC’s Mad Men as Midge Daniels, Don Draper’s bohemian mistress. She also appeared in the fourth season of the British series Black Mirror, in an episode directed by Jodie Foster.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among DeWitt’s most recognized works are her performances in Rachel Getting Married, La La Land, Poltergeist, Your Sister’s Sister, and Sweet Virginia. Her role in the 2016 Oscar-winning musical romance La La Land opposite Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone gave her one of her highest-profile mainstream credits. In 2017, she starred in the indie thriller Sweet Virginia, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and in 2018 she appeared in Arizona opposite Danny McBride, continuing her pattern of choosing varied and challenging projects.
Rosemarie DeWitt Award Nominations
DeWitt earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Rachel Getting Married at the 2009 Academy Awards. The nomination recognized her portrayal of the title character and placed her among the most acclaimed supporting performances of that year. She has also been recognized by several critics’ groups and the Satellite Awards for the same role, reflecting the strong reception her work received from industry voters and reviewers alike.
Rosemarie DeWitt Awards Won
DeWitt has won several critics’ awards and a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Rachel Getting Married. Her early stage work also brought significant recognition, including an Obie Award shared with the cast of Craig Lucas’s Small Tragedy at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. In 2024, she starred in the Disney+ film Out of My Mind, portraying Diane Brooks, the mother of a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, and the film won a Peabody Award at the 85th Annual Ceremony, further highlighting her continued presence in award-winning projects.
Rosemarie DeWitt Family
DeWitt is the daughter of Kenny DeWitt and Rosemarie (Braddock) DeWitt. Through her mother’s side, she is the granddaughter of former World Heavyweight Champion James J. Braddock, whose life story was depicted in the 2005 film Cinderella Man. DeWitt herself appeared in Cinderella Man as neighbor Sara Wilson, a small but meaningful role that connected her family history with her acting career. She has spoken about the pride she feels in carrying the Braddock family legacy in both her personal and professional life.
Personal Life
DeWitt was married to actor Chris Messina from 1995 to 2006. She later married actor Ron Livingston, her co-star in Standoff, on November 2, 2009, in San Francisco, and the couple remains married. In May 2013, the couple announced that they had recently adopted an infant daughter, and in December 2016, they shared that they had adopted a second infant daughter in 2015. The family splits time between their work commitments in film, television, and theatre, and DeWitt continues to take on roles that reflect her broad range as an actress.