MCTV Presents: What Would Sharon Raydor Do? Podcast with Mary McDonnell – #2


Welcome to episode 2 of ‘What Would Sharon Raydor Do?‘, the podcast devoted to getting an in-depth view at Major Crimes Captain Sharon Raydor by the woman who knows her best, Mary McDonnell.

We will be including a few listener questions on the podcast each week – ask your questions below, or tweet them to us @MaryMcDonnell10 and @MajorCrimesTV using hashtag #WWSRD, and listen next week to see if your question has been answered!

Podcast Transcript

MCTV Presents: What Would Sharon Raydor Do? Podcast with Mary McDonnell – #1


Welcome to ‘What Would Sharon Raydor Do?‘, the podcast devoted to getting an in-depth view at Major Crimes Captain Sharon Raydor by the woman who knows her best, Mary McDonnell.

We will be including a few listener questions on the podcast each week – ask your questions below, or tweet them to us @MaryMcDonnell10 and @MajorCrimesTV using hashtag #WWSRD, and listen next week to see if your question has been answered!

Podcast transcript

Video: Mary McDonnell Talks Major Crimes Return & More on KTLA Morning News

Mary McDonnell spoke to the KTLA Morning Show about Major Crimes Season 5 premiere, this Monday, June 13th at 10pm/9c.

Mary McDonnell on Sharon Raydor, Sinte Gleska University and Balancing Her Roles On and Off Screen

By M. Sharpe



MURDER IN THE FIRST (TNT)In Part I of our interview with Mary McDonnell, she discussed the evolution of the relationships between the characters on Major Crimes, and how that on-screen familiarity has translated cinto a true off-screen camaraderie with her cast and crew. The strong behind-the-scenes friendships have been more valuable than ever this season, as the cast and crew have had to balance their longest season ever with their personal lives. It seems fitting then that balance has been revealed to be the theme of season five of Major Crimes, as in Part II of our interview, McDonnell reveals her own challenges in balancing the personal and professional halves of Sharon Raydor’s life. McDonnell herself has worked to find balance between bringing Captain Raydor to the screen, and continuing to deepen her commitment to her other passions, and for the first time discusses her charity work with Sinte Gleska University, a tribal college on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, which she first became aware of during the filming of Dances with Wolves.

Four years into her journey of playing Captain Sharon Raydor, McDonnell says her focus this season is ensuring that Raydor does not become complacent in her position now that she’s achieved stability and success within her role as the head of the Major Crimes division. “My biggest challenge right now is in finding ways to deepen her commitment to the workplace when sometimes the writing may or may not indicate that. She is discovering I think, the more she keeps this job, the more she likes it. And the closer she gets to the individuals she’s working with, the more she feels like this is the right place to be. And yet, she could retire. She has different things that have been offered to her. So it’s a very interesting thing for me, the actress, to focus Sharon’s mind into the work in a way that’s really fascinating and deeper. For me to help Sharon ask some bigger questions of herself, and find better ways to get the job done more quickly and more profoundly.”

While viewers have often commented on Raydor’s absence from the initial crime scenes, McDonnell says that is a conscious choice on the part of the writers. However, she notes that not being present for those scenes often confronts her with an additional challenge in how she is able to approach accessing the emotions of her character without that essential first encounter with the victim. “Sharon not being present at the crime scene is very accurate from what her position would be, and it balances out our ensemble in a very healthy manner, by giving Lt. Provenza the opportunity to utilize his position and longevity to run the crime scene, while she runs the division. But as an actress, not being viscerally present at the crime scenes – not walking through them, not being the first responder, not having the action sequences and the heart pounding, car chasing moments – as an actress then you have to fill that in. You have to fill in the connection to your victim, and your commitment to finding the perpetrator. You have to fill in your connection to the victimized, and the families.” Continue reading

Mary McDonnell to Attend C2E2 in Chicago

mm gallery croppedResidents of Chicago and surrounding areas, don’t miss your chance to meet Mary McDonnell next weekend at the Chicago Comic atand Entertainment Expo (C2E2), March 18-20, 2016 at McCormick Place Convention Center.

McDonnell will be appearing as a media guest at the event, and will be participating in two Q&A panel discussions, as well as in autograph and photo op sessions throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, McDonnell and her former Battlestar Galactica costar Edward James Olmos will participate in a Q&A session about their time on that show. At a featured solo panel on Sunday, McDonnell will discuss her current role as Captain Sharon Raydor on Major Crimes as well as other roles in her career.

Proceeds from McDonnell’s appearance at C2E2 will benefit Sinte Gleska University.

For tickets and more information, visit C2E2′s website.

See below for McDonnell’s C2E2 schedule, and follow MajorCrimesTV.net on Twitter for schedule updates, as well as live reporting from the event.

MaryC2e2-2

MCTV Exclusive: Double Time in Major Crimes – Mary McDonnell Talks Winter Arc, Shandy and More

By M. Sharpe



raydor 3 gallery colorFour seasons into TNT’s hit series Major Crimes, viewers have developed a personal connection to the LAPD’s fiercely loyal Captain in the same way that her detectives have developed a devotion to her. For Raydor, family extends beyond the people with whom she shares bloodlines or family names. For Mary McDonnell, the chance to portray a woman of equal emotional and intellectual strength and integrity is a source of joy for her as an actress.

When we spoke to McDonnell several weeks ago, season four of Major Crimes was just completing filming, and she was effusive about the season experience as a whole, and the people who have become her on-set family. She notes that this season’s super-sized episode order has allowed the team behind Major Crimes to have more creative liberty. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy and focus to keep the quality of the show high. I feel pleased by what we were able to do, because I don’t think that the quality dropped out at all. And knowing that gives us all a great sense of fulfillment.”

Despite the intensity of long work days and a 23-episode season, the longest of any TNT series to date, McDonnell says the tone on set and among the cast remained positive. “There was a very strong sense of ensemble this year, more than ever before; there were people working together easily, quickly, economically, and enjoying it. It had a wonderful feeling of familiarity and professional respect down there on the floor and a great appreciation for the continuing workplace. Everyone appreciates it, the cast, the crew. There are a lot of us on that floor every day, and to keep going with the flow, and knowing we’re coming back again, gives everyone a great sense of security.” Continue reading

Video: Major Crimes Panel with Mary McDonnell, Phillip Keene and Stacey K. Black at Phoenix Comicon


Phoenix Comicon attendees got a special treat this past weekend, when Mary McDonnell, Phillip Keene and Stacey K. Black got together to chat about Major Crimes to a packed room of fans.

Check out the video of the panel below! And remember, Major Crimes season 4 premieres Monday, June 8th at 9pm/8c on TNT!

Thanks to Phoenix Comicon for helping make this special event come together. And special thanks to all the fans who attended and helped support Major Crimes as well supporting Sinte Gleska University via purchases at Mary McDonnell’s table at the event.

MCTV Exclusive Video: Mary McDonnell and Jonathan Del Arco Talk Major Crimes at Dragon*Con


On August 30th, 2014 Dragon*Con hosted the very first Major Crimes panel featuring Mary McDonnell and Jonathan Del Arco at their annual science-fiction, fantasy and pop culture convention in Atlanta, GA. We’re pleased to present the full video of that panel, courtesy of Dragon*Con Media. Special thanks to the Dragon*Con videography team for providing this footage.