Mary Steenburgen

Episode notes

Mary Steenburgen attends the premiere of “Book Club: The Next Chapter” at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on May 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Not many actors can be nice, warm, and funny at the same time. Mary Steenburgen has basically made a career out of it.

The Arkansas-born actress made her film debut in the late seventies on a film called Goin’ South. It’s a western comedy starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. Yes, legendary actor Jack Nicholson.

For that performance, Steenburgen earned a Golden Globe nomination, and she’s only gotten better since. She has some great performances under her belt. She played Will Ferrell’s mom in Step Brothers. She played Will Ferrell’s step-mom in Elf. Melvin and Howard. Back to the Future Part III. 30 Rock. Oh, and she’s even played herself on the sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

So, it’s safe to say that Mary Steenburgen is a legend. And in her latest movie, she’s teaming up with three other legends: Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda, and Diane Keaton. 

Book Club: The Next Chapter is the second installment in the Book Club film series. It’s a story about four friends who are a part of, you guessed it, a book club. 

In the first film, the four friends go on a journey of self-discovery after reading a particularly steamy bestseller. This time, it’s a literal journey: the club is off to Italy!

Mary Steenburgen plays the character of Carol in the film. She’s the free-spirit in the group who’s always up for an adventure. So when the club decides to go on a trip, she’s in for the ride. 

This week on Bullseye, Mary Steenburgen stops by to talk about her role in Book Club: The Next Chapter. She gets into her friendship with Jane Fonda. Plus, she reminisces on the first time she met her husband, Ted Danson.