Trivia

She was the original "Truvy the hairdresser" in the very first off-Broadway production of "Steel Magnolias". The role was later played by Dolly Parton in the movie version, Steel Magnolias (1989).

Miss Jacksonville High School 1969, Football Sweetheart 1969. Also, a High School Cheerleader.

For her role on Justified (2010), named one of the "8 Actors Who Turn Television into Art", in the cover story of The New York Times Magazine (9/11/11).

In a 2011 interview on the NPR program, "Fresh Air with Terry Gross", Martindale said that Justified (2010), Million Dollar Baby (2004), and her segment in Paris, je t'aime (2006) were her three favorite acting projects of her career.

Was nominated for Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for her performance as Big Mama in a revival of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.".

Her husband, Bill Boals, is a musician.

Has lived in New York City for 46 years, and in the same apartment for 41 of those years through 2019.

Has one daughter, Margaret.

Most difficult role she has played to date (2017) was Claudia in The Americans (2013).

From the late 1970s to early 1980s, she was the "foot tickler" in a series of Downy fabric softener commercials, becoming as recognizable as Jan Miner, who played "Madge the manicurist" for Palmolive dish-washing liquid.

Attended Lon Morris College in her hometown of Jacksonville, Texas. Also attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Stars in two different new television series for the 2013 television season with Beau Bridges, Masters of Sex (2013) and The Millers (2013).

Top of her bucket list is to sing on Broadway.

Has been in four films with Nicole Kidman (The Human Stain (2003), The Hours (2002), Practical Magic (1998), and Days of Thunder (1990)), four with Meryl Streep (August: Osage County (2013), The Hours (2002), ...First Do No Harm (1997) and Marvin's Room (1996)) and four with Susan Sarandon (Earthly Possessions (1999), Lorenzo's Oil (1992), Twilight (1998) and Dead Man Walking (1995)).

Guilty pleasure Family Feud (1999) with Steve Harvey.

Has a voice reminiscent of old-time radio star Arlene Harris.

Received her first TV on-screen kiss from John Glover in Pilot (1999).

Childhood celebrity crush was actor Troy Donahue.

Her older brother is golfer, Billy Martindale.

Has worked as an actress in three shows Graham Yost was executive producer of. Mags Bennett in Justified (2010-2015), Claudia in The Americans (2013-2018), and Audrey Bernhardt in Sneaky Pete (2015-2019).

Counts her appearance as Truvy Jones in the 1987 Off-Broadway production of Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias" as the catalyst that gave her career its first real breakthrough due to the vast exposure the play generated.

Looks a lot like fellow actor Ann Dowd, and they are commonly mistaken for each other in films by fans. They both appeared in Lorenzo's Oil (1992).