Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden opens up about her mother's quiet influence on her life, career

Originally published May 11, 2018

Next time you're watching an awards show, see if you can spot who's with the big stars on the red carpet. The not-famous person, who might be off to the side. There's a good chance it's their mother, brother or partner — someone who will probably never be nominated, but who plays a huge role in the life of the actor who is.

Marcia Gay Harden has walked that red carpet plenty of times before and almost every time her mother, Beverly Harden, has been that person smiling proudly, a little off to the side.

Harden won the Oscar back in 2000 for her role in the film Pollock. Since then, she's taken on a number of roles in television, film and on Broadway. But these days, her real-life role as a daughter has become one of the most important.

Harden's mother Beverly has been living with Alzheimer's for the past few years, and Harden wants to make sure her mother isn't only remembered for her disease.

In a conversation with q's Tom Power, Harden opens up about her mother's quiet influence on her life and career, and shares some of her favourite stories about her mother from her new memoir, The Seasons of My Mother, which is out now.

— Produced by Vanessa Greco