Melanie Mayron

Melanie Joy Mayron (born October 20, 1952) is an American actress and director of film and television. Mayron is best known for her role as photographer Melissa Steadman on the ABC drama thirtysomething for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1989, and was nominated for same award in 1990 and 1991.

Early life and career Mayron was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Norma (née Goodman), a real estate agent, and David Mayron, a pharmaceutical chemist. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1972 and subsequently attended the Actors Studio, studying initially with Lee Strasberg,

In her first starring role, Mayron appeared opposite Josh Mostel and Art Carney in the 1974 film Harry and Tonto. She worked steadily during the 1970s, with roles in the 1976 movies Gable and Lombard and Car Wash, and the 1977 films The Great Smokey Roadblock and You Light Up My Life, and starred in 1978's Girlfriends, directed by Claudia Weill. In the mid-1970s, she played Brenda Morgenstern's best friend, Sandy Franks, on three episodes of the Mary Tyler Moore Show spin-off, Rhoda. In 1982, she played Terry Simon, the photographer, in director Costa-Gavras' political drama Missing, alongside Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek.

In 1988, she co-wrote and co-produced the comedy film Sticky Fingers starring Helen Slater. In 1995, Mayron directed The Baby-Sitters Club, a film based upon the book series of the same name. She also directed the television movie Toothless (1997) starring Kirstie Alley and the movie Slap Her... She's French (2002), starring Piper Perabo (which appeared on television as She Gets What She Wants). In 2006, she appeared as a judge in the reality show Looking for Stars on the Starz! channel.

In addition to her role as Melissa Steadman, one of the primary cast members on thirtysomething, she directed episodes of the show as well. The character of Melissa, like Mayron, is single, hails from Philadelphia and has supported herself as a photographer.

The New York Times noted in a 1991 article about Mayron: "If most actresses make a point of distinguishing their real selves from the characters they play, Ms. Mayron is a curiosity in her insistence that, in fact, she is Melissa, or vice versa. Or maybe a more confident version of her television persona."

She directed episodes of numerous TV series, including In Treatment, The Fosters, Providence, Dawson's Creek, Ed, State of Grace, Nash Bridges, Wasteland, Tell Me You Love Me, Pretty Little Liars and The Naked Brothers Band; the latter series was created and showran by Mayron's former thirtysomething co-star Polly Draper.

She's continued to direct TV, including episodes of the Netflix original series GLOW, SEAL Team, The Enemy Within, the 2018 Charmed reboot, Jane the Virgin, and Julia. In addition to directing Jane the Virgin, she also appears in a number of episodes as a feminist literature advisor. She and Gina Rodriguez first worked together when Rodriguez appeared in an episode of Army Wives that Mayron directed.

Personal life Mayron was in a long-term relationship with screenwriter and producer Cynthia Mort, with whom she shared co-parenting of their two children.

Filmography Director Film The Baby-Sitters Club (1995) Slap Her... She's French (2002) Snapshots (2018) Brooklyn All American (2020)

TV movies Freaky Friday (1995) Toothless 2018–21 Dynasty 6 episodes 2019 BH90210 Episode: "The Table Read"

Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector Episode: "God Complex" Diary of a Future President Episode: "State of the Union" Tommy Episode: "The Swatting Game" The Baker & The Beauty Episode: "May I Have This Dance?" 2021 Why Women Kill Episode: "The Unguarded Moment"

A Million Little Things Episode: "Piece of Cake" Julia 2 episodes 2023–24 Not Dead Yet 2 episodes 2025 The Hunting Wives 2 episodes

Actress Film

TV series

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1978 British Academy Film Awards Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles Girlfriends 1997 Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs Toothless 1978 Locarno International Film Festival Bronze Leopard Girlfriends 1989 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series thirtysomething