This Four-Time Oscar Nominee Put Acting on Hold After a Promise to Her Husband – See Her Now at 83

A chance casting led her to the role of a lifetime — and a marriage that changed her course. Just as the award nominations were piling up, she stepped away from the camera and followed other passions. But recently, when a Sunday matinee needed a last-minute lead, she was the one who answered the call.

Her name was once spoken in the same breath as the most respected actresses of her generation. Four Oscar nominations in under a decade had positioned her for a long, dominant run in Hollywood. But a private agreement made during her marriage rerouted everything, pulling her away from the screen.

She didn't vanish, but she did shift — slowly, purposefully, and largely out of public view. In the years that followed, she explored unexpected passions, found new rhythms, and kept her distance from the entertainment industry. Still, when the time came, she returned to it with the grace and presence of someone who had never left.

Early Years: Stage First, Then Screen

Born on April 3, 1942, in St. Louis, she was educated in Catholic schools and later graduated from Webster University in Missouri. Her professional stage debut came in 1967 with "The Deer Park" at the Theatre de Lys, followed by a replacement role in the Broadway hit "Cactus Flower" the following year.

She went on to appear in numerous productions, including "Happy Birthday, Wanda June," "Richard III," and "The Indian Wants the Bronx," gaining attention for her versatility and presence. In the early 1970s, she joined San Francisco's prestigious American Conservatory Theatre, where she performed in classical and modern repertory.

She was featured in "The Merchant of Venice," "Private Lives," "A Doll's House," "The Crucible," and more. Alongside her stage work, she found steady employment in daytime television, playing a hooker-turned-vampire on the cult hit "Dark Shadows" in 1966, and landing recurring roles on "Where the Heart Is" and "Love of Life" between 1969 and 1972.

Her film debut came in 1966 with the little-remembered "Hot Rod Hullabaloo," but it wouldn't be until 1973 that her movie career truly took off. That year, she played George Segal's romantic interest in "Blume in Love" and delivered a standout performance as a strong-willed sex worker in "Cinderella Liberty."

Her performance in the latter, opposite James Caan, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. That same year, she auditioned for a new Broadway production and crossed paths with someone who would change the course of both her career and personal life.

An Audition, a Connection, and a Quick Marriage

In the fall of 1973, she was cast in Neil Simon's Broadway play "The Good Doctor." During rehearsals, she noticed that each time she looked up from the script, he was already watching her. She later recalled one moment during a break when Simon placed his hand on her shoulder and she instinctively reached up to touch it.

She later described the gesture as feeling "old and familiar." According to her, he felt the same. They were married 22 days later in a judge's chambers. Simon's daughters, Ellen, then 21, and Nancy, 15, encouraged the marriage. Soon after, the newly formed family moved to California.

At the time, Simon was still grieving the loss of his first wife, Joan, who had died earlier that year. During their early years together, she described her personal life as her main focus, even as her acting work continued.

The connection that began onstage would shape the next decade of both their careers. It would also lead to a decision that would pull her away from Hollywood just as it was embracing her.

The Agreement That Put Her Career on Hold

Not long after their marriage, Simon told her something that would alter the direction of her work. "You've got to choose. It's either me, or your career," he said. She chose him. For the next few years, she accepted little to no work, stepping back just as her screen success was gaining momentum.

She later said the scripts that came after "Cinderella Liberty" didn't appeal to her. "They were terrible," she explained. "If you play a down-and-out loser part, they send you down-and-out loser parts." Still, the larger reason for her absence remained personal. Simon, still dealing with the loss of his first wife, feared being left alone again.

She described herself during that time as focused on family life. "I feel I've got my priorities straight," she said. "The priorities are to be a fulfilled person, not necessarily to be a star. What would be the point to be an absolutely famous, incredible superstar if you are a lonely person?"

Although she was no longer pursuing work as aggressively, she did take on select projects, many of which would come directly from her husband.

How She Stayed Visible Without Leaving Home

Though she stepped away from most outside projects, she continued acting in films written by Simon. Over the next several years, she starred in "The Goodbye Girl" (1977), "Chapter Two" (1979), and "Only When I Laugh" (1981). Each role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, bringing her total to four within just eight years.

Her performance in "The Goodbye Girl" was especially demanding. To prepare for two dance scenes, she trained for three months despite having no dance experience. "I was so intimidated by what I saw in the mirror during practice," she said. "I was so clumsy." At one point, she nearly burst into tears. But in the end, she said, the work paid off.

Simon was occasionally present on set, and not always gentle in his critiques. "That's the worst thing I've ever seen," he once told her after watching a scene they had spent hours filming. She recalled that moment as humbling but helpful. Still, she believed she had earned her place in those films.

"I really felt qualified to do it," she said. "I would never have done the film if I wasn't." By the early 1980s, their professional partnership was still producing award-nominated work, but their marriage was quietly beginning to change.

The Marriage Ends, and So Do the Roles

In the early 1980s, her marriage to Simon came to an end. In his 1999 memoir "The Play Goes On," Simon described their first seven years as "bliss," but said that "something terminal infected our marriage" by the eighth. He didn't provide further details about their separation.

A gossip columnist at the time claimed she had left him for actress Joan Hackett — a claim Simon denied then and later reiterated, "There is nothing in my life to indicate anything like that were true." He added that he and his actress ex-wife no longer spoke.

After the divorce, she said she was unsure of what to do next. "I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do," she recalled years later. While she continued to act, the roles were fewer and the scripts had changed. "It was getting very youth-oriented," she stated. "It was not easy."

Her only major studio film during that period was "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986), in which she played opposite Clint Eastwood. It would be her last significant film role of the decade.

Though she appeared in several movies in the 1990s — "Stella" (1990), "Drop Dead Fred" (1991), "I Love Trouble" (1994), "Nick of Time" (1995), and "2 Days in the Valley" (1996) — none reignited her film career.

With fewer opportunities in front of the camera, she turned her attention to a different kind of life — one that had nothing to do with Hollywood.

Racing, Farming, and Life Outside the Spotlight

After stepping back from acting, she stayed in Los Angeles and tried to rebuild her life. "I tried to make a life for myself in Los Angeles on my own," she later revealed. "I built a house out in the Palisades for about five years, and I did some work out there, but the business was changing."

She had to turn her attention to other interests. Through her friend Paul Newman, she was introduced to car racing and began pursuing it as a serious hobby. She also moved to New Mexico, where she started a lavender farm and launched a line of natural products. Her focus shifted entirely to day-to-day life away from the entertainment industry.

The change was not abrupt, but it was complete. For a time, she left the screen behind entirely. By 2014, she was ready to make another move that would bring her closer to where her career first began.

Returning East and Reconnecting with the Stage

In 2014, she sold her New Mexico farm and returned to the East Coast. "I started to really think about what was I missing and I decided that I wanted to make a transition," she said. She chose to settle in Connecticut, where she had "dear friends" and access to the theater community she had long admired.

The move marked a return to familiar ground. After graduating from college in Missouri, she had first arrived in New York City with $500 to her name. Decades later, she came back with a different purpose — to reengage with the kind of work that had first defined her career.

While no longer pursuing mainstream film roles, she continued to perform in plays and on television. Her credits during this time included guest appearances on "The Good Wife," "Madame Secretary," and a recurring role on "Grace and Frankie."

She also joined the cast of "The Middle," where her performance earned new attention from audiences who hadn't seen her on screen in years. The return to performance wasn't headline-making, but it was steady, and would soon lead to a moment that put Marsha Mason back in front of a Broadway audience.

She Stepped In for a Friend – and Stole the Show

In September 2024, Mason received a call from producers while spending a quiet Sunday morning in Connecticut. Mia Farrow, her longtime friend and neighbor, had tested positive for COVID and couldn't perform that afternoon in "The Roommate." She agreed to step in.

The matinee took place at the Booth Theatre, where she appeared opposite Patti LuPone. The audience gave Mason a standing ovation both at the start and the end of the performance. "These moments in the theater are equally exciting and terrifying," she said in a statement after the show.

Although Mason had been serving as one of the show's associate directors, her appearance that day marked a rare on-stage performance in recent years. It was a reminder of her skill, timing, and connection to the stage even decades after her breakout roles.

Marsha Mason at 83: A Quiet Life, Still in Bloom

Mason now lives in Connecticut, where her days are often spent in the garden, away from the noise of the industry that once defined her. She shares occasional glimpses of her life on Instagram — like the day she posted a photo beside a cluster of homegrown blooms.

She wrote, "Overwhelmed with flowers from my garden! Maybe I should open up a flower stand? Lol.❤️" Another post, showcasing her colorful garden garnered attention from admirers. The comment section included compliments such as, "Beautiful! You look so happy," "Your smile always makes me smile," and "OMG. You are so cute!! ❤️"

She occasionally returns to the theater and continues to take on work that interests her. Though she no longer seeks the spotlight, it finds her from time to time, through fan interactions, live performances, or chance appearances that remind audiences of the body of work she's quietly built.