Get to Know Martha Plimpton with 10 Fun Facts You Probably Don't Know About Her Already (Exclusive)

Martha Plimpton is a beloved Emmy-winning actress best known for her work in TV shows like Raising Hope, The Real O’Neals and The Good Wife, but she’s also an activist who found the nonprofit A is For.

A is For, which Martha co-founded with Kellie Overbey, is a small nonprofit organization that was created to de-stigmatize abortion through the arts, and we offer financial support to abortion-providing services.

This weekend, Martha is hosting Broadway Acts for Abortion at 54 Below. A star-studded group of talent including Kelli O’Hara, John Cameron Mitchell, Ann Dowd, Carrie Preston, Michael Emerson, Bonnie Milligan, and more are coming together to raise money and awareness for abortion rights. The event is on Sunday (October 1) at 6:30pm!

Ahead of the event, we caught up with Martha to learn some fun facts about her that most fans probably don’t know. Check them out below!

1. I co-created A is For alongside my dear friend Kellie Overbey to create a space for artists to stand up for reproductive rights, and dismantle the stigma surrounding abortion care. To date, we’ve donated 250k to abortion providers and fund across the country, built programs like our one act playwriting contest, and each year we throw what everyone has said is the most exciting benefit of the year, Broadway Acts for Abortion.
2. In 2018 I traveled to Africa and studied tracking in Botswana and South Africa for one month. It was the most profound and life-changing experience of my life. I slept in a tent with elephants and leopards sauntering past all night. I passed my exam at the top of my class. I can’t wait to go back.
3. I’ve driven across the U.S. in pretty much every direction nearly twenty times. I’ve driven through every state in the union, except Hawaii and Alaska. I recently purchased an Airstream trailer, and plan to keep on doing it! Maybe Alaska next summer?
4. I’ve had abortions and I’m not afraid to say so. I’m very fortunate to have had access to the medical care I needed, when I needed it. EVERYONE should have that access. Abortion is healthcare.
5. When I was nominated for an Emmy Award for Raising Hope, all of the nominated actresses (myself, Amy Poehler, Melissa McCarthy, Tina Fey, Edie Falco, Laura Linney) got together and walked on stage as our names were called, like at the Miss America pageant. When Melissa McCarthy won, she got a tiara and a bouquet of roses. I think it’s still one of the funniest moments in an awards show ever and I’m so proud of all of us for pulling it off.

Head inside to read the rest of the fun facts…

6. My pre-COVID annual Christmas parties are the stuff of legend. Hundreds of people show up and sing carols with one of our many piano-playing friends on my late Grandmother’s baby grand. Everyone brings their dogs, kids, food, cocktails, and with the fire lit all night, it’s one of the things I miss most about life before the pandemic. I hope next year we can reunite.
7. In 2020 I was diagnosed with ADHD, and knowing that has changed EVERYTHING! I’m so relieved to know that my terrible habits, like picking a new hobby 17 times a month, are normal!
8. I love to garden. It’s my form of meditation. If I could, I would spend every single day with my hands in the dirt. I love growing my own food, but I especially love dahlias and roses. Not least for their variety, which I find exquisite. They’re both temperamental, require a lot of patience and considerate attention, but when you give them what they need, the beauty they give back is spectacular. They’re like me! La la la!
9. My second form of meditation is ironing my sheets. It’s unbelievably satisfying. There’s nothing like getting into bed with freshly ironed sheets. I’m serious. Try it. You’ll be hooked.
10. When I was 10 years old I traveled to Egypt and China with my mother. In the middle of the night, we secretly (maybe illegally?) walked around ancient tombs in the Egyptian desert, and it was a thrilling experience. It was my first trip overseas, and it gave me a love of travel and adventure that’s never left me.

Get your tickets now for the event on Sunday!