Maria Bello

Bello had a relationship with Dan McDermott, a T.V. executive. In 2001, the couple had a son together and later separated

In 2013, Bello reported about being in a same-sex relationship with her friend, Clare Munn

Maria Elana Bello was born on April 18, 1967, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, to Joe Bello, a constructive worker, and his wife, Kathy Bello, a school nurse and teacher. She was the fourth child in his Roman Catholic family, with two brothers and a sister. ||P *She received her formal education and graduated from the Archbishop John Carroll High School. Later, she got enrolled at the Villanova University to pursue a degree in political science and become a lawyer. ||P *During one of her drama classes at the university, she became fascinated with the craft of acting and decided to pursue an acting career. After majoring in political science, she moved to New York City and appeared in some theater productions

Upon arriving in New York, she appeared in small parts in several off-Broadway productions such as ‘The Killer Inside Me’, ‘Small Town Gals with Big Problems’ and ‘Urban Planning’

In 1995, she made her television debut in a minor role in Fox's TV series titled ‘Misery Loves Company’. In 1996, she landed the female lead role of a corporate spy in the CBS television series ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’

Although the show was cancelled after 13 episodes, she managed to gain attention with her performance and earned recurring role in the third season of NBC's acclaimed hospital drama titled ‘E.R.’. The next year, she was made a regular in the fourth season, playing a pediatrician ‘Anna Del Amico’

After gaining widespread acclaim with her television series, she moved to Hollywood and made her big screen debut with the 1998 movie ‘Permanent Midnight’. The following year, she played a hooker in the movie ‘Payback’

Then, she appeared in the role of the bar owner in the 2000 movie ‘Coyote Ugly’ and was later seen in movies such as ‘China: The Panda Adventure’ (2001), ‘Auto Focus’ (2002), and the thriller ‘Secret Window’ (2004).

In 2003, she appeared in the romantic drama movie ‘The Cooler’ and garnered much critical acclaim for her performance. Bello played the role of a cocktail waitress who falls in love with a gambler, and was greatly praised for her excellent portrayal

Another one of her brilliant performances was that of a wife whose husband's unknown past catches up with him, in the 2005 crime thriller ‘A History of Violence’. She bagged several awards for her raw and emotional acting in the film