Profile Text
Winstead in 2011, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Rocky Mount, Nash, North Carolina, U.S.
Date of Birth: November 28, 1984
Ethnicity: English, as well as distant Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, French, and German
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is an American actress and singer. Her roles include the films Checking Out (2005), Sky High , Final Destination 3 , Bobby , Black Christmas , Factory Girl (2006), Grindhouse: Death Proof , Live Free or Die Hard , Make It Happen , Scott Pilgrim vs. the World , The Thing (2011), Smashed (2012), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter , A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III , The Spectarcular Now , A.C.O.D. , Faults , Alex of Venice , Kill the Messenger (2014), Swiss Army Man , The Hollars , 10 Cloverfield Lane , All About Nina , Gemini Man , The Parts You Lose , Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) , Kate (2021), Rich Flu , and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025); the series Promised Land , Passions , Wolf Lake , The Beauty Inside , The Returned , BrainDead , Mercy Street , Fargo , Ahsoka , Scott Pilgrim Takes Off , and A Gentleman in Moscow ; and the made-for-tv movies The Long Road Home and Monster Island (2004).
Mary Elizabeth is the daughter of Betty and Ron Winstead. Her family has lived in the American South, and in the U.S. in general, for many generations. Mary Elizabeth was mostly raised in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mary Elizabeth is married to Scottish actor and director Ewan McGregor , with whom she has a son.
Mary Elizabeth’s paternal grandfather was Ambler William “Jack” Winstead (the son of George William Alford Winstead and Rosa Berdie Wells). Ambler was born in North Carolina. George was the son of George Washington Winstead and Rilda Annie/Anna Olive Gardner. Rosa was the daughter of John Bernet Wells and Martha Williamanne Roberson.
Mary Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother was Oveda Rochelle Proctor (the daughter of Walter Young Proctor and Eva Gertrude Bowden). Oveda was born in Nash County, North Carolina. Walter was the son of John F. Proctor and Lucy Jane Batchelor. Eva was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Bowden and Sarah Elizabeth Batten.
Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather was The Rev. Johnnie/Johnie/Johnny Wilbur/Wilber Knight (the son of Wilbur/Wilber Lee Knight and Nancy/Lucy Bell Tucker). The Rev. Johnnie was born in North Carolina, and was a Church of God minister. Mary Elizabeth’s great-grandfather Wilbur was the son of John Robert Knight and Dorcus Elizabeth/M. Sparks. Mary Elizabeth’s great-grandmother Lucy was the daughter of John R. Tucker and Martha E. Watson.
Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandmother was Virgie Kathleen/Catheline Strickland (the daughter of James Purdie Strickland and Mittie/Millie Elizabeth Horne). Virgie was born in North Carolina. James was the son of Isaac Calvin Strickland and Idella Frances Warren. Mittie was the daughter of John Franklin/Frank Horne and Martha Elizabeth Jolly.
Mary Elizabeth is a second cousin, three times removed, of actress Ava Gardner . Mary Elizabeth’s paternal great-grandfather, George William Alford Winstead, was the son of George Washington Winstead and Rilda Annie/Anna Olive Gardner. Rilda was the daughter of William Spencer Gardner and Elizabeth Weaver Edwards. William was the son of William Gardner and Cynthia Eliza Batts. William and Cynthia, Mary Elizabeth’s great-great-great-great-grandparents, were also the paternal great-grandparents of Ava Gardner.
It is sometimes claimed on the internet that Mary Elizabeth has some degree of Native American ancestry. No Native American ancestry has been verified/documented in any publicly available family trees of Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Mary Elizabeth’s surname, Winstead, is shared by the paternal grandmother of actress Evan Rachel Wood , who is also from North Carolina. While Mary Elizabeth and Evan likely have a common Winstead ancestor, this shared connection must be distant, in or before the mid 1700s.
Mary Elizabeth is a third cousin, once removed, of politician Roy Cooper , who was Governor of North Carolina, from 2017 to 2025. Mary Elizabeth’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Lucy Jane Batchelor, was the sister of Roy’s maternal great-grandfather, Bunion Ward Batchelor.
Winstead in 2011, photo by PrPhotos.com
Sources: Genealogy of Mary Elizabeth Winstead – http://www.geni.com
Mary Elizabeth’s paternal grandfather, Ambler William “Jack” Winstead, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Mary Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother, Oveda Rochelle Proctor, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Mary Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother, Oveda Rochelle (Proctor) Winstead – https://www.rogersandbreece.com
Genealogies of Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandparents, The Rev. Johnnie/Johnie/Johnny Wilbur/Wilber Knight and Virgie Kathleen/Catheline (Strickland) Knight – http://www.findagrave.com
Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather, Johnnie/Johnie/Johnny Wilbur/Wilber Knight, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandfather, The Rev. Johnnie/Johnie/Johnny Wilbur/Wilber Knight – https://www.familysearch.org
Mary Elizabeth’s maternal grandmother, Virgie Kathleen/Catheline Strickland, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org