Maggie Grace, born Margaret Grace Denig on September 21, 1983, in Worthington, Ohio, is an American actress known for her performances across television and film.
Raised in a 200-year-old saltbox house, the first of its kind in central Ohio, Grace grew up in a family that ran a jewelry business.
Her early passion for acting emerged during her time at Worthington Christian Schools and briefly at Thomas Worthington High School, where she performed in school plays and community theater, including a 2000 production of The Crucible at a local Jewish Community Center.
After her parents’ amicable divorce when she was 16, Grace dropped out of high school and moved to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue acting, a decision that marked the beginning of her professional career.
Siblings
Maggie is the second of three children born to Valinn and Rick Denig.
She has two younger siblings, Marissa Denig and Ian Denig.
After their parents’ divorce, Marissa and Ian remained with their father in Ohio while Maggie and her mother relocated to Los Angeles.
Marissa is married to Nick Palatas, but little public information is available about her personal or professional life.
Similarly, Ian Denig maintains a low profile, and details about his endeavors are scarce.
Maggie has described her relationship with her mother as sisterly, suggesting a close familial bond, though she has not publicly shared extensive details about her interactions with Marissa or Ian.
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Career
Grace’s acting career began shortly after moving to Los Angeles, where she landed her first role in the 2001 web-based series Rachel’s Room, portraying a teenager navigating personal conflicts.
Her breakout came in 2002 with the television movie Murder in Greenwich, where she played Martha Moxley, earning critical attention.
In 2004, she was cast as Shannon Rutherford in the hit series Lost, a role that solidified her place in the industry as a main cast member for the first two seasons.
She reprised the role in later episodes, including the series finale.
Grace transitioned to film, starring opposite Tom Welling in the 2005 remake of The Fog and gaining widespread recognition as Kim Mills in the Taken trilogy (2008–2014) alongside Liam Neeson.
She also portrayed Irina in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and Part 2 (2011–2012) and took on the lead role of Alice in Malice in Wonderland (2009), a modern adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic.
Her television work continued with roles like Faith in Californication (2013) and Althea Szewczyk-Przygocki in Fear the Walking Dead (2018–2021).
Grace also made her Broadway debut in 2013 in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Picnic, directed by Sam Gold, showcasing her range across mediums.
Accolades
In 2002, Grace portrayal of Martha Moxley in Murder in Greenwich garnered a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special – Leading Young Actress, though she lost to Clara Bryant for Tru Confessions.
In 2005, she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Performance – Female for her role as Shannon Rutherford in Lost, but Eva Longoria won for Desperate Housewives.
Grace shared a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2006 with the Lost ensemble cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Additionally, she was ranked number 27 on Maxim’s Hot 100 list in 2005, reflecting her growing prominence.
Variety named her one of the Top 10 Actors to Watch, recognizing her potential as a rising star.
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