Mary Steenburgen’s 2 Children: All About Lilly Walton and Charlie McDowell

Mar. 15, 2025

Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen pose with their son Charlie McDowell and daughter Lilly McDowell at the premiere of the short film “Bye Bye Benjamin” on June 5, 2006.Photo:Vince Bucci/Getty

Vince Bucci/Getty

Mary Steenburgendidn’t take a break from her busy acting career when she was pregnant with her andMalcolm McDowell’s children, Lilly Walton andCharlie McDowell.

Steenburgen welcomed Lilly just two and a half months before she won an Oscar for her supporting role in 1980’sMelvin and Howard.While speaking with PEOPLE in August 1989, theHappiest Seasonstar recalled, “Both my pregnancies are documented on film: Lilly inRagtimeand Charlie inLittle Red Riding Hood.”

Although the actress and theA Clockwork Orangeactor eventually got divorced, she maintained a strong co-parenting relationship with him.

Steenburgen explained toSagain January 2014, “He’s a very special, wonderful, bigger-than-life magical being, and we’re so lucky that we managed to remember we loved each other.”

Mary Steenburgen, Malcolm McDowell, Charlie McDowell and Lily McDowell.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

She added, “I just thought, ‘This is my children’s daddy, there’s no way I can hate him.’ ” (Steenburgengot remarriedto fellow actorTed Dansonin 1995.)

Lilly and Charlie grew up to love the world of television and film, just like their parents and stepfather. Steenburgen’s son is a prolific writer and director, and her daughter acted in a variety of movies and series before branching out and starting her own interior design company.

Their mother isn’t shy about expressing her love and pride for them, frequently praising them on social media.

Here’s everything to know about Mary Steenburgen’s children: Lilly Walton and Charlie McDowell.

Lilly Walton, 44

Lilly McDowell and Mary Steenburgen arrive to the Young Storytellers Foundation’s 2nd Annual Benefit ‘The Biggest Show’ on December 11, 2008 in Santa Monica, California.Angela Weiss/Getty

Angela Weiss/Getty

Steenburgen and McDowell welcomed Lilly on January 22, 1981, in Los Angeles. She started out following in her famous parents’ footsteps and appeared in movies and shows likeThe Manchurian Candidate(2004),Made of Honor(2008) andSons of Anarchy(2008).

In 2019, Lilly realized her passion for interior design and pivoted, launching her own company,Lilly Walton Design. Her studio, based in Ojai, California, “focuses on creating warm, inviting spaces filled with beauty and function,” and she offers thorough remodels as well as “simple room refreshes.”

Lilly and her husband, Charlie Walton, had a Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, wedding in September 2010, per theMartha’s Vineyard Island Weddingssite. They tied the knot at Steenburgen and Danson’s home there.

According to the designer’sInstagram bioand website, she’s the mother of three daughters: Clementine, Goldie and Vera.

Mary Steenburegn with her daughter Lilly and grandchildren.Mary Steenburgen Instagram

Mary Steenburgen Instagram

In December 2019, Steenburgen and Lilly were featuredon the coverofOjai Quarterly.

“So sweet to be on the cover of @ojaiquarterly with my beautiful mama @marysteenburgen,” the former actress wrote on Instagram, sharing the cover. “In the article I talk about landing back in Ojai after having kids, and embarking on a new path starting my own interior design business. It feels like a long time coming yet, looking back, I wouldn’t have timed it any other way ❤️.”

Steenburgen shared a sweet glimpse into her relationship with Lilly in a May 2020Mother’s Day Instagram postfor her daughter.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Lilly,” she wrote alongside a photo of the entrepreneur smiling. “One of the many joys of being a grandmother is watching the grace and beauty and patience that defines YOU as a mother.”

Charlie McDowell, 41

Mary Steenburgen and Charlie McDowell arrive to the premiere of RADIUS-TWC’s “The One I Love” on August 7, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Steenburgen and McDowell celebrated the arrival of Charlie on July 10, 1983, in L.A. He’s passionate about film and television like his family, but he prefers working behind the camera as a writer and director.

For his 2014 feature film directorial debut,The One I Love, hedirected his stepfather Danson, and his mother starred inThe Discovery(2017), which he co-wrote and directed too. Some of Charlie’s other notable projects includeSilicon Valley(2016),Dear White People(2017-2018) andOn Becoming a God in Central Florida(2019).

The filmmaker married actressLily Collinson Sept. 4, 2021, and his mom couldn’t have been more thrilled. She shared anInstagram photoof the couple on their wedding day and celebrated the milestone occasion in her caption.

“Charlie, my son, and Lily, my daughter-in-law!!!” Steenburgen wrote. “Thank you for letting us all bask in the sheer beauty of your love for each other.My heart is overflowingand it almost feels like the last few days were some sort of beautiful dream. But it is all real, and I feel like the luckiest mother in the world.”

Charlie McDowell, Lily Collins, Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson attend the “Windfall” Los Angeles Special Screening on March 11, 2022.Charley Gallay/Getty

Charley Gallay/Getty

Charlie and Collinspreviously worked togetheron the 2021 crime thriller film,Windfall. The following year, they launched their production company,Case Study Films.

At the time, theEmily in Parisstar shared in a statement forVariety, “We approach our relationships from all aspects of the filmmaking process — fostering an idea from conception to release — alongside both established talent and new, exciting voices.”

Charlie, who has a similar last name to actressAndie MacDowell, has arunning joke on Instagramthat she is his actual mother.

In May 2023, he shared theBook Club: The Next Chaptermovie posteron Instagram— but with Andie’s face photoshopped over Steenburgen’s. “Don’t forget to get your tickets to Book Club: the Next Chapter where you’ll see my mom, Andie (obviously!), act with some of our greatest on screen legends,” he quipped in his caption.

source: people.com