Mae Whitman isn’t a traditional leading lady, but she’s a Hollywood icon nonetheless.
Whitman grew up acting and has been in the industry for decades.
Wherever you recognize Whitman from, there’s quite a lot you probably don’t know about her.
Here’s a closer look at the prolific actress.
Some of her notable credits includeIndependence Day, JAG, Arrested Development,Parenthood,andGood Girls.
She credits her parents with keeping her life stable, even though her childhood wasn’t exactly normal.
“I can see how it could be such a horrible struggle,” she admitted toHuffPost.
“It’s tricky.”
One way Whitman’s parents helped her navigate her career was by being selective about what she worked on.
As she explained, “I’ve always been an outcast.”
As an adult, though, Whitman has more sympathy for the people who bullied her growing up.
Whitman is a voracious reader, and opened up toColliderabout the kinds of books she likes to consume.
Whitman loves poetry, citing E.E.
Cummings and Walt Whitman as two of her favorite poets, but also loves science fiction author Ray Bradbury.
Like many readers, Whitman loves the escape that reading a good book brings.
Whitman also loves that books rely on the reader to dream up what scenes and characters look like.
Whitman recalled feeling the pain she’d later come to know was due to endometriosis as young as 7.
For years, her family thought she suffered from lactose intolerance, but her condition never improved.
No treatments worked, and Whitman even had to turn down acting opportunities because of her endometriosis.
Getting diagnosed at 30 gave Whitman answers and a treatment plan, but the condition can’t be cured.
Whitman recalled toPaperthat her friendship with Graham “was pretty immediate.”
The two are so close that Whitman trusts her with her dating life.
“I’ve had her write break-up texts for me for God’s sake!”
she told theLos Angeles Times.
“You’re toying with kids' emotions,” she continued.
“So you want to confirm you’re going through it in a considerate and present way.”
Whitman has also voiced Tinker Bell in several projects, including several video games and videos.
It was her mother, voice actress Pat Musick, who served as Whitman’s inspiration for voice acting.
“I grew up around that,” she toldPeople.
“It’s such a fun environment and always feels like home.”
Whitman added that she enjoys voice acting because there’s no pressure to get all dolled up.
Whitman didn’t comment, but theIndependentnoted that she did retweet a piece condemning the recasting.
In reality, though, the casting decision was just a testament to Whitman’s impressive acting skills.
“I’ve learned so much from every single person that I’ve dated,” she shared.
As she explained, “I just like people.”
“I appreciate everything and everyone,” she continued.
Her answers reveal that she has quite an adventurous spirit.
First, that she has ahugefan base, with over a million followers.
Fans may also wonder what the deal is with her unusual handle, @mistergarf.
Is it a nickname?
A reference to one of her many roles?
