Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell Reunite on Screen After More Than 30 Years

Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell, who were married from 1980 to 1990, are set to share the screen together for the first time since their divorce. They will co-star in Adam Rifkin's upcoming film, "Last Train to Fortune."

The film is described as a period Western comedy and marks an unlikely reunion for the acclaimed actors. McDowell and Steenburgen, who have both since remarried, remain amicable and are part of a blended family that includes their children and grandchildren.

McDowell first encountered the script for "Last Train to Fortune" in 1986, during his marriage to Steenburgen. He had initially agreed to star alongside Bill Paxton, with Lindsay Anderson set to direct. However, the project was put on hold after Anderson's death in 1994 and later stalled again with Paxton's passing in 2017.

The film's revival gained momentum as the COVID-19 pandemic subsided. McDowell's son, Charlie McDowell, who is now a director, was also involved in bringing the project back to life. When considering casting for the role of Miss Maybelle, a schoolteacher, Steenburgen's name was suggested. McDowell encouraged his son to reach out to her.

"We're thinking, 'Who would be great for that role?' Someone said, 'Mary Steenburgen!' And everybody's like, 'Yeah, she'd be great, but would she and Malcolm want to work together?'" Rifkin told Page Six. "Obviously, they're a big modern family, and they all see each other at all the holidays, and everybody obviously gets along. But do they get along enough to want to work together again?"

Steenburgen reportedly found the prospect intriguing and agreed to join the cast after reading the script. Rifkin noted that both actors described the experience of working together again as comfortable and natural, comparing it to "putting on a comfy pair of slippers."

"Last Train to Fortune," which also features Bernadette Peters and Laura Marano, is scheduled to open on September 17 at the Angelika in New York.