According to reports from Deadline, O’Brien passed away at home on February 24. The cause of her death has not been made public.
Born into a well-known entertainment family, Maria was the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Edmund O’Brien and musical comedy performer Olga San Juan.
She began her film career in 1975 with the movie Smile and went on to appear in several films throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her credits included Shell Game, The Choirboys, Prime Time, PSI Factor, and The Incredible Shrinking Woman. In 1984, she also appeared in the comedy Protocol alongside stars including Goldie Hawn and Jean Smart.
O’Brien built an extensive television career as well, appearing in numerous popular series. Her TV credits included The Love Boat, How the West Was Won, CHiPs, Quincy, M.E., Magnum, P.I., L.A. Law, and Murder, She Wrote, where she worked alongside stars such as Angela Lansbury and Tom Selleck.
Later in her career, O’Brien dedicated much of her time to mentoring actors. She worked as an acting coach on the daytime soap operas Sunset Beach and Passions, before spending 15 years coaching performers on Days of Our Lives. She remained in that role until retiring in 2022.
Her contributions to theater were also recognized when she received a Drama-Logue Award for her performance in The Maids at the Mark Taper Forum.
Outside of acting, O’Brien became an advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness after her father was diagnosed with the disease. In 1983, she even testified before Congress to help push for increased funding for research into Alzheimer’s disease.
Her father, Edmund O’Brien, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Barefoot Contessa and enjoyed a celebrated career in classic Hollywood cinema.
Maria O’Brien is survived by her brother, actor Brendan O’Brien; her sister, Bridget O’Brien Adelman; and her three children, James, Danica, and Sean Anderson.
