Mary Martha Byrne is an American actress, singer and television writer. She played the role of Lily Walsh Snyder on the soap operaAs the World Turns from 1985 to 1989, then again from 1993 to 2008; as well as, from 2000 to 2003, Lily's twin sister, Rose D'Angelo. Byrne has also appeared in other stage, television and movie roles, including the title role in the 1983 film Anna to the Infinite Power. She is currently executive producer of the digital drama seriesAnacostia, where she has played the role of Alexis Jordan since 2011. Byrne has won three Daytime Emmy Awards for acting.
Byrne began acting at a young age when she joined the cast of the BroadwaymusicalAnnie, where she played the role of July. She was a featured actor on a number of prime time episodic television programs, including Kate and Allie, Murder, She Wrote, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Jake and the Fatman, In the Heat of the Night, and Hearts are Wild. Byrne also appeared in several television movies, with featured roles in When the Cradle Falls and Pink Lightning. Byrne's best known film role was as the title character in the 1983 film Anna to the Infinite Power. In 2010 she provided the commentary for the film's DVD release.
Daytime television
Byrne is best known for portraying Lily Walsh Snyder on the CBS Daytime soap operaAs the World Turns. She started in May 1985 at age 15, taking over from another teenage actress. Byrne soon became part of a "supercouple" when then-head writer Douglas Marland paired "poor little rich girl" Lily with hard-luck farmhand Holden Snyder, played by Jon Hensley. The show attracted controversy in 1987 when Byrne—months shy of her 18th birthday—and equally underage actor Brian Bloom played out a storyline in which they lost their virginity to each other. Byrne won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in 1987. She left As the World Turns in 1989, and returned in April 1993. From 2000 until 2003, Byrne also played a second role, Lily's long-lost twin, Rose D'Angelo. She won another Daytime Emmy in 2001, this time as Outstanding Lead Actress. Byrne left As the World Turns again in April 2008. The show's executive producer Christopher Goutman stated, "We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain a valuable member of the ATWT cast. Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her." Byrne later asserted that the contract negotiations fell through because the show refused to guarantee her the same number of episodes of work she had previously been guaranteed. She added that a casting call was made for her successor during her contract negotiations, which fueled her drive to leave. Byrne's last airdate on the show was April 22, 2008; her successor, Noelle Beck, appeared in the role of Lily from May 2008 until the series' end in 2010. Byrne was hired as a script writer by Bradley Bell for The Bold and the Beautiful in early 2009. From June 17 though September 9, 2009, she portrayed Andrea Floyd on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. Byrne began portraying Alexis Jordan on the soap opera web seriesAnacostia in 2011, winning a 2012 Indie Series Award for Best Guest Appearance, and a 2015 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series. The entire cast won a 2015 Indie Series Award for Best Ensemble. Byrne served as a co-executive producer, director and writer for the series from 2012-2016, and was promoted to Executive Producer in the show's 2017 fifth season. As a producer, Byrne was also nominated for the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series in 2015.
Music
Byrne is also a singer. She contributed a Christmas medley to the 1994 RCA release, A Soap Opera Christmas. She released her self-titled album Martha Byrne in 1996. She has also released a second album, Woman Thing Music. Byrne again was the subject of controversy, as the sponsor of the second album was Philip Morris. The CD could only be purchased in conjunction with the purchase of cigarettes, or at one of the "Woman Music Thing" concerts that Philip Morris sponsored. Byrne eventually withdrew endorsement from the music label, as she did not want to be associated with a product that could encourage underage smoking. In 2006 Byrne released a third album, The Other Side.
Awards and recognition
Byrne is a ten-time Daytime Emmy Award-nominee as actress and producer, winning Outstanding Younger Actress in 1987, Outstanding Lead Actress in 2001, and Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series in 2015.
Personal life
Byrne married Michael McMahon, a former undercover officer in the New York City Police Department, on November 12, 1994. She grew up in Waldwick, New Jersey and lives in nearby Ridgewood. Their first child, Michael Terrence McMahon, was born on May 29, 1998. An episode of the TLC series A Baby Story chronicled her second pregnancy and the birth of her son, Maxwell Vincent McMahon, on September 3, 2002. Their third child and first daughter, Annmarie, was born June 12, 2006.
