In 2015, Time magazine named Audra McDonald one of its 100 most influential people. In the same year, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, the highest honor given to artists by the U.S. government. McDonald has received numerous other accolades, including five Drama Desk Awards, five Outer Critics Circle Awards, four NAACP Image Award nominations, a Theatre World Award, and an Ovation Award. In 2015, she was also honored with the Rockefeller Award for Creativity.
Further underscoring her influence, Variety Magazine included her in its 2017 "Power of Women" issue alongside Chelsea Clinton, Blake Lively, and Gayle King. She holds an honorary doctorate from Yale University, recognizing her contributions to the performing arts and social advocacy.
Audra McDonald married bassist Peter Donovan in 2000, and the couple had one daughter, Zoe Madeline Donovan. They divorced in 2009. In 2012, she married actor and musician Will Swenson. Together, they have a daughter, Sally James McDonald-Swenson, born on October 19, 2016. The family resides in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, along with their two dogs, Butler and Georgia. In 2015, McDonald and Swenson co-starred in A Moon for the Misbegotten at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
McDonald maintains an active presence on social media, using platforms like Twitter (over 204,000 followers), Facebook (over 80,000 followers), and Instagram (over 101,000 followers) to engage with fans and advocate for causes she believes in.
A passionate advocate for equal rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and underserved youth, McDonald joined the Covenant House International Board of Directors in 2014. The organization provides shelter and support for homeless youth in 27 cities across six countries. She has also participated in campaigns such as Freedom to Marry, NOH8, and PFLAG NYC, promoting marriage equality and anti-bullying initiatives. In 2012, she and her husband received the PFLAG National Straight for Equality Award.
As stated on her official website, of all her roles, McDonald holds dearest those she performs offstage—devoted wife to Will Swenson, loving mother, and tireless advocate for equality and youth empowerment.
Return to the previous page| Birth Date: | 3 Jul, 1970 |
| Age: | 49 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Berlin |
| Education: | Juilliard School |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American singer and actress |
| Spouse: | Will Swenson [M. 2012] |
| Net Worth 2021: | 2 million |
