As is often the case with Hollywood celebrity couples, Maggie Carey’s relationship with Bill Hader – an American actor, director comedian, and writer – launched her into fame in the public eye. However, Carey already had somewhat of a reputation in the industry herself, with a fascinating history featuring her involvement in the film and entertainment industry, and more unusually, her career as a Division 1 athlete during her college years. Bill Hader and Maggie Carey were what many deemed the perfect Hollywood couple, and their subsequent separation and divorce broke the hearts of many – not least of all those of the couple themselves.
Bill Hader and Maggie Carey at the reading of Maggie Carey's Black List comedy THE HAND JOB at the 2010 Austin Film Festival in Austin, Texas.(Austin Film Festival/Jack Plunkett)
Posted by Austin Film Festival on Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Early Life and Family
While it is often said that little is known about a celebrity’s youth and family, this is no exaggeration in the case of Maggie Carey. There is little to say beyond the fact that she was born on 28 May 1975, in Idaho, USA, where she was raised and attended school. The names of her parents have not been revealed, nor do we know if she has any siblings. She worked as a lifeguard at the local Borah Pool, an experience that she would later draw on for inspiration for the film “The To-do List”.
Education
Maggie lived out her entire school education in her hometown – she attended Jackson Elementary School before she graduated from West Junior High School.
Apparently she was an extremely proactive student, who took a lot of pleasure in participating in student activities. She was a conscientious learner who, in her own words “was in every Ap class possible.” She also enjoyed a coveted role on the student council. Carey was not only a highly competent student, but displayed her versatility on the soccer field as a dedicated and able player. She matriculated Borah High School in 1993.
The second half of Carey’s education journey was nomadic relative to her sheltered youth. Maggie attended the University of Montana where she pursued two of her passions: English and soccer, and was the co-captain of the university division 1 soccer team.
She graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Ever striving to progress in her studies, she then enrolled into the University of Texas, graduating with an MFA in Film Production, although the exact year of her graduation has not been specified.
Career
Maggie Carey has an impressive acting and directing repertoire. She established herself in comedy, gaining as much experience as she could before entering the elitist film industry.
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
Carey started this new phase of her life by moving to Chelsea, New York, joining the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (USB), focused around the art of improvisation which even had its own sketch on ‘Comedy Central’ for a couple of years (1998 – 2000).
While part of the troupe, Carey experimented in various improvisation skits, and became a regular and much-enjoyed actor. She also performed at the Improv Olympics West theatre in Los Angeles.
Acting and Directing
Leaving the fickle theatre life, Carey bean making forays into the film entertainment space. In 2001, she debuted in “Occam’s razor: The Great Dialogues of Mindy” as the character Brenda Gibson, a significant member of the cast. That same year, she also began to put her education to work, co-writing and directing the film “Ladyporn” which won the SXSW Award that year.
She then worked with fellow comedian and actress Liz Cackowski, to produce an online comedy series entitled “The Jeanie Tate Show” in 2007. This caught the eyes of the popular HBO network, which obtained the right to convert the series into a TV show, just one of the accolades the show received. It was this that paved the way for Carey to work with the network on a later project – “Funny or Die Presents”. Carey enjoyed a busy career that afforded her the opportunity to work on popular projects such as serving as a director for the Brooklyn 99 series, both in a team and as a leader figure.
She cemented her name in the industry when she wrote and directed the film “The To Do List” in 2013, for which she drew from her own experiences as a teenager in Idaho.
The initial title of the film being somewhat controversial, she experienced much pushback from production companies. She now produces and directs comedic shows for Primetime Media, with multiple credits to her name.
Personal Life
Maggie met her famous spouse, Bill Hader, through a mutual friend who was hosting a local comedy show which Bill was performing in. Maggie attended the rehearsals and shows, and something about the shirtless actor’s wit and acting drew her to him; they married after a two-year courtship on 28 May 2006. The two worked on various projects together, including the HBO show “Funny or Die Presents”, and her film “The To Do List”.
Rumour has it that Hader’s sex scene in the film was a sort of convoluted thank you from Maggie for agreeing to participate in the movie.
The two went on to have three daughters – Hannah Kathryn on 6 October 2009, Harper on 28 July 2012, and Hayley Clementine on 15 November 2014. However, the couple’s relationship began to decline as they fell folly to a common factor in Hollywood relationships. Bill Hader’s extremely busy schedule began to exert strain on their relationship, and he even quit his job at SNL to spend more time with his family. This proved to be too little too late and the couple separated in December 2017 and filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in May 2018.
Maggie Carey currently lives with her children in Los Angeles. There have been no reports of Carey taking up a new romantic relationship – she appears to still be recovering from her 11-year marriage. The same cannot be said of Hader who has been sighted on dates and spending time with Rachel Bilson – who is said to have even been visiting and connecting with Bill’s family.
Appearance
Maggie Carey is fast approaching her late 40’s, yet this is not at all apparent in her appearance. Carey has maintained her looks, and her athletic history likely contributes to her slim and fit figure. Maggie Carey is 5ft 7ins (1.71m) tall and weighs 132lbs (60kgs).
She has ice-blue eyes and wears her brown hair at shoulder length with a fringe that varies in length. She always presents herself as well-dressed and put together, without blatantly splurging on designer items.
Net Worth and Salary
Maggie Carey has a net worth estimated at over $1.7 million. This is on the lower side in the entertainment industry, especially when looked at in the light of her ex-husband’s $12 million net worth. While it assumed that she receives a sizeable salary for her directing and writing work, Carey revealed that they received a minimal amount for “The To Do List” – a little more than $1 million. To actually pull off the film, they had to call in multiple favors from all across the entertainment community.