WHO IS MARY?

Hey, there! I'm Mary Marquiss Ashley.

...a SAG-AFTRA actor working and living in NYC.

A young Holly Hunter mixed with Anna Paquin and Jodie Foster.

Down to earth, friendly but tough when needs to be, compassionate, rooted, woman who fights for a cause and cares about saving the human race.

Doctor, FBI agent, lawyer, activist, quirky couples' counselor....I'm your gal!

Recent film credits include Pottersville (Principal, opposite Michael Shannon & Judy Greer), Guest Star roles on Discovery ID (My Dirty Little Secret, The Perfect Murder), & series regular on POOL.

Fall 2016, I created/co-wrote/produced/starred in POOL Web Series. Winter 2018, I assistant directed and edited a female focused short film The Night Runner.

I am a graduate of Syracuse University, and trained with Wynn Handman, Larry Moss, Penny Templeton (Penny Templeton Studio) and Seth Barrish (The Barrow Group).

I am a self proclaimed chronic FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) sufferer, pizza eating health nut, shock value connoisseur, Chris Farley trapped in a skinny chick.

MUCH LOVE,

Mare

"Pottersville" IS NETFLIX BOUND!

Rumor has it "Pottersville" is headed to Netflix! Which means viewers can catch lil' ole me, as SUE, sharing the screen with some recognizable faces.
Michael Shannon stars in this indie comedy produced by Ron Perlman.“The film follows a local business man (Shannon) who is mistaken for the mythical creature Bigfoot after a wild night of drinking, tossing on a gorilla costume and staggering through the woods makes him an internet sensation. The event sparks international media attention and reinvigorates a small town’s economy, as the business man grapples with revealing the truth.”

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Delaina Dixon from Bravo.com for their "Personal Space" section. I met Delaina at the premiere for POOL in February. She loved the concept of the show and BOOM! She featured us.

"Wanting to show how both genders handle the insanity of trying to find a mate, Mary brought on writing partner and fellow star Chris Russell for “the male perspective.” With this dynamic duo, there’s no holding back on how bad – or gross – these onscreen dates get. " - Delaina Dixon

And boy do they get messy!

Bravo.com Interview

PROJECT IN DEVELOPMENT

Ever dreaded going home for the holidays and answering the age old question “you live in NYC how are you still single?” We all have. This show aims to personify the dating scene that is NYC: full of characters and transient players all trying to find something in the melting pot of the US. Ever wondered how having only close friends of the opposite sex can impact your dating life? Does women trying to date as men in a city where we outnumber them help or hurt us? Through the lens of the lead characters we tackle the ever changing world of dating in the technological age in a demographic (30’s) that bridges analog and digital. On this journey the viewer experiences the REAL and awkward relatable dating experiences we all have had, and come to learn that in this process maybe instead of finding “Mr./Mrs. Right” we are actually finding ourselves. A journey of self love and discovery told through the experiences of a mid 30’s single in NYC.

After tragedy, heartbreak, and FINALLY leaving the nest, 3 thirty-something besties embark on adulting, trying to navigate the real world with a playground mind.

A guys' gal, Steph, competes in the female saturated dating population of NYC. A self proclaimed hot mess, Steph's two very different guy friends (Marcus & J) try to help her date like a guy to gain an edge and emotionally distance herself from the rejection that is NYC dating. Through the trials and tribulations, all three find that loving oneself is the key.

Steph is in a slump after a major breakup, and struggling to get her life back on track with no help from her unappreciative boss and her almost-famous, social anxiety ridden, influencer roomie. Her two friends, Marcus and J, aren’t handling the “real world” much better: the ever-ambitious Marcus struggles to balance business and pleasure, while J is constantly living in his older brother’s shadow and is too much of a pussy to get any himself. Whether they’re at work or playing the field, the harder they try, the harder life seems to get!

VIEW REEL