Mary Alexandra Stiefvater was born in Chico, California and grew up in Stockton, where she was first introduced to theater, modeling and dance at a young age. Educated at The University of California at Los Angeles, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, she also studied French cinema and philosophy abroad at the Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III) and Le Centre Parisien d’Études Critiques. After graduation, she moved to England to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Five days after graduating from LAMDA, she packed her suitcase for New York to pursue work in theater, film, television and modeling. As well as being a skilled dancer, Mary Alexandra received her stage combat certificate from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat.

Her first break came on The Late Show with David Letterman where she regularly appeared in comedy skits. At the same time, she did motion capture work for the character of Mona Sax in Max Payne 2 with Rockstar Games. The collaboration with Rockstar Games continued on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas & The Warriors.

Later, she moved to Los Angeles, where further success came in television (The Mentalist, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, My Favorite Cup, The Wedding Bells & Happy Hour). Known mainly for her work in independent films (Driving By Braille, Supergator, Bear, Speed-Dating, Loveless in Los Angeles, You’re Fine, The Absence Of Us, Alternate Endings, The Perfect Boyfriend & Wedding for One, The Room and Four Lane Highway), she has also appeared in numerous print ads (Verizon, Babies-R-Us, Fera Skiwear, Quenchwear, Cargo Magazine, Stuff Magazine & The Embarcadero Christmas Catalog), commercials (Bud Light, Volvo, Lupus PSA, Red Bull Sugar-free, Style Network, 1-800-Collect & TGIFriday’s) and web-series (Virtually Single, Playdate & Rules of the League). She has worked as a voiceover & ADR artist with Rockstar Games, Dress For Success, Premiere Networks and several films including Easy Rider: The Ride Back.

In order to sustain longevity in the ever-changing entertainment industry, she started producing and screenwriting. In 2006 she produced the award-winning short film, Bad Habits, with the production company she helped found, Habit Forming Films. Stiefvater then produced Wedding for One, 11-44, and The Room. After many years of co-writing, she wrote her first, solo script about a small ski resort in Northern California put on one of the greatest Winter Olympics ever. In 2019, she won the Grand Jury Prize for her Sci-Fi script, No Place Like Home at the HCF Screenplay Competition and also won Best Screenplay at the Script Shop Awards. No Place Like Home was performed live as part of the Scripts in Play series at the iconic Electric Lodge.

In 2012, her first books, In My Contrary Garden and Cocoa For Saturdays were published. She has authored over 27 poetry and photography books, available through most international and local booksellers. In 2020, one of her haikus, Home Sweet Home, was included in the Alan Nakagawa exhibit “Social Distance, Haiku And You” in collaboration with the Orange County Museum of Art. She has written and performed pieces for LA’s famed Rant & Rave and Theatre of Note’s Marathon. Her poem, The Unknown, is part of the SAFER AT HOME Pandemic Collection through the LA County Library. She also wrote a piece entitled 9/11, 20 years, for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

In 2017, she founded 31st Republic Productions (named for California, the 31st State). This multimedia company is dedicated to creating beautiful and touching films, screenplays, books and photography.

Mary Alexandra continues to work as an actress, voice-over artist, producer, model, screenwriter, photographer and poet. As a member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company and SkyPilot Theatre Company, she regularly performs on stage in Los Angeles.