Who Is Mother Eileen on ‘The Real O’Neals’?

Martha Plimpton, The Real O'Neals, ABC

The Real O’Neals are an Irish Catholic family in Chicago who suddenly confess things about themselves that they’ve been keeping a secret. Not everyone likes what they hear – especially the matriarch of the family, Eileen O’Neal. When she’s told by her sonny Kenny (Noah Galvin) that he’s gay, she tries to “change him.”

Eileen O’Neal is portrayed by Martha Plimpton. The actress is best known for her roles in the films The Goonies, The Mosquito Coast, Running on Empty, Parenthood, and most recently on the TV show Raising Hope, among others. Plimpton is also an accomplished stage actress. She returned to Broadway in 2014 for a revival of A Delicate Balance with Glenn Close and John Lithgow. Fun fact: She is the daughter of actors Keith Carradine and Shelley Plimpton, who met while performing in the original production of Hair. The Real O’Neals premieres on Wednesday, March 2 at 8:30pm on ABC. Another episode will air the same night at 9:30pm, after Modern Family.