AceShowbiz - Maria O'Brien was a talented film and television actress and a respected acting coach who passed away at the age of 75.

Born into a prominent acting family, she was the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Edmund O'Brien and musical comedy star Olga San Juan. Her career began in 1975 when she appeared in the film Smile, credited as Maria. She later took roles in movies such as Shell Game (1975), The Choirboys (1977), Prime Time (1977), PSI Factor (1980), and The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1980).

One of her notable film roles was in Protocol (1984), where she starred alongside Goldie Hawn, Richard Romanus, and Jean Smart. Throughout her acting career, she worked with many prominent actors, including Melanie Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, and Tom Selleck.

Maria O'Brien made numerous guest appearances on popular television shows such as Murder, She Wrote, Magnum P.I., Good Morning, Miss Bliss, The Love Boat, LA Law, CHiPs, Matlock, Nash Bridges, Suddenly Susan, Jack & Jill, and For the People. She also appeared in multiple episodes of the soap-opera parody web series Ave 43.

In the late 1990s, her career expanded into coaching, where she became an acting coach for daytime dramas including Sunset Beach and Passions. This led to a 15-year tenure as the acting coach for Days of Our Lives, a position she held until her retirement in 2022.

Aside from her work in entertainment, O'Brien was deeply involved in Alzheimer's disease advocacy. Her father was among the first celebrities diagnosed with the disease, and in 1983, she testified before Congress regarding the impact of Alzheimer's. Her efforts contributed to securing government funding for research on the illness.

Her stage work earned her recognition as well. In 1990, O'Brien won a Drama-Logue award for her performance in The Maids by Jean Genet, staged at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Maria O'Brien was preceded in death by her brother, actor Brendan O'Brien. She is survived by her three children, Thomas Anderson, Danica Anderson, and Sean Anderson, as well as her sister, Bridget O'Brien Adelman.

She will be remembered for her vibrant spirit, dedication to the craft of acting, and her significant contributions as both an artist and mentor.