Actress Laura San Giacomo, best known for her roles in Pretty Woman and Just Shoot Me!, reshaped her life after her son Mason was born with cerebral palsy. “I started becoming an advocate for him when he was three years old,” she said.
San Giacomo chose steady TV work over film roles to stay close to home. Her performance as Maya Gallo on Just Shoot Me! lasted seven seasons and earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She later appeared on Saving Grace, NCIS, and The Santa Clauses.
Beyond acting, San Giacomo became a voice for inclusive education. She supported the CHIME Institute, a public charter school where Mason thrived. “Disability is natural. It always has been. It always will be,” she told Oprah.
Now in her 60s, she continues to act and advocate. “You are being called to the biggest plate of your life,” she said about parenting a child with a disability. Her career may be quieter, but her impact has never been stronger—both onscreen and off.
