How Old Donna Reed Was In It's A Wonderful Life (& Why It Was Her Most Difficult Role)

Screen Rant

By Jordan Williams

Published 4 days ago

While she plays the character across a 17-year span, Donna Reed was fairly young when she portrayed Mary Hatch in It's a Wonderful Life.

Actress Donna Reed was just 25 years old when she portrayed Mary in It's a Wonderful Life, a role she reportedly described as the most difficult of her career.
Despite her young age, Reed played Mary from the age of 18 to 35 in the film, showcasing her talent and versatility as an actress.
Reed reprised her role as Mary Hatch Bailey in a radio production of It's a Wonderful Life shortly after the film's release, alongside James Stewart. The radio version was much shorter than the movie.