My mom and I used to listen to records, read, and take train rides across the country in the summer. It was a very chill life. She didn't expose me to anything that was ahead of my development, but she expected me to adjust to her world - she did not expect to adjust to mine.

She has appeared on Broadway and in theatre throughout her career. She attended the Professional Children's School in Manhattan.

For her role Martha Plimpton received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011. She first appeared as Jonsy in the feature film The River Rat (1984) before rising to prominence in the Richard Donner film The Goonies (1985) portraying the character Stef. Plimpton's role garnered her further success within the feature film industry.