- Her greatest memory from the set of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) was being in the desert playing football with 15 stunt men dressed as mummies.
- Became good friends with Mariska Hargitay when Hargitay had a recurring role as Cynthia Hooper on ER (1994) from 1997-1998.
- Works with "Save the Children", nurturing kids in need.
- Her mother, who is a cancer survivor, was in New York City with Maria on Sept. 11, 2001 during the attacks on the World Trade Center. Since her mother was a nurse, she volunteered to help the victims.
- Announced at the age of twenty-eight she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
- Flirted with a waiter at a family birthday party. The waiter became her fiance [July 26, 2008].
- Comes from a Polish and Italian family.
- Practices Muay Thai (lethal) kickboxing.
- Had always wanted to be an action heroine, but gave up her dream two weeks before she turned 40, because she thought there would be no action roles for a lady her age. However, Rob Cohen called her up on her birthday and offered her the role in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008).
- Best friends with Carrie-Anne Moss. Maria is the godmother of Carrie-Anne's first son, and Carrie-Anne is the godmother of Maria's son Jack.
- Lives in Venice, California with her son, Jackson Blue, 5. Jackson's father, Dan McDermott, lives a few blocks away. (2006)
- Revealed in a self-penned essay in The New York Times that she suffered from a life-threatening illness in the summer of 2012. (December 2013)
- Best friends with Amy Brenneman.
- Was a varsity cheerleader in school at Archbishop John Carroll High School in Suburban Philadelphia.
- Maria and her TV exec boyfriend, Dan McDermott, welcomed their first child, Jackson Blue McDermott. (March 5, 2001)
- Father, Joe Bello, was a contractor and mother, Kathy Bello was a teacher and school nurse.
- She was considered to play Jean Grey in X-Men (2000), but the role went to Famke Janssen.
- Was a bridesmaid at Andrea Bendewald's wedding, at which Jennifer Aniston was the matron of honor.
- Invited to join AMPAS in 2006.
- Has two brothers, Joseph and Christopher, and one sister, Lisa.
- Has 2 dogs.
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