Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly, December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she receives numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making her one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting". She has also received a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Burstyn made her acting debut on Broadway in Fair Game in 1957 before winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Same Time, Next Year (1975). She earned the Academy Award for Best Actress as the widow Alice Hyatt in Martin Scorsese's romantic drama Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974). Her other Oscar-nominated roles were in The Last Picture Show (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Same Time, Next Year (1978), Resurrection (1980), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). Her other notable films include Harry and Tonto (1974), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), W. (2008), Interstellar (2014), The Age of Adaline (2015), and Pieces of a Woman (2020).
She won Primetime Emmy Awards for her guest role in the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2009) and supporting role in the USA Network political miniseries Political Animals (2013). Her other Emmy-nominated roles include Pack of Lies (1988), Mrs. Harris (2005), Big Love (2008), Draft Day, Flowers in the Attic (both 2014), and House of Cards (2016). Since 2000, she has been co-president of the Actors Studio, a drama school in New York City. In 2013, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame for her work onstage.
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Acted in
Duse, the Greatest
2025
E. Jean Carroll V. Donald J. Trump
2024
as E. Jean Carroll
Mother, Couch
2024
as Mother
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
2024
as Self
Martin Scorsese, l'Italo-Américain
2023
as Self
Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist
2023
as Self (archive footage)
The Exorcist: Believer
2023
as Chris MacNeil
The First Lady
2022
as Sara Delano Roosevelt
Three Months
2022
as Valerie
Reframed: Marilyn Monroe
2022
as Self
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
2021
as Herself
Queen Bees
2021
as Helen Wilson
Watch on the Rhine
2021
as Fanny
Law & Order: Organized Crime
2021
as Bernadette 'Bernie' Stabler
Pieces of a Woman
2020
as Elizabeth Weiss
Delphine and Carole
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Lucy in the Sky
2019
as Nana Holbrook
American Woman
2019
as Miss Dolly
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
2019
as Self
The House of Tomorrow
2019
as Josephine Prendergast
Friedkin Uncut
2018
as Self
Nostalgia
2018
as Helen Greer
All I Wish
2018
as Celia Berges
The Tale
2018
as Nettie
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime
2017
as Self
Wiener-Dog
2016
as Nana
Custody
2016
as Beatrice Fisher
Unity
2015
as Narrator (voice)
About Scout
2015
as Gram
The Age of Adaline
2015
as Flemming
Interstellar
2014
as Murph (older)
The Calling
2014
as Emily Micallef
Petals on the Wind
2014
as Olivia Foxworth
Two Men in Town
2014
as Mère Garnett
Draft Day
2014
as Barb Weaver
River of Fundament
2014
as Hathfertiti
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self - Interviewee
Flowers in the Attic
2014
as Grandmother
Wish You Well
2013
as Louisa Mae Cardinal
Mom
2013
as Shirley
Love, Marilyn
2013
as Self
House of Cards
2013
as Elizabeth Hale
Lovely, Still
2012
as Mary
Coma
2012
as Mrs. Emerson
Political Animals
2012
as Margaret Barrish
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
2012
as Nanette
Another Happy Day
2011
as Doris Baker
The Mighty Macs
2011
as Mother St. John
Reflections of a Philosopher King
2010
as Self
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
2010
as Self
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
2010
as Self
Main Street
2010
as Georgiana Carr
According to Greta
2009
as Katherine
PoliWood
2009
as Self
The Velveteen Rabbit
2009
as Swan (voice)
W.
2008
as Barbara Bush
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
2008
as Miss Addie
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
2007
as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
The Stone Angel
2007
as Hagar
The Fountain
2006
as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
30 Days
2006
as Maura
The Wicker Man
2006
as Sister Summersisle
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
2006
as Self
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
as Self
The Elephant King
2006
as Diana Hunt
Big Love
2006
as Nancy Davis Dutton
Mrs. Harris
2006
as Former Tarnower Steady
The Book of Daniel
2006
as Bishop Beatrice Congreve
Our Fathers
2005
as Mary Ryan
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
2004
as Ruby
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
2004
as Tommie
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Second Chances
2004
as Self
A Decade Under the Influence
2003
as Self
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
2003
as Self
Brush with Fate
2003
as Rika
Red Dragon
2002
as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
2002
as Vivi Abbott Walker
Within These Walls
2001
as Joan Thomas
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
2001
as Self
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
2001
as Self
Requiem for a Dream
2000
as Sara Goldfarb
That's Life
2000
as Dolly DeLucca
Mermaid
2000
as Trish
The Yards
2000
as Val Handler
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Bernie Stabler
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
1999
as Self
Night Ride Home
1999
as Maggie
Walking Across Egypt
1999
as Mattie Rigsbee
Playing by Heart
1998
as Mildred
A Will of their Own
1998
as Veronica Steward
Marilyn in Manhattan
1998
as Self
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
1998
as Self - Chris MacNeil
You Can Thank Me Later
1998
as Shirley Cooperberg
The Patron Saint of Liars
1998
as June Clatterbuck
Flash
1997
as Laura Strong
Deceiver
1997
as Mook
A Deadly Vision
1997
as Yvette Watson
Timepiece
1996
as Maud Gannon
The Spitfire Grill
1996
as Hannah Ferguson
How to Make an American Quilt
1995
as Hy Dodd
The Baby-Sitters Club
1995
as Mrs. Haberman
Follow The River
1995
as Gretel
My Brother's Keeper
1995
as Helen
Roommates
1995
as Judith
Trick of the Eye
1994
as Frances Griffin
Getting Gotti
1994
as Jo Giacalone
When a Man Loves a Woman
1994
as Emily
Getting Out
1994
as Arlie's Mother
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
1993
as Joan Delvecchio
The Cemetery Club
1993
as Esther Moskowitz
Earth and the American Dream
1992
as Reader (voice)
When It Was a Game 2
1992
as Passage Narrator (voice)
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
1992
as Wilma
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas
1991
as Self
Grand Isle
1991
as Mademoiselle Reisz
Dying Young
1991
as Mrs. O'Neil
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991
as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
When You Remember Me
1990
as Nurse Cooder
The Color of Evening
1990
as Kate O'Rielly
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Herself
Hello Actors Studio
1988
as Self
American Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
Hanna's War
1988
as Katalin
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
1987
as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
Pack of Lies
1987
as Barbara Jackson
Something in Common
1986
as Lynn Hollander
The Ellen Burstyn Show
1986
as Ellen Brewer
Act of Vengeance
1986
as Margaret Yablonski
Into Thin Air
1985
as Joan Walker
Twice in a Lifetime
1985
as Kate MacKenzie
Night of 100 Stars II
1985
as Self
Surviving
1985
as Tina Brogan
The Ambassador
1985
as Alex Hacker
I Love Liberty
1982
as Self
Night of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
Silence of the North
1981
as Olive Frederickson
People vs. Jean Harris
1981
as Jean Harris
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
1981
as Self
Resurrection
1980
as Edna
A Dream of Passion
1978
as Brenda Collins
Same Time, Next Year
1978
as Doris
Providence
1977
as Sonia Langham
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
1974
as Alice Hyatt
Harry and Tonto
1974
as Shirley Mallard
Thursday's Game
1974
as Lynne Evers
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
1974
as Self (archive footage)
The Exorcist
1973
as Chris MacNeil
The King of Marvin Gardens
1972
as Sally
The Last Picture Show
1971
as Lois Farrow
Alex in Wonderland
1970
as Beth Morrison
Tropic of Cancer
1970
as Mona (uncredited)
Pit Stop
1969
as Ellen McCleod
The Time Tunnel
1966
as Eve Holland
The Big Valley
1965
as Sister Sarah Jacob
Goodbye Charlie
1964
as Franny Salzman
For Those Who Think Young
1964
as Dr. Pauline Swenson
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
as Barbara Sherwood / Lucille Benton
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
as Susan Mason
Vacation Playhouse
1963
as Ellen
Going My Way
1962
as Louise
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
1962
as Joan
Ricochet
1961
as Rose Maxon
Ben Casey
1961
as Dr. Leslie Fraser
Ben Casey
1961
as Connie
Bus Stop
1961
as Phyllis Dunning
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Anne Garner
The Defenders
1961
as Hilda Wesley
Surfside 6
1960
as Wandra Drake
Checkmate
1960
as Margo as Ellen McRae
The Detectives
1959
as Nora
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959
as Donna Whittaker
The Christmas Tree
1958
as Elizabeth
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Betty Benson
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Sandra Keene
Perry Mason
1957
as Mona Winthrope White
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Host/Presenter
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Winner
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Host
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Audience Member
Cheyenne
1955
as Emmy Mae
Gunsmoke
1955
as Polly
Gunsmoke
1955
as Amy Waters
Letter to Loretta
1953
as Ann Walters
The Oscars
1953
as Self
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Elizabeth
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Barbara Jackson
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Maggie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Rika
Easy Out?
1948
as Mary
Fuddy Meers
as Gertie
Bathing Flo
Place To Be
as Brooke