Lea Thompson

Biography

Lea Katherine Thompson (born May 31, 1961) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and director. She is best known for her roles as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985–1990), Beverly Switzler in Howard the Duck (1986), and Amanda Jones in Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). Other films for which she is known include All the Right Moves (1983), Red Dawn (1984), Dennis the Menace (1993), and The Beverly Hillbillies (1993). In the 1990s, she played the title character in the sitcom Caroline in the City. From 2011 to 2017, she co-starred as Kathryn Kennish in the ABC Family-turned-Freeform series Switched at Birth.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Family Guy

Family Guy

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

American Dad!

Friends

Dancing with the Stars

All Movies (93)

• SEGAL2025 · as Self
• BRATS2024 · as Self
• The Disappearance of Cari Farver2022 · as Nancy Farver
• Ten Tricks2022 · as Grace
• Marty & Doc: The Inside Story of a Phenomenon2022 · as Self
• Unplugging2022 · as Perkins
• Next Stop, Christmas2021 · as Evelyn
• Mark, Mary + Some Other People2021 · as Aunty Carol
• Dinner in America2020 · as Betty
• Cool Cat's Crazy Dream2019 · as Dream World Lea
• Little Women2018 · as Margaret "Marmee" March
• Sierra Burgess Is a Loser2018 · as Mrs. Burgess
• The Year of Spectacular Men2018 · as Deb Klein
• Who We Are Now2018 · as Alana
• Over the Hill2018 · as Sally
• Literally, Right Before Aaron2017 · as Deb (Adam's Mom)
• The Dog Lover2016 · as Liz Holloway
• Stars Are Already Dead2016 · as Aunt Sophia
• Keith Lemon's Back t'Future Tribute2015 · as Self
• Back in Time2015 · as Self
• Left Behind2014 · as Irene Steele
• Ping Pong Summer2014 · as Mrs. Miracle
• My Mother's Future Husband2014 · as René Henderson
• Call Me Crazy: A Five Film2013 · as Julia
• Milius2013 · as Self
• Love at the Christmas Table2012 · as Elissa Beth
• John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast2012 · as Self
• Bound by Flesh2012 · as Voiceover
• The Trouble with the Truth2012 · as Emily
• Thin Ice2012 · as Jo Ann Prohaska
• Game of Your Life2011 · as Abbie
• J. Edgar2011 · as Lela Rogers
• The Cabin2011 · as Lily MacDougal
• Mayor Cupcake2011 · as Mary Maroni
• Tales from the Future2010 · as Self
• Rock Slyde2010 · as Master Bartologist
• Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer2010 · as Laura
• Splinterheads2009 · as Susan Frost
• Looking Back to the Future2009 · as Self
• Fatal Secrets2009 · as Rebecca
• The Christmas Clause2008 · as Sophie
• Exit Speed2008 · as Maudie McMinn
• Final Approach2008 · as Alicia Bender
• Senior Skip Day2008 · as Cathleen Harris
• Spy School2008 · as Claire Miller
• Jane Doe: Eye of the Beholder2008 · as Cathy Davis / Jane Doe
• Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss2007 · as Cathy Davis
• A Life Interrupted2007 · as Debbie Smith
• Jane Doe: Ties That Bind2007 · as Cathy Davis / Jane Doe
• California Dreaming2007 · as Ginger Gainor
• Looking Back at the Future2006 · as Herself
• Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall2006 · as Cathy Davis
• Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well2006 · as Cathy Davis
• The Making of Some Kind of Wonderful2006 · as Self
• Jane Doe: The Wrong Face2005 · as Cathy Davis
• Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part2005 · as Cathy Davis
• Jane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don't2005 · as Cathy Davis
• Jane Doe: Vanishing Act2005 · as Cathy Davis
• Come Away Home2005 · as Carol
• Stealing Christmas2003 · as Sarah Gibson
• Haunted Lighthouse 4-D2003 · as Peg Van Legge
• Fish Don't Blink2002 · as Clara
• The Unknown Cyclist1998 · as Melissa Cavatelli
• The Right to Remain Silent1996 · as Christine Paley
• The Unspoken Truth1995 · as Brianne Hawkins
• The Little Rascals1994 · as Ms. Roberts
• The Substitute Wife1994 · as Amy Hightower
• The Beverly Hillbillies1993 · as Laura Jackson
• Dennis the Menace1993 · as Alice Mitchell
• Stolen Babies1993 · as Annie Beales
• Article 991992 · as Dr. Robin Van Dorn
• Back to the Future Part III1990 · as Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly
• Montana1990 · as Peg Guthrie
• Back to the Future Part II1989 · as Lorraine
• Nightbreaker1989 · as Sally Matthews
• The Wizard of Loneliness1988 · as Sybil
• Going Undercover1988 · as Marigold de la Hunt
• Casual Sex?1988 · as Stacy
• Some Kind of Wonderful1987 · as Amanda Jones
• The Making of Back to the Future1986 · as Self
• Howard the Duck1986 · as Beverly Switzler
• SpaceCamp1986 · as Kathryn
• Back to the Future1985 · as Lorraine Baines
• The Wild Life1984 · as Anita
• Red Dawn1984 · as Erica
• All the Right Moves1983 · as Lisa
• Jaws 3-D1983 · as Kelly Ann Bukowski
• The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die1983
• Queen— · as Dr. Page
• A Pretty Good Movie— · as Ramona
• You Are Here— · as Helen
• What If—
• Howard the Doc or: How I Learned to Start Quacking and Love the Bomb— · as Self

All TV Shows (41)

• The Chicken Sisters2024 · as Nancy Hillier
• The Spencer Sisters2023 · as Victoria Spencer
• INVINCIBLE2021 · as Carol (voice)
• Reunited Apart2020 · as Self
• Stars in the House2020 · as Self
• Star Trek: Picard2020 · as Diane Werner
• The Ready Room2019 · as Self
• 25 Words or Less2018 · as Self
• Back to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles2018 · as Lorraine Baines-McFly
• The Muppets2015 · as Self
• Celebrity Family Feud2015 · as Self
• Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero2014 · as Vonnie (voice)
• A to Z2014 · as Lea Thompson
• Scorpion2014 · as Veronica Dineen
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self - Guest
• The Goldbergs2013 · as Fran
• Whose Line Is It Anyway?2013 · as Self
• Switched at Birth2011 · as Kathryn Kennish
• Greek2007 · as April
• Head Case2007 · as Self
• Celebrity Duets2006
• Dancing with the Stars2005 · as Self - Contestant
• American Dad!2005 · as Caroline Duffy (voice)
• The Tony Danza Show2004 · as Self - Guest
• For the People2002 · as Chief Deputy District Attorney Camille Paris
• Ed2000 · as Liz Stevens
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation2000 · as Jennifer Rhodes
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Michelle Osborne
• The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn1999 · as Self - Guest
• Family Guy1999 · as Teenaged Girl in Diner (voice)
• Family Guy1999 · as Lorraine McFly (voice)
• A Will of their Own1998 · as Amanda Steward
• Hollywood Squares1998 · as Self - Panelist
• E! True Hollywood Story1996
• Caroline in the City1995 · as Caroline Duffy
• Friends1994 · as Caroline Duffy (uncredited)
• Intimate Portrait1993 · as Self
• The Larry Sanders Show1992 · as Lea Thompson
• Tales from the Crypt1989 · as Sylvia Vane
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest