Mary Steenburgen

Biography

Mary Nell Steenburgen (born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in the Western comedy film Goin' South (1978). Steenburgen went on to earn critical acclaim for her role in Time After Time (1979) and Jonathan Demme's comedy-drama film Melvin and Howard (1980), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

American Dad!

American Dad!

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Frasier

The Jennifer Hudson Show

All Movies (99)

• The Dink2026 · as Candace
• Last Train to Fortune2025 · as Miss Maybelle
• Easy's Waltz2025
• Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic2023 · as Self
• Book Club: The Next Chapter2023 · as Carol
• Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl2022 · as Self
• Nightmare Alley2021 · as Mrs. Kimball
• Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas2021 · as Maggie Clarke
• Happiest Season2020 · as Tipper
• 30 Rock: A One-Time Special2020 · as Mary Steenburgen
• Flannery2019 · as Flannery O'Connor (voice)
• Antiquities2019 · as Dr. Margot
• Book Club2018 · as Carol
• Katie Says Goodbye2018 · as Maybelle
• I Do... Until I Don't2017 · as Cybil Burger
• The Discovery2017 · as Interviewer
• The Book of Love2017 · as Julia Mureaux
• Dean2016 · as Carol
• Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow2015 · as Aunt Cly
• A Walk in the Woods2015 · as Jeannie
• 7 Days in Hell2015 · as Louisa Poole
• The One I Love2014 · as Mom (voice)
• Song One2014 · as Karen Ellis
• Last Vegas2013 · as Diana Boyle
• Brahmin Bulls2013 · as Helen West
• Outlaw Country2012 · as Anastasia Lee
• The Help2011 · as Elaine Stein
• Fight for Your Right Revisited2011 · as Café Patron
• Tales from the Future2010 · as Self
• Dirty Girl2010 · as Peggy
• Weird: The Al Yankovic Story2010 · as Mrs. Yankovic
• Did You Hear About the Morgans?2009 · as Emma Wheeler
• Clarkworld2009 · as Self
• The Proposal2009 · as Grace Paxton
• In the Electric Mist2009 · as Bootsie Robicheaux
• The Open Road2009 · as Katherine
• Four Christmases2008 · as Marilyn
• Step Brothers2008 · as Nancy Huff
• The Brave One2007 · as Carol
• Honeydripper2007 · as Amanda Winship
• Numb2007 · as Dr. Blaine
• Nobel Son2007 · as Sarah Michaelson
• Elvis & Anabelle2007 · as Geneva Leigh
• Inland Empire2006 · as Visitor #2
• The Dead Girl2006 · as Leah's Mother
• O Lucky Malcolm!2006 · as Self
• Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School2006 · as Marienne Hotchkiss
• Remembering Ragtime2004 · as Mother (archive footage)
• It Must Be Love2004 · as Clem Gazelle
• Elf2003 · as Emily
• Casa de los Babys2003 · as Gayle
• Hope Springs2003 · as Joanie Fisher
• Mrs. Pilgrim Goes to Hollywood2003 · as Mary
• Sunshine State2002 · as Francine Pinkney
• Wish You Were Dead2002 · as Sally Rider
• Living with the Dead2002 · as Detective Karen Condrin
• Character Building: Inside 'Life As a House'2002 · as Self
• I Am Sam2001 · as Dr. Blake
• Life as a House2001 · as Colleen Beck
• The Trumpet of the Swan2001 · as Mother (voice)
• Nobody's Baby2001 · as Estelle
• The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story2000
• Picnic2000 · as Rosemary Sydney
• Noah's Ark1999 · as Naamah
• About Sarah1998 · as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey
• The Grass Harp1996 · as Sister Ida
• Nixon1995 · as Hannah Nixon
• Powder1995 · as Jessie Caldwell
• My Family1995 · as Gloria
• Pontiac Moon1994 · as Katherine Bellamy
• It Runs in the Family1994 · as Mrs. Parker (Mother)
• Clifford1994 · as Sarah Davis
• Philadelphia1993 · as Belinda Conine
• What's Eating Gilbert Grape1993 · as Betty Carver
• Earth and the American Dream1992 · as Reader (voice)
• Back to the Future: Dickens of a Christmas1991 · as Clara Clayton Brown (voice)
• The Butcher's Wife1991 · as Stella Keefover
• The Long Walk Home1990 · as Narrator (voice)
• Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret1990 · as Self
• The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy1990 · as Self
• Back to the Future Part III1990 · as Clara Clayton
• Parenthood1989 · as Karen Buckman
• Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre1989 · as Self (voice)
• Miss Firecracker1989 · as Elaine Rutledge
• The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank1988 · as Miep Gies
• The Whales of August1987 · as Young Sarah
• End of the Line1987 · as Rose Pickett
• Dead of Winter1987 · as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn
• One Magic Christmas1985 · as Ginny Grainger
• Little Red Riding Hood1983 · as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary
• Romantic Comedy1983 · as Phoebe Craddock
• Cross Creek1983 · as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
• A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy1982 · as Adrian
• Ragtime1981 · as Mother
• Melvin and Howard1980 · as Lynda Dummar
• Time After Time1979 · as Amy Robbins
• Goin' South1978 · as Julia Tate
• Let's Have Kids!— · as Sue
• A Dog’s Perfect Christmas— · as Claire

All TV Shows (50)

• BULLDOZER2025 · as Kathy
• A Man on the Inside2024 · as Mona Margadoff
• In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin2024 · as Self
• The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self - Guest
• Mr. Mayor2021 · as Adriana
• Reunited Apart2020 · as Self
• Stars in the House2020 · as Self
• Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist2020 · as Maggie Clarke
• Bless the Harts2019 · as Crystalynn (voice)
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self - Guest
• On Becoming a God in Central Florida2019 · as Ellen Joy Bonar
• The Conners2018 · as Marcy Bellinger
• The Good Place2016 · as Teacher
• Grace and Frankie2015 · as Miriam
• The Last Man on Earth2015 · as Gail Klosterman
• Togetherness2015 · as Linda
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• Orange Is the New Black2013 · as Delia Powell
• Finding Your Roots2012 · as Self
• Wilfred2011 · as Catherine Newman
• The Talk2010 · as Self
• Justified2010 · as Katherine Hale
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• 30 Rock2006 · as Diana Jessup
• American Dad!2005 · as (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Dr. Fay Petit (voice)
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson2005 · as Self
• The Tony Danza Show2004 · as Self - Guest
• Joan of Arcadia2003 · as Helen Girardi
• E!'s 1012003 · as Self
• Living with the Dead2002 · as Detective Karen Condrin
• Good Day Live2001 · as Self
• Dinner for Five2001
• Curb Your Enthusiasm2000 · as Mary Steenburgen
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Grace Rinato
• Noah's Ark1999 · as Naamah
• Becker1998 · as Patient (uncredited)
• The View1997 · as Self
• Ink1996 · as Kate Montgomery
• Gulliver's Travels1996 · as Mary Gulliver
• Ellen1994 · as Self (uncredited)
• Frasier1993 · as Marjorie (voice)
• Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories1992 · as Narrator (voice)
• Back to the Future1991 · as Clara Clayton (voice)
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
• Tender Is the Night1985 · as Nicole Diver (née Warren)
• Faerie Tale Theatre1982 · as Mary / Little Red Riding Hood
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Happiness Isn't Everything— · as Audrey Veill
• Southern Discomfort— · as Mary Lou Dobson