Ellen Burstyn

Biography

Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women in dramas, she has received 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.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Interstellar

Saturday Night Live

Perry Mason

The View

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

All Movies (146)

• Breakdown: 19752025 · as Self
• This Ordinary Thing2025 · as Self (voice)
• Duse, the Greatest2025
• E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump2024 · as E. Jean Carroll
• Mother, Couch2024 · as Mother
• Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist2024 · as Self
• The Exorcist: Believer2023 · as Chris MacNeil
• Three Months2022 · as Valerie
• Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes2021 · as Herself
• Queen Bees2021 · as Helen Wilson
• Watch on the Rhine2021 · as Fanny
• Pieces of a Woman2020 · as Elizabeth Weiss
• Delphine and Carole2020 · as Self (archive footage)
• Lucy in the Sky2019 · as Nana Holbrook
• American Woman2019 · as Miss Dolly
• Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies2019 · as Self
• The House of Tomorrow2019 · as Josephine Prendergast
• Friedkin Uncut2018 · as Self
• Nostalgia2018 · as Helen Greer
• All I Wish2018 · as Celia Berges
• The Tale2018 · as Nettie
• Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime2017 · as Self
• Wiener-Dog2016 · as Nana
• Custody2016 · as Beatrice Fisher
• Unity2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• About Scout2015 · as Gram
• The Age of Adaline2015 · as Flemming
• Interstellar2014 · as Murph (older)
• The Calling2014 · as Emily Micallef
• Petals on the Wind2014 · as Olivia Foxworth
• Two Men in Town2014 · as Mère Garnett
• Draft Day2014 · as Barb Weaver
• River of Fundament2014 · as Hathfertiti
• And the Oscar Goes To...2014 · as Self - Interviewee
• Flowers in the Attic2014 · as Grandmother
• Wish You Well2013 · as Louisa Mae Cardinal
• Love, Marilyn2013 · as Self
• Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You2012 · as Nanette
• Another Happy Day2011 · as Doris Baker
• The Mighty Macs2011 · as Mother St. John
• Reflections of a Philosopher King2010 · as Self
• BBStory: An American Film Renaissance2010 · as Self
• America Lost and Found: The BBS Story2010 · as Self
• Main Street2010 · as Georgiana Carr
• According to Greta2009 · as Katherine
• Lovely, Still2009 · as Mary
• PoliWood2009 · as Self
• The Velveteen Rabbit2009 · as Swan (voice)
• W.2008 · as Barbara Bush
• The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond2008 · as Miss Addie
• Mitch Albom's For One More Day2007 · as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
• The Stone Angel2007 · as Hagar
• The Fountain2006 · as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
• 30 Days2006 · as Maura
• The Wicker Man2006 · as Sister Summersisle
• Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow2006 · as Self
• Stardust: The Bette Davis Story2006 · as Self
• The Elephant King2006 · as Diana Hunt
• Mrs. Harris2006 · as Former Tarnower Steady
• Our Fathers2005 · as Mary Ryan
• The Five People You Meet In Heaven2004 · as Ruby
• The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel2004 · as Tommie
• Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"2004 · as Self
• A Decade Under the Influence2003 · as Self
• Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood2003 · as Self
• Brush with Fate2003 · as Rika
• Red Dragon2002 · as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
• Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood2002 · as Vivi
• Within These Walls2001 · as Joan Thomas
• Memories, Dreams & Addictions2001 · as Self
• The Making of Requiem for a Dream2001 · as Self
• Requiem for a Dream2000 · as Sara Goldfarb
• Mermaid2000 · as Trish
• The Yards2000 · as Val Handler
• The Last Picture Show: A Look Back1999 · as Self
• Night Ride Home1999 · as Maggie
• Walking Across Egypt1999 · as Mattie Rigsbee
• Playing by Heart1998 · as Mildred
• Marilyn in Manhattan1998 · as Self
• You Can Thank Me Later1998 · as Shirley Cooperberg
• The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist1998 · as Self - Chris MacNeil
• The Patron Saint of Liars1998 · as June Clatterbuck
• Flash1997 · as Laura Strong
• Deceiver1997 · as Mook
• A Deadly Vision1997 · as Yvette Watson
• Timepiece1996 · as Maud Gannon
• The Spitfire Grill1996 · as Hannah Ferguson
• How to Make an American Quilt1995 · as Hy Dodd
• The Baby-Sitters Club1995 · as Mrs. Haberman
• Follow The River1995 · as Gretel
• My Brother's Keeper1995 · as Helen
• Roommates1995 · as Judith
• Trick of the Eye1994 · as Frances Griffin
• Getting Gotti1994 · as Jo Giacalone
• When a Man Loves a Woman1994 · as Emily
• Getting Out1994 · as Arlie's Mother
• Roots of Roe1993 · as Narrator (voice)
• Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story1993 · as Joan Delvecchio
• The Cemetery Club1993 · as Esther Moskowitz
• Earth and the American Dream1992 · as Reader (voice)
• When It Was a Game 21992 · as Passage Narrator (voice)
• Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story1992 · as Wilma
• Picture This1991 · as Self
• Grand Isle1991 · as Mademoiselle Reisz
• Dying Young1991 · as Mrs. O'Neil
• Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love1991 · as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
• When You Remember Me1990 · as Nurse Cooder
• The Color of Evening1990 · as Kate O'Rielly
• Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre1989 · as Self
• Hello Actors Studio1988 · as Self
• Hanna's War1988 · as Katalin
• Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam1987 · as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
• Pack of Lies1987 · as Barbara Jackson
• Something in Common1986 · as Lynn Hollander
• Act of Vengeance1986 · as Margaret Yablonski
• Into Thin Air1985 · as Joan Walker
• Twice in a Lifetime1985 · as Kate MacKenzie
• Night of 100 Stars II1985 · as Self
• Surviving1985 · as Tina Brogan
• The Ambassador1985 · as Alex Hacker
• I Love Liberty1982 · as Self
• Night of 100 Stars1982 · as Self
• Silence of the North1981 · as Olive Frederickson
• People vs. Jean Harris1981 · as Jean Harris
• Be Pretty and Shut Up!1981 · as Self
• Resurrection1980 · as Edna
• A Dream of Passion1978 · as Brenda Collins
• Same Time, Next Year1978 · as Doris
• Providence1977 · as Sonia Langham
• Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore1974 · as Alice Hyatt
• Harry and Tonto1974 · as Shirley Mallard
• Thursday's Game1974 · as Lynne Evers
• The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute1974 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Exorcist1973 · as Chris MacNeil
• The King of Marvin Gardens1972 · as Sally
• The Last Picture Show1971 · as Lois Farrow
• Alex in Wonderland1970 · as Beth Morrison
• Tropic of Cancer1970 · as Mona (uncredited)
• Pit Stop1969 · as Ellen McCleod
• Goodbye Charlie1964 · as Franny Salzman
• For Those Who Think Young1964 · as Dr. Pauline Swenson
• Ricochet1961 · as Rose Maxon
• The Christmas Tree1958 · as Elizabeth
• Easy Out?1948 · as Mary
• Bathing Flo—
• Place to Be— · as Brooke

All TV Shows (60)

• The First Lady2022 · as Sara Delano Roosevelt
• Reframed: Marilyn Monroe2022 · as Self
• Law & Order: Organized Crime2021 · as Bernadette 'Bernie' Stabler
• Mom2013 · as Shirley
• House of Cards2013 · as Elizabeth Hale
• Coma2012 · as Mrs. Emerson
• Political Animals2012 · as Margaret Barrish
• Big Love2006 · as Nancy Davis Dutton
• The Book of Daniel2006 · as Bishop Beatrice Congreve
• That's Life2000 · as Dolly DeLucca
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Bernie Stabler
• A Will of their Own1998 · as Veronica Steward
• The View1997 · as Self
• HARDtalk1997
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• American Experience1988 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Ellen Burstyn Show1986 · as Ellen Brewer
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Les Rendez-vous du dimanche1975 · as Self
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• The Time Tunnel1966 · as Eve Holland
• The Big Valley1965 · as Sister Sarah Jacob
• Kraft Suspense Theatre1963 · as Barbara Sherwood / Lucille Benton
• Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1963 · as Eva Laurelton
• The Greatest Show on Earth1963 · as Susan Mason
• Vacation Playhouse1963 · as Ellen
• Going My Way1962 · as Louise
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• I'm Dickens, He's Fenster1962 · as Joan
• The Virginian1962 · as Kate Burden
• Ben Casey1961 · as Dr. Leslie Fraser
• Ben Casey1961 · as Connie
• Bus Stop1961 · as Phyllis Dunning
• Dr. Kildare1961 · as Anne Garner
• The Defenders1961 · as Hilda Wesley
• Kraft Mystery Theatre1961 · as Greta Dryden
• Surfside 61960 · as Wandra Drake
• Checkmate1960 · as Margo as Ellen McRae
• The Detectives1959 · as Nora
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis1959 · as Donna Whittaker
• 77 Sunset Strip1958 · as Betty Benson
• 77 Sunset Strip1958 · as Sandra Keene
• Perry Mason1957 · as Mona Winthrope White
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Winner
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host/Presenter
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Audience Member
• Cheyenne1955 · as Emmy Mae
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Polly
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Amy Waters
• Letter to Loretta1953 · as Ann Walters
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Elizabeth
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Barbara Jackson
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Maggie
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Rika
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee