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 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.
Filmography
Place to Be
as Brooke
Place to Be
as Brooke
Breakdown: 1975
as Self
Breakdown: 1975
as Self
This Ordinary Thing
as Self (voice)
This Ordinary Thing
as Self (voice)
Duse, the Greatest
Duse, the Greatest
Mother, Couch
as Mother
Mother, Couch
as Mother
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
as Self
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
as Self
The Exorcist: Believer
as Chris MacNeil
The Exorcist: Believer
as Chris MacNeil
Three Months
as Valerie
Three Months
as Valerie
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
as Herself
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
as Herself
Pieces of a Woman
as Elizabeth Weiss
Pieces of a Woman
as Elizabeth Weiss
Delphine and Carole
as Self (archive footage)
Delphine and Carole
as Self (archive footage)
Lucy in the Sky
as Nana Holbrook
Lucy in the Sky
as Nana Holbrook
American Woman
as Miss Dolly
American Woman
as Miss Dolly
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
as Self
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
as Self
The House of Tomorrow
as Josephine Prendergast
The House of Tomorrow
as Josephine Prendergast
Friedkin Uncut
as Self
Friedkin Uncut
as Self
Nostalgia
as Helen Greer
Nostalgia
as Helen Greer
All I Wish
as Celia Berges
All I Wish
as Celia Berges
The Tale
as Nettie
The Tale
as Nettie
Unity
as Narrator (voice)
Unity
as Narrator (voice)
About Scout
as Gram
About Scout
as Gram
The Age of Adaline
as Flemming
The Age of Adaline
as Flemming
Interstellar
as Murph (older)
Interstellar
as Murph (older)
The Calling
as Emily Micallef
The Calling
as Emily Micallef
Petals on the Wind
as Olivia Foxworth
Petals on the Wind
as Olivia Foxworth
Draft Day
as Barb Weaver
Draft Day
as Barb Weaver
River of Fundament
as Hathfertiti
River of Fundament
as Hathfertiti
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self - Interviewee
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self - Interviewee
Flowers in the Attic
as Grandmother
Flowers in the Attic
as Grandmother
Wish You Well
as Louisa Mae Cardinal
Wish You Well
as Louisa Mae Cardinal
Love, Marilyn
as Self
Love, Marilyn
as Self
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
as Nanette
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
as Nanette
Another Happy Day
as Doris Baker
Another Happy Day
as Doris Baker
The Mighty Macs
as Mother St. John
The Mighty Macs
as Mother St. John
Reflections of a Philosopher King
as Self
Reflections of a Philosopher King
as Self
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
as Self
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
as Self
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
as Self
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
as Self
Main Street
as Georgiana Carr
Main Street
as Georgiana Carr
According to Greta
as Katherine
According to Greta
as Katherine
Lovely, Still
as Mary
Lovely, Still
as Mary
PoliWood
as Self
PoliWood
as Self
The Velveteen Rabbit
as Swan (voice)
The Velveteen Rabbit
as Swan (voice)
W.
as Barbara Bush
W.
as Barbara Bush
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
as Miss Addie
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
as Miss Addie
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
The Stone Angel
as Hagar
The Stone Angel
as Hagar
The Fountain
as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
The Fountain
as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
30 Days
as Maura
30 Days
as Maura
The Wicker Man
as Sister Summersisle
The Wicker Man
as Sister Summersisle
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
as Self
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
as Self
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
as Self
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
as Self
The Elephant King
as Diana Hunt
The Elephant King
as Diana Hunt
Mrs. Harris
as Former Tarnower Steady
Mrs. Harris
as Former Tarnower Steady
Our Fathers
as Mary Ryan
Our Fathers
as Mary Ryan
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
as Ruby
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
as Ruby
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
as Tommie
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
as Tommie
Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
as Self
Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
as Self
A Decade Under the Influence
as Self
A Decade Under the Influence
as Self
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
as Self
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
as Self
Brush with Fate
as Rika
Brush with Fate
as Rika
Red Dragon
as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
Red Dragon
as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
as Vivi
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
as Vivi
Within These Walls
as Joan Thomas
Within These Walls
as Joan Thomas
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
as Self
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
as Self
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
as Self
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
as Self
Requiem for a Dream
as Sara Goldfarb
Requiem for a Dream
as Sara Goldfarb
Mermaid
as Trish
Mermaid
as Trish
The Yards
as Val Handler
The Yards
as Val Handler
Walking Across Egypt
as Mattie Rigsbee
Walking Across Egypt
as Mattie Rigsbee
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
as Self
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
as Self
Night Ride Home
as Maggie
Night Ride Home
as Maggie
Playing by Heart
as Mildred
Playing by Heart
as Mildred
Marilyn in Manhattan
as Self
Marilyn in Manhattan
as Self
You Can Thank Me Later
as Shirley Cooperberg
You Can Thank Me Later
as Shirley Cooperberg
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
as Self - Chris MacNeil
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
as Self - Chris MacNeil
The Patron Saint of Liars
as June Clatterbuck
The Patron Saint of Liars
as June Clatterbuck
Flash
as Laura Strong
Flash
as Laura Strong
Deceiver
as Mook
Deceiver
as Mook
A Deadly Vision
as Yvette Watson
A Deadly Vision
as Yvette Watson
Timepiece
as Maud Gannon
Timepiece
as Maud Gannon
The Spitfire Grill
as Hannah Ferguson
The Spitfire Grill
as Hannah Ferguson
How to Make an American Quilt
as Hy Dodd
How to Make an American Quilt
as Hy Dodd
The Baby-Sitters Club
as Mrs. Haberman
The Baby-Sitters Club
as Mrs. Haberman
Follow The River
as Gretel
Follow The River
as Gretel
My Brother's Keeper
as Helen
My Brother's Keeper
as Helen
Roommates
as Judith
Roommates
as Judith
Trick of the Eye
as Frances Griffin
Trick of the Eye
as Frances Griffin
Getting Gotti
as Jo Giacalone
Getting Gotti
as Jo Giacalone
When a Man Loves a Woman
as Emily
When a Man Loves a Woman
as Emily
Getting Out
as Arlie's Mother
Getting Out
as Arlie's Mother
Roots of Roe
as Narrator (voice)
Roots of Roe
as Narrator (voice)
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
as Joan Delvecchio
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
as Joan Delvecchio
The Cemetery Club
as Esther Moskowitz
The Cemetery Club
as Esther Moskowitz
Earth and the American Dream
as Reader (voice)
Earth and the American Dream
as Reader (voice)
When It Was a Game 2
as Passage Narrator (voice)
When It Was a Game 2
as Passage Narrator (voice)
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
as Wilma
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
as Wilma
Picture This
as Self
Picture This
as Self
Grand Isle
as Mademoiselle Reisz
Grand Isle
as Mademoiselle Reisz
Dying Young
as Mrs. O'Neil
Dying Young
as Mrs. O'Neil
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
When You Remember Me
as Nurse Cooder
When You Remember Me
as Nurse Cooder
The Color of Evening
as Kate O'Rielly
The Color of Evening
as Kate O'Rielly
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
as Self
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
as Self
Hello Actors Studio
as Self
Hello Actors Studio
as Self
Hanna's War
as Katalin
Hanna's War
as Katalin
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
Pack of Lies
as Barbara Jackson
Pack of Lies
as Barbara Jackson
Act of Vengeance
as Margaret Yablonski
Act of Vengeance
as Margaret Yablonski
Into Thin Air
as Joan Walker
Into Thin Air
as Joan Walker
Twice in a Lifetime
as Kate MacKenzie
Twice in a Lifetime
as Kate MacKenzie
Night of 100 Stars II
as Self
Night of 100 Stars II
as Self
Surviving
as Tina Brogan
Surviving
as Tina Brogan
The Ambassador
as Alex Hacker
The Ambassador
as Alex Hacker
I Love Liberty
as Self
I Love Liberty
as Self
Night of 100 Stars
as Self
Night of 100 Stars
as Self
Silence of the North
as Olive Frederickson
Silence of the North
as Olive Frederickson
People vs. Jean Harris
as Jean Harris
People vs. Jean Harris
as Jean Harris
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
as Self
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
as Self
Resurrection
as Edna
Resurrection
as Edna
Same Time, Next Year
as Doris
Same Time, Next Year
as Doris
Providence
as Sonia Langham
Providence
as Sonia Langham
Tropic of Cancer
as Mona (uncredited)
Tropic of Cancer
as Mona (uncredited)
Easy Out?
as Mary
Easy Out?
as Mary