About

Known credits:
158
Birthday:
1932-12-07
Place of birth:
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Website:
N/A

Ellen Burstyn

Overview

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.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Ellen Burstyn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known for

Acting
2025 Duse, the Greatest Actor N/A
N/A
2024 E. Jean Carroll V. Donald J. Trump Actor E. Jean Carroll N/A
N/A
2024 Mother, Couch Actor Mother 58
Average
2024 Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist Actor Self N/A
N/A
2023 Martin Scorsese, l'Italo-Américain Actor Self 59
Average
2023 Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
2023 The Exorcist: Believer Actor Chris MacNeil 58
Average
2022 Three Months Actor Valerie 60
Fair
2022 Reframed: Marilyn Monroe Actor Self 69
Fair
2021 Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes Actor Herself 58
Average
2021 Queen Bees Actor Helen Wilson 59
Average
2021 Watch on the Rhine Actor Fanny N/A
N/A
2020 Pieces of a Woman Actor Elizabeth Weiss 66
Fair
2020 Delphine and Carole Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2019 Lucy in the Sky Actor Nana Holbrook 56
Average
2019 American Woman Actor Miss Dolly 58
Average
2019 Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies Actor Self N/A
N/A
2019 The House of Tomorrow Actor Josephine Prendergast 60
Fair
2018 Friedkin Uncut Actor Self 59
Average
2018 Nostalgia Actor Helen Greer 58
Average
2018 All I Wish Actor Celia Berges 58
Average
2018 The Tale Actor Nettie 64
Fair
2017 Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime Actor Self 58
Average
2016 Wiener-Dog Actor Nana 57
Average
2016 Custody Actor Beatrice Fisher 59
Average
2015 Unity Actor Narrator (voice) 60
Fair
2015 About Scout Actor Gram 58
Average
2015 The Age of Adaline Actor Flemming 73
Good
2014 Interstellar Actor Murph (older) 84
Very good
2014 The Calling Actor Emily Micallef 58
Average
2014 Petals on the Wind Actor Olivia Foxworth 60
Fair
2014 Two Men in Town Actor Mère Garnett 58
Average
2014 Draft Day Actor Barb Weaver 64
Fair
2014 River of Fundament Actor Hathfertiti 59
Average
2014 And the Oscar Goes To... Actor Self - Interviewee 59
Average
2014 Flowers in the Attic Actor Grandmother 62
Fair
2013 Wish You Well Actor Louisa Mae Cardinal 59
Average
2013 Love, Marilyn Actor Self 59
Average
2012 Lovely, Still Actor Mary 59
Average
2012 Coma Actor Mrs. Emerson 67
Fair
2012 Political Animals Actor Margaret Barrish 70
Good
2012 Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You Actor Nanette 58
Average
2011 Another Happy Day Actor Doris Baker 58
Average
2011 The Mighty Macs Actor Mother St. John 58
Average
2010 Reflections of a Philosopher King Actor Self N/A
N/A
2010 America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Actor Self 59
Average
2010 BBStory: An American Film Renaissance Actor Self N/A
N/A
2010 Main Street Actor Georgiana Carr 57
Average
2009 According to Greta Actor Katherine 59
Average
2009 PoliWood Actor Self 59
Average
2009 The Velveteen Rabbit Actor Swan (voice) 59
Average
2008 W. Actor Barbara Bush 60
Fair
2008 The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond Actor Miss Addie 58
Average
2007 Mitch Albom's For One More Day Actor Pauline "Posey" Benetto 58
Average
2007 The Stone Angel Actor Hagar 58
Average
2006 The Fountain Actor Dr. Lillian Guzetti 67
Fair
2006 30 Days Actor Maura 58
Average
2006 The Wicker Man Actor Sister Summersisle 47
Bad
2006 Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow Actor Self 59
Average
2006 Stardust: The Bette Davis Story Actor Self 59
Average
2006 The Elephant King Actor Diana Hunt 58
Average
2006 Mrs. Harris Actor Former Tarnower Steady 58
Average
2006 The Book of Daniel Actor Bishop Beatrice Congreve 70
Good
2005 Our Fathers Actor Mary Ryan 59
Average
2004 The Five People You Meet In Heaven Actor Ruby 60
Fair
2004 The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel Actor Tommie 59
Average
2004 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Second Chances Actor Self N/A
N/A
2003 A Decade Under the Influence Actor Self 60
Fair
2003 Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood Actor Self 60
Fair
2003 Brush with Fate Actor Rika 58
Average
2002 Red Dragon Actor Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited) 69
Fair
2002 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Actor Vivi Abbott Walker 59
Average
2001 Within These Walls Actor Joan Thomas 59
Average
2001 Memories, Dreams & Addictions Actor Self N/A
N/A
2001 The Making of Requiem for a Dream Actor Self 59
Average
2000 Requiem for a Dream Actor Sara Goldfarb 79
Good
2000 That's Life Actor Dolly DeLucca 69
Fair
2000 Mermaid Actor Trish 59
Average
2000 The Yards Actor Val Handler 60
Fair
1999 The Last Picture Show: A Look Back Actor Self 59
Average
1999 Night Ride Home Actor Maggie 58
Average
1999 Walking Across Egypt Actor Mattie Rigsbee 58
Average
1998 Playing by Heart Actor Mildred 61
Fair
1998 A Will of their Own Actor Veronica Steward 69
Fair
1998 Marilyn in Manhattan Actor Self 59
Average
1998 The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist Actor Self - Chris MacNeil 59
Average
1998 You Can Thank Me Later Actor Shirley Cooperberg 58
Average
1998 The Patron Saint of Liars Actor June Clatterbuck 58
Average
1997 Flash Actor Laura Strong 59
Average
1997 Deceiver Actor Mook 59
Average
1997 A Deadly Vision Actor Yvette Watson 58
Average
1996 Timepiece Actor Maud Gannon 58
Average
1996 The Spitfire Grill Actor Hannah Ferguson 59
Average
1995 How to Make an American Quilt Actor Hy Dodd 60
Fair
1995 The Baby-Sitters Club Actor Mrs. Haberman 58
Average
1995 Follow The River Actor Gretel 59
Average
1995 My Brother's Keeper Actor Helen 58
Average
1995 Roommates Actor Judith 59
Average
1994 Trick of the Eye Actor Frances Griffin 58
Average
1994 Getting Gotti Actor Jo Giacalone 58
Average
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Actor Emily 61
Fair
1994 Getting Out Actor Arlie's Mother 58
Average
1993 Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story Actor Joan Delvecchio 58
Average
1993 The Cemetery Club Actor Esther Moskowitz 58
Average
1992 Earth and the American Dream Actor Reader (voice) 59
Average
1992 When It Was a Game 2 Actor Passage Narrator (voice) 58
Average
1992 Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story Actor Wilma 59
Average
1991 Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas Actor Self 59
Average
1991 Grand Isle Actor Mademoiselle Reisz 58
Average
1991 Dying Young Actor Mrs. O'Neil 62
Fair
1991 Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love Actor Lillian "Lil" Lambert 59
Average
1990 When You Remember Me Actor Nurse Cooder 58
Average
1990 The Color of Evening Actor Kate O'Rielly 58
Average
1989 Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre Actor Herself N/A
N/A
1989 Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre Actor Self N/A
N/A
1988 Hello Actors Studio Actor Self 59
Average
1988 Hanna's War Actor Katalin 59
Average
1987 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Actor Mrs. Stocks (voice) 59
Average
1987 Pack of Lies Actor Barbara Jackson 59
Average
1986 Something in Common Actor Lynn Hollander 58
Average
1986 The Ellen Burstyn Show Actor Ellen Brewer 69
Fair
1986 Act of Vengeance Actor Margaret Yablonski 58
Average
1985 Into Thin Air Actor Joan Walker 59
Average
1985 Twice in a Lifetime Actor Kate MacKenzie 58
Average
1985 Night of 100 Stars II Actor Self 59
Average
1985 Surviving Actor Tina Brogan 58
Average
1985 The Ambassador Actor Alex Hacker 58
Average
1982 I Love Liberty Actor Self N/A
N/A
1982 Night of 100 Stars Actor Self 58
Average
1981 Silence of the North Actor Olive Frederickson 58
Average
1981 People vs. Jean Harris Actor Jean Harris N/A
N/A
1981 Be Pretty and Shut Up! Actor Self 58
Average
1980 Resurrection Actor Edna 59
Average
1978 A Dream of Passion Actor Brenda Collins 58
Average
1978 Same Time, Next Year Actor Doris 59
Average
1977 Providence Actor Sonia Langham 59
Average
1974 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Actor Alice Hyatt 64
Fair
1974 Harry and Tonto Actor Shirley Mallard 60
Fair
1974 Thursday's Game Actor Lynne Evers 58
Average
1974 The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1973 The Exorcist Actor Chris MacNeil 76
Good
1972 The King of Marvin Gardens Actor Sally 58
Average
1971 The Last Picture Show Actor Lois Farrow 69
Fair
1970 Alex in Wonderland Actor Beth Morrison 58
Average
1970 Tropic of Cancer Actor Mona (uncredited) 58
Average
1969 Pit Stop Actor Ellen McCleod 59
Average
1964 Goodbye Charlie Actor Franny Salzman 58
Average
1964 For Those Who Think Young Actor Dr. Pauline Swenson 58
Average
1961 Ricochet Actor Rose Maxon N/A
N/A
1958 The Christmas Tree Actor Elizabeth N/A
N/A
1948 Easy Out? Actor Mary N/A
N/A
Bathing Flo Actor N/A
N/A
Wake Actor N/A
N/A
Place To Be Actor Brooke N/A
N/A
Fuddy Meers Actor Gertie N/A
N/A

Directing
Bathing Flo Directing Director N/A
N/A

Production
2019 The House of Tomorrow Production Executive Producer 60
Fair
2001 Within These Walls Production Executive Producer 59
Average