Ellen Burstyn
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 7, 1932 (age 93)
- Birthplace
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
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
Photos
Filmography
Bathing Flo
Movie
Presenting Geraldine Page
Movie
Place to Be
Movie · as Brooke
Flesh Impact
Movie · as Marilyn Monroe
Duse, the Greatest
Movie
Breakdown: 1975
Movie · as Self
This Ordinary Thing
Movie · as Self (voice)
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
Movie · as Self
Mother, Couch
Movie · as Mother
E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump
Movie · as E. Jean Carroll
The Exorcist: Believer
Movie · as Chris MacNeil
Three Months
Movie · as Valerie
Reframed: Marilyn Monroe
TV · as Self · 4 eps
The First Lady
TV · as Sara Delano Roosevelt · 6 eps
Queen Bees
Movie · as Helen Wilson
Watch on the Rhine
Movie · as Fanny
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
Movie · as Herself
Law & Order: Organized Crime
TV · as Bernadette Stabler · 27 eps
Pieces of a Woman
Movie · as Elizabeth Weiss
Delphine and Carole
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The House of Tomorrow
Movie · as Josephine Prendergast
Lucy in the Sky
Movie · as Nana Holbrook
American Woman
Movie · as Miss Dolly
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
Movie · as Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Tale
Movie · as Nettie
Nostalgia
Movie · as Helen Greer
All I Wish
Movie · as Celia Berges
Friedkin Uncut
Movie · as Self
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime
Movie · as Self
Wiener-Dog
Movie · as Nana
Custody
Movie · as Beatrice Fisher
The Age of Adaline
Movie · as Flemming
About Scout
Movie · as Gram
Unity
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Interstellar
Movie · as Murph (older)
Draft Day
Movie · as Barb Weaver
Flowers in the Attic
Movie · as Grandmother
River of Fundament
Movie · as Hathfertiti
And the Oscar Goes To...
Movie · as Self - Interviewee
The Calling
Movie · as Emily Micallef
Two Men in Town
Movie · as Mère Garnett
Petals on the Wind
Movie · as Olivia Foxworth
Love, Marilyn
Movie · as Self
Wish You Well
Movie · as Louisa Mae Cardinal
Mom
TV · as Shirley · 1 ep
House of Cards
TV · as Elizabeth Hale · 5 eps
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
Movie · as Nanette
Political Animals
TV · as Margaret Barrish · 6 eps
Coma
TV · as Mrs. Emerson · 2 eps
The Mighty Macs
Movie · as Mother St. John
Another Happy Day
Movie · as Doris Baker
Main Street
Movie · as Georgiana Carr
Reflections of a Philosopher King
Movie · as Self
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
Movie · as Self
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
Movie · as Self
According to Greta
Movie · as Katherine
The Velveteen Rabbit
Movie · as Swan (voice)
Lovely, Still
Movie · as Mary
PoliWood
Movie · as Self
Possible Side Effects
TV · as Marnie Hunt · 1 ep
W.
Movie · as Barbara Bush
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
Movie · as Miss Addie
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
Movie · as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
The Stone Angel
Movie · as Hagar
The Fountain
Movie · as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
The Wicker Man
Movie · as Sister Summersisle
The Elephant King
Movie · as Diana Hunt
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
Movie · as Self
30 Days
Movie · as Maura
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Movie · as Self
The Book of Daniel
TV · as Bishop Beatrice Congreve · 4 eps
Big Love
TV · as Nancy Davis Dutton · 6 eps
Our Fathers
Movie · as Mary Ryan
Mrs. Harris
Movie · as Former Tarnower Steady
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Movie · as Ruby
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
Movie · as Tommie
Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
Movie · as Self
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
Movie · as Self
Brush with Fate
Movie · as Rika
A Decade Under the Influence
Movie · as Self
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Movie · as Vivi
Red Dragon
Movie · as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
Within These Walls
Movie · as Joan Thomas
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
Movie · as Self
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
Movie · as Self
Requiem for a Dream
Movie · as Sara Goldfarb
The Yards
Movie · as Val Handler
Mermaid
Movie · as Trish
That's Life
TV · as Dolly DeLucca · 36 eps
Walking Across Egypt
Movie · as Mattie Rigsbee
Night Ride Home
Movie · as Maggie
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
Movie · as Self
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
TV · as Bernie Stabler · 1 ep
Playing by Heart
Movie · as Mildred
The Patron Saint of Liars
Movie · as June Clatterbuck
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
Movie · as Self - Chris MacNeil
Marilyn in Manhattan
Movie · as Self
You Can Thank Me Later
Movie · as Shirley Cooperberg
A Will of their Own
TV · as Veronica Steward · 2 eps
Deceiver
Movie · as Mook
Flash
Movie · as Laura Strong
A Deadly Vision
Movie · as Yvette Watson
The View
TV · as Self · 2 eps
HARDtalk
TV · 1 ep
The Spitfire Grill
Movie · as Hannah Ferguson
Timepiece
Movie · as Maud Gannon
Didn't You Used to Be Satan?
Movie · as Self
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
How to Make an American Quilt
Movie · as Hy Dodd
The Baby-Sitters Club
Movie · as Mrs. Haberman
My Brother's Keeper
Movie · as Helen
Roommates
Movie · as Judith
Follow The River
Movie · as Gretel
When a Man Loves a Woman
Movie · as Emily
Getting Gotti
Movie · as Jo Giacalone
Trick of the Eye
Movie · as Frances Griffin
Getting Out
Movie · as Arlie's Mother
Inside the Actors Studio
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Cemetery Club
Movie · as Esther Moskowitz
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
Movie · as Joan Delvecchio
Roots of Roe
Movie · as Letters of Margaret Sanger (voice)
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
Movie · as Wilma
Earth and the American Dream
Movie · as Reader (voice)
When It Was a Game 2
Movie · as Passage Narrator (voice)
Dying Young
Movie · as Mrs. O'Neil
Grand Isle
Movie · as Mademoiselle Reisz
Picture This
Movie · as Self
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Movie · as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
When You Remember Me
Movie · as Nurse Cooder
The Color of Evening
Movie · as Kate O'Rielly
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
Movie · as Self
Hello Actors Studio
Movie · as Self
Hanna's War
Movie · as Katalin
American Experience
TV · as Narrator (voice) · 1 ep
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
Movie · as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
Pack of Lies
Movie · as Barbara Jackson
Act of Vengeance
Movie · as Margaret Yablonski
Something in Common
Movie · as Lynn Hollander
The Ellen Burstyn Show
TV · as Ellen Brewer · 13 eps
Twice in a Lifetime
Movie · as Kate MacKenzie
The Ambassador
Movie · as Alex Hacker
Surviving
Movie · as Tina Brogan
Night of 100 Stars II
Movie · as Self
Into Thin Air
Movie · as Joan Walker
I Love Liberty
Movie · as Self
Night of 100 Stars
Movie · as Self
People vs. Jean Harris
Movie · as Jean Harris
Silence of the North
Movie · as Olive Frederickson
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
Movie · as Self
Resurrection
Movie · as Edna
Same Time, Next Year
Movie · as Doris
A Dream of Passion
Movie · as Brenda Collins
Providence
Movie · as Sonia Langham
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Harry and Tonto
Movie · as Shirley
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Movie · as Alice Hyatt
Thursday's Game
Movie · as Lynne Evers
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Exorcist
Movie · as Chris MacNeil
The King of Marvin Gardens
Movie · as Sally
The Last Picture Show
Movie · as Lois Farrow
Alex in Wonderland
Movie · as Beth Morrison
Tropic of Cancer
Movie · as Mona (uncredited)
Pit Stop
Movie · as Ellen McCleod
The Time Tunnel
TV · as Eve Holland · 1 ep
The Big Valley
TV · as Sister Sarah Jacob · 1 ep
Goodbye Charlie
Movie · as Franny Salzman
For Those Who Think Young
Movie · as Dr. Pauline Swenson
Kraft Suspense Theatre
TV · as Barbara Sherwood / Lucille Benton · 1 ep
The Greatest Show on Earth
TV · as Susan Mason · 1 ep
Vacation Playhouse
TV · as Ellen · 1 ep
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV · as Eva Laurelton · 1 ep
Going My Way
TV · as Louise · 1 ep
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
TV · as Joan · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Virginian
TV · as Kate Burden · 1 ep
Ricochet
Movie · as Rose Maxon
Bus Stop
TV · as Phyllis Dunning · 1 ep
Ben Casey
TV · as Dr. Leslie Fraser, Connie · 1 ep
Dr. Kildare
TV · as Anne Garner · 1 ep
The Defenders
TV · as Hilda Wesley · 1 ep
Kraft Mystery Theatre
TV · as Greta Dryden · 1 ep
Surfside 6
TV · as Wandra Drake · 1 ep
Checkmate
TV · as Margo as Ellen McRae · 1 ep
The Detectives
TV · as Nora · 1 ep
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
TV · as Donna Whittaker · 1 ep
Laramie
TV · as Amy · 1 ep
The Christmas Tree
Movie · as Elizabeth
77 Sunset Strip
TV · as Betty Benson, Sandra Keene · 1 ep
Perry Mason
TV · as Mona Winthrope White · 1 ep
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Host, Self - Winner, Self - Presenter, Self - Host/Presenter, Self - Audience Member · 1 ep
Cheyenne
TV · as Emmy Mae · 1 ep
Gunsmoke
TV · as Polly, Amy Waters · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Letter to Loretta
TV · as Ann Walters · 1 ep
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV · as Elizabeth, Barbara Jackson, Maggie, Rika · 1 ep
Easy Out?
Movie · as Mary
Golden Globe Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter, Self - Nominee · 2 eps