Ellen Burstyn
- Acting
- December 7, 1932 · 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
Filmography
- Place to Be · Brooke
- Flesh Impact · Marilyn Monroe
- Breakdown: 1975 · Self
- This Ordinary Thing · Self
- Duse, the Greatest
- E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump · E. Jean Carroll
- Mother, Couch · Mother
- Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist · Self
- The Exorcist: Believer · Chris MacNeil
- The First Lady · Sara Delano Roosevelt
- Three Months · Valerie
- Reframed: Marilyn Monroe · Self
- Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes · Self
- Queen Bees · Helen Wilson
- Watch on the Rhine · Fanny
- Law & Order: Organized Crime · Bernadette Stabler
- Pieces of a Woman · Elizabeth Weiss
- Delphine and Carole · Self
- Lucy in the Sky · Nana Holbrook
- American Woman · Miss Dolly
- The Kelly Clarkson Show · Self
- Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies · Self
- The House of Tomorrow · Josephine Prendergast, Executive producer
- Friedkin Uncut · Self
- Nostalgia · Helen Greer
- All I Wish · Celia Berges
- The Tale · Nettie
- Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime · Self
- Wiener-Dog · Nana
- Custody · Beatrice Fisher
- Unity · Narrator (Voice)
- About Scout · Gram
- The Age of Adaline · Flemming
- Interstellar · Murph (older)
- The Calling · Emily Micallef
- Petals on the Wind · Olivia Foxworth
- Two Men in Town · Mère Garnett
- Draft Day · Barb Weaver
- River of Fundament · Hathfertiti
- And the Oscar Goes To... · Self
- Flowers in the Attic · Grandmother
- Wish You Well · Louisa Mae Cardinal
- Mom · Shirley
- Love, Marilyn · Self
- House of Cards · Elizabeth Hale
- Coma · Mrs. Emerson
- Political Animals · Margaret Barrish
- Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You · Nanette
- Another Happy Day · Doris Baker
- The Mighty Macs · Mother St. John
- Reflections of a Philosopher King · Self
- BBStory: An American Film Renaissance · Self
- America Lost and Found: The BBS Story · Self
- Main Street · Georgiana Carr
- According to Greta · Katherine
- Lovely, Still · Mary
- PoliWood · Self
- The Velveteen Rabbit · Swan (Voice)
- W. · Barbara Bush
- The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond · Miss Addie
- Mitch Albom's For One More Day · Pauline "Posey" Benetto
- The Stone Angel · Hagar
- The Fountain · Dr. Lillian Guzetti
- 30 Days · Maura
- The Wicker Man · Sister Summersisle
- Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow · Self
- Stardust: The Bette Davis Story · Self
- The Elephant King · Diana Hunt
- Big Love · Nancy Davis Dutton
- The Book of Daniel · Bishop Beatrice Congreve
- Mrs. Harris · Former Tarnower Steady
- Our Fathers · Mary Ryan
- The Five People You Meet In Heaven · Ruby
- The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel · Tommie
- Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" · Self
- A Decade Under the Influence · Self
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood · Self
- Brush with Fate · Rika
- Red Dragon · Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
- Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood · Vivi