P
Place to Be
as Brooke
2026
E
Ellen Burstyn
Also known as Ellen McRae, Edna Rae Gilhooley
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.
Personal details
Full filmography
2026
F
Flesh Impact
as Marilyn Monroe
2026
2025
D
Duse, the Greatest
2025
B
Breakdown: 1975
as Self
2025
T
This Ordinary Thing
as Self (voice)
2025
2024
F
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
as Self
2024
M
Mother, Couch
as Mother
2024
E
E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump
as E. Jean Carroll
2024
2022
T
Three Months
as Valerie
2022
2021
Q
Queen Bees
as Helen Wilson
2021
W
Watch on the Rhine
as Fanny
2021
P
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
as Herself
2021
2020
P
Pieces of a Woman
as Elizabeth Weiss
2020
D
Delphine and Carole
as Self (archive footage)
2020
2019
T
The House of Tomorrow
2019
L
Lucy in the Sky
as Nana Holbrook
2019
A
American Woman
as Miss Dolly
2019
S
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
as Self
2019
2018
T
The Tale
as Nettie
2018
N
Nostalgia
as Helen Greer
2018
A
All I Wish
as Celia Berges
2018
F
Friedkin Uncut
as Self
2018
2017
M
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime
as Self
2017
2016
W
Wiener-Dog
as Nana
2016
C
Custody
as Beatrice Fisher
2016
2015
T
The Age of Adaline
as Flemming
2015
A
About Scout
as Gram
2015
U
Unity
as Narrator (voice)
2015
2014
I
Interstellar
as Murph (older)
2014
D
Draft Day
as Barb Weaver
2014
F
Flowers in the Attic
as Grandmother
2014
R
River of Fundament
as Hathfertiti
2014
A
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self - Interviewee
2014
T
The Calling
as Emily Micallef
2014
T
Two Men in Town
as Mère Garnett
2014
P
Petals on the Wind
as Olivia Foxworth
2014
2013
L
Love, Marilyn
as Self
2013
W
Wish You Well
as Louisa Mae Cardinal
2013
2012
S
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
as Nanette
2012
2011
T
The Mighty Macs
as Mother St. John
2011
A
Another Happy Day
as Doris Baker
2011
2010
M
Main Street
as Georgiana Carr
2010
R
Reflections of a Philosopher King
as Self
2010
B
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
as Self
2010
A
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
as Self
2010
2009
A
According to Greta
as Katherine
2009
T
The Velveteen Rabbit
as Swan (voice)
2009
L
Lovely, Still
as Mary
2009
P
PoliWood
as Self
2009
2008
W
W.
as Barbara Bush
2008
T
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
as Miss Addie
2008
2007
M
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
2007
T
The Stone Angel
as Hagar
2007
2006
T
The Fountain
as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
2006
T
The Wicker Man
as Sister Summersisle
2006
T
The Elephant King
as Diana Hunt
2006
H
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
as Self
2006
3
30 Days
as Maura
2006
S
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
as Self
2006