Acting
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
Film · 2026
Flesh Impact
Film · 2026
Duse, the Greatest
Film · 2025
Breakdown: 1975
Film · 2025
This Ordinary Thing
Film · 2025
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
Film · 2024
Mother, Couch
Film · 2024
E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump
Film · 2024
The Exorcist: Believer
Film · 2023
Three Months
Film · 2022
Reframed: Marilyn Monroe
Series · 2022
The First Lady
Series · 2022
Queen Bees
Film · 2021
Watch on the Rhine
Film · 2021
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
Film · 2021
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Series · 2021
Pieces of a Woman
Film · 2020
Delphine and Carole
Film · 2020
The House of Tomorrow
Film · 2019
Lucy in the Sky
Film · 2019
American Woman
Film · 2019
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
Film · 2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Series · 2019
The Tale
Film · 2018
Nostalgia
Film · 2018
All I Wish
Film · 2018
Friedkin Uncut
Film · 2018
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime
Film · 2017
Wiener-Dog
Film · 2016
Custody
Film · 2016
The Age of Adaline
Film · 2015
About Scout
Film · 2015
Unity
Film · 2015
Interstellar
Film · 2014
Draft Day
Film · 2014
Flowers in the Attic
Film · 2014
River of Fundament
Film · 2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
Film · 2014
The Calling
Film · 2014
Two Men in Town
Film · 2014
Petals on the Wind
Film · 2014
Love, Marilyn
Film · 2013
Wish You Well
Film · 2013
Mom
Series · 2013
House of Cards
Series · 2013
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
Film · 2012
Political Animals
Series · 2012
Coma
Series · 2012
The Mighty Macs
Film · 2011
Another Happy Day
Film · 2011
Main Street
Film · 2010
Reflections of a Philosopher King
Film · 2010
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
Film · 2010
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
Film · 2010
According to Greta
Film · 2009
The Velveteen Rabbit
Film · 2009
Lovely, Still
Film · 2009
PoliWood
Film · 2009
W.
Film · 2008
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
Film · 2008
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
Film · 2007
The Stone Angel
Film · 2007
The Fountain
Film · 2006
The Wicker Man
Film · 2006
The Elephant King
Film · 2006
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
Film · 2006
30 Days
Film · 2006
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Film · 2006
The Book of Daniel
Series · 2006
Big Love
Series · 2006
Our Fathers
Film · 2005
Mrs. Harris
Film · 2005
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Film · 2004
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
Film · 2004
Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
Film · 2004
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
Film · 2003
Brush with Fate
Film · 2003
A Decade Under the Influence
Film · 2003
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Film · 2002
Red Dragon
Film · 2002
Within These Walls
Film · 2001
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
Film · 2001
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
Film · 2001
Requiem for a Dream
Film · 2000
The Yards
Film · 2000
Mermaid
Film · 2000
That's Life
Series · 2000
Walking Across Egypt
Film · 1999
Night Ride Home
Film · 1999
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
Film · 1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Series · 1999
Playing by Heart
Film · 1998
The Patron Saint of Liars
Film · 1998
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
Film · 1998
Marilyn in Manhattan
Film · 1998
You Can Thank Me Later
Film · 1998
A Will of their Own
Series · 1998
Deceiver
Film · 1997
Flash
Film · 1997
A Deadly Vision
Film · 1997
The View
Series · 1997
HARDtalk
Series · 1997
The Spitfire Grill
Film · 1996
Timepiece
Film · 1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Series · 1996
How to Make an American Quilt
Film · 1995
The Baby-Sitters Club
Film · 1995
My Brother's Keeper
Film · 1995
Roommates
Film · 1995
Follow The River
Film · 1995
When a Man Loves a Woman
Film · 1994
Getting Gotti
Film · 1994
Trick of the Eye
Film · 1994
Getting Out
Film · 1994
Inside the Actors Studio
Series · 1994
The Cemetery Club
Film · 1993
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
Film · 1993
Roots of Roe
Film · 1993
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
Film · 1992
Earth and the American Dream
Film · 1992
When It Was a Game 2
Film · 1992
Dying Young
Film · 1991
Grand Isle
Film · 1991
Picture This
Film · 1991
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Film · 1991
When You Remember Me
Film · 1990
The Color of Evening
Film · 1990
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
Film · 1989
Hello Actors Studio
Film · 1988
Hanna's War
Film · 1988
American Experience
Series · 1988
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
Film · 1987
Pack of Lies
Film · 1987
Act of Vengeance
Film · 1986
Something in Common
Film · 1986
The Ellen Burstyn Show
Series · 1986
Twice in a Lifetime
Film · 1985
The Ambassador
Film · 1985
Surviving
Film · 1985
Night of 100 Stars II
Film · 1985
Into Thin Air
Film · 1985
I Love Liberty
Film · 1982
Night of 100 Stars
Film · 1982
People vs. Jean Harris
Film · 1981
Silence of the North
Film · 1981
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
Film · 1981
Resurrection
Film · 1980
Same Time, Next Year
Film · 1978
A Dream of Passion
Film · 1978
Providence
Film · 1977
Saturday Night Live
Series · 1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Series · 1975
Harry and Tonto
Film · 1974
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
Film · 1974
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Film · 1974
Thursday's Game
Film · 1974
Dinah!
Series · 1974
The Exorcist
Film · 1973
The King of Marvin Gardens
Film · 1972
The Last Picture Show
Film · 1971
Alex in Wonderland
Film · 1970
Tropic of Cancer
Film · 1970
Pit Stop
Film · 1969
The Time Tunnel
Series · 1966
The Big Valley
Series · 1965
Goodbye Charlie
Film · 1964
For Those Who Think Young
Film · 1964
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Series · 1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
Series · 1963
Vacation Playhouse
Series · 1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Series · 1963
Going My Way
Series · 1962
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
Series · 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Series · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
Ricochet
Film · 1961
Bus Stop
Series · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
The Defenders
Series · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre
Series · 1961
Surfside 6
Series · 1960
Checkmate
Series · 1960
The Detectives
Series · 1959
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Series · 1959
The Christmas Tree
Film · 1958
77 Sunset Strip
Series · 1958
77 Sunset Strip
Series · 1958
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
The Oscars
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Easy Out?
Film · 1948
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Bathing Flo
Film