Ellen Burstyn
Acting
207
Acting Credits
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 ...
Known For
Filmography
Place to Be
2026
as Brooke
Flesh Impact
2026
as Marilyn Monroe
Duse, the Greatest
2025
Breakdown: 1975
2025
as Self
This Ordinary Thing
2025
as Self (voice)
Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist
2024
as Self
Mother, Couch
2024
as Mother
E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump
2024
as E. Jean Carroll
The Exorcist: Believer
2023
as Chris MacNeil
Three Months
2022
as Valerie
Reframed: Marilyn Monroe
2022
as Self
The First Lady
2022
as Sara Delano Roosevelt
Queen Bees
2021
as Helen Wilson
Watch on the Rhine
2021
as Fanny
Paul Newman, Behind Blue Eyes
2021
as Herself
Law & Order: Organized Crime
2021
as Bernadette Stabler
Pieces of a Woman
2020
as Elizabeth Weiss
Delphine and Carole
2020
as Self (archive footage)
The House of Tomorrow
2019
as Josephine Prendergast
Lucy in the Sky
2019
as Nana Holbrook
American Woman
2019
as Miss Dolly
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
2019
as Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
The Tale
2018
as Nettie
Nostalgia
2018
as Helen Greer
All I Wish
2018
as Celia Berges
Friedkin Uncut
2018
as Self
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of a Lifetime
2017
as Self
Wiener-Dog
2016
as Nana
Custody
2016
as Beatrice Fisher
The Age of Adaline
2015
as Flemming
About Scout
2015
as Gram
Unity
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Interstellar
2014
as Murph (older)
Draft Day
2014
as Barb Weaver
Flowers in the Attic
2014
as Grandmother
River of Fundament
2014
as Hathfertiti
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self - Interviewee
The Calling
2014
as Emily Micallef
Two Men in Town
2014
as Mère Garnett
Petals on the Wind
2014
as Olivia Foxworth
Love, Marilyn
2013
as Self
Wish You Well
2013
as Louisa Mae Cardinal
Mom
2013
as Shirley
House of Cards
2013
as Elizabeth Hale
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
2012
as Nanette
Political Animals
2012
as Margaret Barrish
Coma
2012
as Mrs. Emerson
The Mighty Macs
2011
as Mother St. John
Another Happy Day
2011
as Doris Baker
Main Street
2010
as Georgiana Carr
Reflections of a Philosopher King
2010
as Self
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
2010
as Self
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story
2010
as Self
According to Greta
2009
as Katherine
The Velveteen Rabbit
2009
as Swan (voice)
Lovely, Still
2009
as Mary
PoliWood
2009
as Self
W.
2008
as Barbara Bush
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
2008
as Miss Addie
Mitch Albom's For One More Day
2007
as Pauline "Posey" Benetto
The Stone Angel
2007
as Hagar
The Fountain
2006
as Dr. Lillian Guzetti
The Wicker Man
2006
as Sister Summersisle
The Elephant King
2006
as Diana Hunt
Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow
2006
as Self
30 Days
2006
as Maura
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
as Self
The Book of Daniel
2006
as Bishop Beatrice Congreve
Big Love
2006
as Nancy Davis Dutton
Our Fathers
2005
as Mary Ryan
Mrs. Harris
2005
as Former Tarnower Steady
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
2004
as Ruby
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel
2004
as Tommie
Second Chances: The Making of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
2004
as Self
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
2003
as Self
Brush with Fate
2003
as Rika
A Decade Under the Influence
2003
as Self
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
2002
as Vivi
Red Dragon
2002
as Grandma Dolarhyde (voice) (uncredited)
Within These Walls
2001
as Joan Thomas
Memories, Dreams & Addictions
2001
as Self
The Making of Requiem for a Dream
2001
as Self
Requiem for a Dream
2000
as Sara Goldfarb
The Yards
2000
as Val Handler
Mermaid
2000
as Trish
That's Life
2000
as Dolly DeLucca
Walking Across Egypt
1999
as Mattie Rigsbee
Night Ride Home
1999
as Maggie
The Last Picture Show: A Look Back
1999
as Self
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Bernie Stabler
Playing by Heart
1998
as Mildred
The Patron Saint of Liars
1998
as June Clatterbuck
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
1998
as Self - Chris MacNeil
Marilyn in Manhattan
1998
as Self
You Can Thank Me Later
1998
as Shirley Cooperberg
A Will of their Own
1998
as Veronica Steward
Deceiver
1997
as Mook
Flash
1997
as Laura Strong
A Deadly Vision
1997
as Yvette Watson
The View
1997
as Self
HARDtalk
1997
The Spitfire Grill
1996
as Hannah Ferguson
Timepiece
1996
as Maud Gannon
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
as Self - Guest
How to Make an American Quilt
1995
as Hy Dodd
The Baby-Sitters Club
1995
as Mrs. Haberman
My Brother's Keeper
1995
as Helen
Roommates
1995
as Judith
Follow The River
1995
as Gretel
When a Man Loves a Woman
1994
as Emily
Getting Gotti
1994
as Jo Giacalone
Trick of the Eye
1994
as Frances Griffin
Getting Out
1994
as Arlie's Mother
Inside the Actors Studio
1994
as Self
The Cemetery Club
1993
as Esther Moskowitz
Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story
1993
as Joan Delvecchio
Roots of Roe
1993
as Letters of Margaret Sanger (voice)
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
1992
as Wilma
Earth and the American Dream
1992
as Reader (voice)
When It Was a Game 2
1992
as Passage Narrator (voice)
Dying Young
1991
as Mrs. O'Neil
Grand Isle
1991
as Mademoiselle Reisz
Picture This
1991
as Self
Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
1991
as Lillian "Lil" Lambert
When You Remember Me
1990
as Nurse Cooder
The Color of Evening
1990
as Kate O'Rielly
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self
Hello Actors Studio
1988
as Self
Hanna's War
1988
as Katalin
American Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
1987
as Mrs. Stocks (voice)
Pack of Lies
1987
as Barbara Jackson
Act of Vengeance
1986
as Margaret Yablonski
Something in Common
1986
as Lynn Hollander
The Ellen Burstyn Show
1986
as Ellen Brewer
Twice in a Lifetime
1985
as Kate MacKenzie
The Ambassador
1985
as Alex Hacker
Surviving
1985
as Tina Brogan
Night of 100 Stars II
1985
as Self
Into Thin Air
1985
as Joan Walker
I Love Liberty
1982
as Self
Night of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
People vs. Jean Harris
1981
as Jean Harris
Silence of the North
1981
as Olive Frederickson
Be Pretty and Shut Up!
1981
as Self
Resurrection
1980
as Edna
Same Time, Next Year
1978
as Doris
A Dream of Passion
1978
as Brenda Collins
Providence
1977
as Sonia Langham
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975
as Self
Harry and Tonto
1974
as Shirley
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
1974
as Self (archive footage)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
1974
as Alice Hyatt
Thursday's Game
1974
as Lynne Evers
Dinah!
1974
as Self
The Exorcist
1973
as Chris MacNeil
The King of Marvin Gardens
1972
as Sally
The Last Picture Show
1971
as Lois Farrow
Alex in Wonderland
1970
as Beth Morrison
Tropic of Cancer
1970
as Mona (uncredited)
Pit Stop
1969
as Ellen McCleod
The Time Tunnel
1966
as Eve Holland
The Big Valley
1965
as Sister Sarah Jacob
Goodbye Charlie
1964
as Franny Salzman
For Those Who Think Young
1964
as Dr. Pauline Swenson
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
as Barbara Sherwood / Lucille Benton
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
as Susan Mason
Vacation Playhouse
1963
as Ellen
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Eva Laurelton
Going My Way
1962
as Louise
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
1962
as Joan
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
The Virginian
1962
as Kate Burden
Ricochet
1961
as Rose Maxon
Bus Stop
1961
as Phyllis Dunning
Ben Casey
1961
as Dr. Leslie Fraser
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Anne Garner
The Defenders
1961
as Hilda Wesley
Ben Casey
1961
as Connie
Kraft Mystery Theatre
1961
as Greta Dryden
Surfside 6
1960
as Wandra Drake
Checkmate
1960
as Margo as Ellen McRae
The Detectives
1959
as Nora
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
1959
as Donna Whittaker
The Christmas Tree
1958
as Elizabeth
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Betty Benson
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Sandra Keene
Perry Mason
1957
as Mona Winthrope White
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Host
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Winner
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Host/Presenter
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Audience Member
Cheyenne
1955
as Emmy Mae
Gunsmoke
1955
as Polly
Gunsmoke
1955
as Amy Waters
The Oscars
1953
as Self
Letter to Loretta
1953
as Ann Walters
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Elizabeth
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Barbara Jackson
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Maggie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Rika
Easy Out?
1948
as Mary
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Presenter
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee