Ellen Burstyn is an American actress of stage and screen.

She is known for her film performances in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (1971), William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973), Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), and Requiem for a Dream (2000). She also has appeared in such films as Harry and Tonto (1974), Same Time, Next Year (1978), and Resurrection (1980).

She is also known for her performances in television such as Big Love (2007–2011), Political Animals (2012), Louie (2014), and House of Cards (2016).

Film Year Title Role Notes 1964 Goodbye Charlie Frannie Salzman Credited as Ellen McRae For Those Who Think Young Dr. Pauline Thayer 1969 Pit Stop (original title: The Winner) Ellen McLeod 1970 Alex in Wonderland Beth Morrison Tropic of Cancer Mona Miller 1971 Lois Farrow 1972 Sally 1973 Chris MacNeil 1974 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Alice Hyatt Harry and Tonto Shirley Mallard 1977 Providence Sonia Langham 1978 Brenda Same Time, Next Year Doris 1980 Resurrection Edna Mae McCauley 1981 Silence of the North Olive Frederickson 1984 Alex Hacker Terror in the Aisles Archival footage 1985 Twice in a Lifetime Kate MacKenzie 1987 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Mrs. Stocks (voice) 1988 Hanna's War Katalin 1990 The Color of Evening Kate O'Rielly 1991 Grand Isle Mademoiselle Reisz Dying Young Mrs. O'Neil 1993 Esther Moskowitz 1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Emily 1995 How to Make an American Quilt Hy Dodd Emily Haberman Roommates Judith 1996 Hannah Ferguson 1997 Deceiver Mook 1998 Playing by Heart Mildred You Can Thank Me Later Shirley Cooperberg 1999 Walking Across Egypt Mattie Rigsbee 2000 Requiem for a Dream Sara Goldfarb Val Handler 2002 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Viviane Joan "Vivi" Abbott Walker Red Dragon Grandma Dolarhyde (voice only) Uncredited 2005 Down in the Valley Ma 2006 The Fountain Dr. Lilian Guzetti Sister Summersisle Diana Hunt 30 Days Maura 2007 Hagar Shipley 2008 Lovely, Still Mary W. Barbara Bush 2009 Swan Voice role According to Greta Katherine PoliWood Herself Documentary The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond Miss Adie 2010 Mother St. John Main Street Georgiana Carr 2011 Another Happy Day Doris Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You Nanette 2013 Wish You Well Louisa Mae Cardinal 2014 Two Men in Town Garnett's mother River of Fundament Hafertiti #1 Draft Day Barb Weaver Interstellar Old Murph The Calling Emily Micallef When Marnie Was There Nanny Voice 2015 The Age of Adaline Flemming Unity Narrator Documentary About Scout Gram 2016 Wiener-Dog Nana Custody Beatrice Fisher 2017 The House of Tomorrow Josephine Prendergast Also executive producer All I Wish Celia Berges 2018 Nostalgia Helen Greer The Tale Nettie 2019 American Woman Miss Dolly Lucy in the Sky Nana Holbrook 2020 Pieces of a Woman Elizabeth Weiss 2021 Queen Bees Helen Wilson 2022 Three Months Valerie 2023 Mother, Couch Mother The Exorcist: Believer Chris MacNeil 2026 Place to Be Brooke Post-production Flesh Impact Marilyn Monroe Short film

Source: Turner Classic Movies

Television Year Title Role Notes 1958 Kraft Television Theatre Linda Episode: "Trick or Treat"; credited as Ellen McRae 1961 Michael Shayne Carol Episode: "Strike Out"; credited as Ellen McRae "Sports Celebrities Appear in Mystery", Biddeford-Saco (Maine) Journal, March 4, 1961, p. 10. The Loretta Young Show Ann Walters Episode: "Woodlot"; credited as Ellen McRae Dr. Kildare Anne Garner Episode: "Second Chance"; credited as Ellen McRae Surfside 6 Wandra Drake Episode: "Double Image"; credited as Ellen McRae 1961, 1963 77 Sunset Strip Betty Benson (1961) / Sandra Keene (1963) 2 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1961 Cheyenne Emmy Mae Episode: "Day's Pay"; credited as Ellen McRae The Dick Powell ShowRose Maxon Episode: "Ricochet"; credited as Ellen McRae 1962,1971 Gunsmoke Polly Mims (1962) / Amy Waters (1971) 3 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae (1962), credited as Ellen Burstyn (1971) 1962 Ben Casey Dr. Leslie Fraser (ep. 1) / Connie (ep. 2) 2 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae Bus Stop Phyllis Dunning Episode: "Cry to Heaven"; credited as Ellen McRae Checkmate Margo Episode: "The Bold and the Tough"; credited as Ellen McRae The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Dr. Donna Whittaker Episode: "A Splinter Off the Old Block"; credited as Ellen McRae Perry Mason Mona Winthrope White Episode: "The Case of the Dodging Domino"; credited as Ellen McRae The Real McCoys Dorothy Carter Episode: "The Girl Veterinarian"; credited as Ellen McRae I'm Dickens, He's Fenster Joan Episode: "Harry, the Father Image"; credited as Ellen McRae 1963 Laramie Amy Episode: "No Place to Run"; credited as Ellen McRae The Defenders Hilda Wesley Episode: "The Heathen"; credited as Ellen McRae Going My Way Louise Episode: "Hear No Evil"; credited as Ellen McRae Wagon Train Margaret Whitlow Episode: "The Jim Whitlow Story"; credited as Ellen McRae Vacation Playhouse Ellen Episode: "The Big Brain"; credited as Ellen McRae 1964 Suspense Theater Barbara / Lucille Episode: "The Deep End"; credited as Ellen McRae Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Eva Laurelton Episode: "Runaway"; credited as Ellen McRae The Greatest Show on Earth Susan Mason Episode: "Big Man from Nairobi"; credited as Ellen McRae Death Valley Days Jenny Episode: "Hastings Cut-off"; credited as Ellen McRae 1964–65 The Doctors Dr. Kate Bartok Multiple episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1965 For the People Maria Haviland Episode: "Seized, Confined and Detained"; credited as Ellen McRae 1966 The Time Tunnel Dr. Eve Holland Episode: "Crack of Doom"; credited as Ellen McRae 1967–68 Iron Horse Julie Parsons 9 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1967 The Big Valley Sister Jacob Episode: "Days of Grace"; credited as Ellen McRae 1968 Insight Janet Episode: "All the Things I've Never Liked"; credited as Ellen McRae 1969 The Virginian Kate Bürden Episode: "Last Grave at Socorro Creek" 1972 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Rachel Lambert Episode: "Lisa, I Hardly Knew You" 1974 Thursday's Game Lynne Evers Television movie 1981 The People vs. Jean Harris Jean Harris 1985 Into Thin Air Joan Walker Surviving: A Family in Crisis Tina Brogan 1986 Act of Vengeance Margaret Yablonski Something in Common Lynn Hollander 1986–87 The Ellen Burstyn Show Ellen Brewer 13 episodes 1987 Look Away Mary Todd Lincoln Television movie Pack of Lies Barbara Jackson 1990 When You Remember Me Nurse Cooder 1991 Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love Lillian "Lil" Lambert 1992 Taking Back My Life Wilma 1993 Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story Joan Delvecchio 1994 Trick of the Eye Frances Griffin Getting Gotti Jo Giaclone Getting Out Arlie's Mother 1995 Follow the River Gretel My Brother's Keeper Helen 1996 Timepiece Maud Gannon Our Son, the Matchmaker Iva Mae Longwell 1997 Flash Laura Strong A Deadly Vision Yvette Watson 1998 A Will of Their Own Veronica Steward Mini-series June Clatterbuck Television movie 1999Night Ride Home Maggie 2000 Mermaid Trish Gill Television movie 2000–02 That's Life Dolly DeLucca 34 episodes 2001 Dodson's Journey Mother Television movie 2001 Within These Walls Joan Thomas 2003 Brush with Fate Rika 2004 Ruby The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel Tommie 2005 Our Fathers Mary Ryan Mrs. Harris Ex-lover No. 3 / Former Tarnower "Steady" Television movie 2006 The Book of Daniel Bishop Beatrice Congreve 8 episodes 2007 For One More Day Pauline Benetto Television movie 2007–11 Big Love Nancy Davis Dutton 6 episodes 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bernie Stabler Episode: "Swing" 2012 Political Animals Margaret Barrish 6 episodes Coma Mrs. Emerson 2 episodes 2014 Flowers in the Attic Olivia Foxworth Television movie Petals on the Wind Louie Evanka 5 episodes: "Elevator" Parts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 2015 Mom Shirley Stabler Episode: "Terrorists and Gingerbread" 2016 House of Cards Elizabeth Hale 5 episodes 2021–present Law & Order: Organized Crime Bernie Stabler Recurring role 2022 The First Lady Sara Roosevelt 6 episodes

Theater Year Title Role Venue1958 Fair Game Susan Hammarlee Longacre Theatre, Broadway1975 Same Time, Next Year Doris Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway1983 84 Charing Cross Road Helen Haniff Nederlander Theatre, Broadway1989 Shirley Valentine Shirley Valentine Booth Theatre, Broadway1992 Shimada Sharyn Beaumont Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway1995 Sacrilege Sister Grace Belasco Theatre, Broadway2003 Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All Lucy Marsden Longacre Theatre, Broadway2013 Picnic Mrs. Helen Potts American Airlines Theatre, Broadway2017 As You Like It Jacques Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway2019 33 Variations Dr. Katherine Brandt Comedy Theatre, Melbourne References

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