Judith Lee Ivey (born September 4, 1951) is an American actress and theatre director. She has twice won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Steaming (1981) and Hurlyburly (1984). She also received Best Actress In A Play nomination for Park Your Car in Harvard Yard (1992) and another Best Featured Actress in a Play nomination for The Heiress. Ivey made her big screen debut playing the female lead role in the 1984 romantic comedy film, The Lonely Guy. She later appeared in the comedy films The Woman in Red (1984), Compromising Positions (1985), Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986), Sister, Sister (1987), and the drama films The Devil's Advocate (1997) and Women Talking (2022), for which she received critical acclaim. On television, Ivey played the leading role in the NBC sitcom Down Home (1990-91), and played Bonnie Jean "BJ" Poteet during the final season of CBS sitcom Designing Women (1992-93). For her role in the television film What the Deaf Man Heard (1997), she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.
Early life and education Judith Lee Ivey was born on September 4, 1951, in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Nathan Aldean Ivey, a college instructor and dean, and Dorothy Lee (née Lewis; 1922—2023), a teacher.
From 1965 to 1968, she attended Union High School through tenth grade in Dowagiac, Michigan.Judith Ivey biodata, theh-p.com; accessed September 3, 2015. She graduated from Marion High School in Marion, Illinois, in 1970, and then attended John A. Logan College, Southern Illinois University (Carbondale), and Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.
Career Ivey won two Tony Awards as Best Featured Actress in a Play for Steaming in 1983 and Hurlyburly in 1985. She was nominated for Park Your Car in Harvard Yard in 1992 and a revival of The Heiress in 2013. Other Broadway theatre credits include Piaf, Bedroom Farce, Blithe Spirit, Voices in the Dark, and Follies.
She portrayed Amanda in The Glass Menagerie at the Long Wharf Theatre and reprised the role in March 2010 at the Roundabout Theatre in New York,Isherwood, Charles. "Theater Review;'The Glass Menagerie'", nytimes.com, March 25, 2010. as well as the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. She received the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress for that portrayal. Ivey portrayed Ann Landers in the solo play The Lady with All the Answers at the Cherry Lane Theatre (off-Broadway) in October 2009.Isherwood, Charles. "Dear Ann Landers: What’s a Girl to Do Now?" The New York Times, October 15, 2009. She was nominated for Best Solo Performance for the Lucille Lortel Award and Drama Desk Award. In 2016, she returned to the Cherry Lane Theatre in Israel Horovitz's play Out of the Mouths of Babes with Estelle Parsons, directed by Barnet Kellman.
Ivey has appeared in numerous films, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Miles from Home, Compromising Positions, Harry & Son, The Woman in Red, Sister, Sister, In Country, Hello Again, The Lonely Guy, There Goes the Neighborhood, The Devil's Advocate, What Alice Found, and Flags of Our Fathers.
Despite a long history of theater and film performances, Ivey most associated with the role of B.J. Poteet in the final season of Designing Women. She appeared on Will & Grace as the mother of Dr. Leo Markus and appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Person of Interest, White Collar, Nurse Jackie, Big Love, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Ivey played the lead role of Kate McCrorey in the two-season series Down Home (1990–1991), set in a Texas coastal town. This was followed by lead roles in single season series The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994-1995, "Alexandria Buchanan"), and Dave Chappelle's Buddies (1996, "Maureen DeMoss"). Ivey was also in the 1985 TV remake of The Long Hot Summer, in the role of Noel Varner (Joanne Woodward's role in the 1958 film version). The miniseries also starred Jason Robards and Don Johnson. Ivey was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in What the Deaf Man Heard, a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation. She also provided the voice of Eleanor Sherman in the animated series The Critic. Ivey appeared in the television miniseries Rose Red (with a screenplay by Stephen King) as Cathy, one of the psychics investigating a haunted house.
Personal life As a student at Illinois State, she majored in drama and later did commercials and steady repertory work in Chicago. Ivey met and married Illinois State graduate student, Ricardo Gutierrez in 1973. They divorced and she moved to New York in 1978. She is now married to Tim Braine, and they have two children.
Filmography Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1984The Lonely GuyIris1984Harry & SonSally1984The Woman in RedDidi Pierce1985Compromising PositionsNancy Miller1986Brighton Beach MemoirsBlanche1987Sister, SisterCharlotte Bonnard1987Hello AgainZelda1988Miles from HomeFrances1989In CountryAnita1990Everybody WinsConnie1990Love HurtsSusan Volcheck1990AliceGossiping Matronuncredited1992There Goes the NeighborhoodPeedi Rutledge1997Washington SquareAunt Elizabeth Almond1997The Devil's AdvocateMrs. Alice Lomax1997A Life Less OrdinaryCeline's Mom1998Without LimitsBarbara Bowerman1999Mystery, AlaskaJoanne Burns1999The Stand-InMrs. Rosensweig2003What Alice FoundSandra2006Sweet Tornado DVD ExtrasMargo Jonesdirect-to-video2006Flags of Our FathersBelle Block2010The Glass MenagerieAmanda Wingfielddirect-to-video2011A Bird of the AirEleanor Reeves2014Big Stone GapNan MacChesney2017CortezSandy2018The Bit PlayerBetty Shannondocumentary2020Through the Glass DarklyMama Carmichael2022Women TalkingAgata FriesenVancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Female Actor in a Canadian FilmAARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Supporting ActressIndependent Spirit Robert Altman AwardNational Board of Review Award for Best CastBoston Society of Film Critics Award for Best CastSt. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best EnsembleNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1980Search for TomorrowMarilyn3 episodes1982American PlayhouseLouiseEpisode: "The Shady Hill Kidnapping"1982Cagney & LaceyGwenEpisode: "Mr. Lonelyhearts"1983Dixie: Changing HabitsSister MargaretTV movie1984PiafMadeline1985The Long Hot SummerNoel Varner1987We Are the ChildrenBrenda Hayes1990Decoration DayTerry Novis1990–1991Down HomeKate McCrorey19 episodes1992Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last ChapterDist. Atty. Kerry WellsTV movie1992Do Not Bring That Python in the HouseMrs. Miller1992–1993Designing WomenB.J. Poteet22 episodes1993Frogs!PassionattaTV movie1993FrasierLorraine (voice only)Episode: "I Hate Frasier Crane"1993CBS Schoolbreak SpecialCounselorEpisode: "Other Mothers"1994DuckmanMother MirabelleEpisode: "T.V. or Not to Be"1994On Promised LandOliviaTV movie1994–1995The 5 Mrs. BuchanansAlexandria Buchanan17 episodes1994–1995The CriticEleanor Sherman23 episodes1995Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch StoryLaura McCormickTV movie1996BuddiesMaureen DeMoss14 episodes1996The Summer of Ben TylerNarratorTV movie1997What the Deaf Man HeardLucilleNominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie1999Half a Dozen BabiesDoris StaufferTV movie2002Rose RedCathy Kramer3 episodes2002Will & GraceEleanor Markus2003Queens SupremeSusan KellyEpisode: "Mad About You"2005RelatedBob's MomEpisode: "Have Yourself a Sorelli Little Christmas"2005, 2013Law & Order: Special Victims UnitAlice Parker / Jenny's Attorney2 episodes2007Pictures of Hollis WoodsBeatrice GilcrestTV movie2009Nurse JackiePaulaEpisode: "Tiny Bubbles"2010Past LifeLaney2 episodes2010The Whole TruthBernadette PealeEpisode: "Liars"2011Big LoveRenee ClaytonEpisode: "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."2011Grey's AnatomyBarbara RobbinsEpisode: "White Wedding"2012Person of InterestSharonEpisode: "Many Happy Returns"2012White CollarEllen Parker5 episodes2012Modern LoveMolly McElvaneTV movie2013AssistanceSusan Johnson2014ElementaryRuth ColvilleEpisode: "The Many Mouths of Aaron Colville"2016The FamilyMrs. Asher4 episodes2017BloodlineBelle's MotherEpisode: "Part 27"2018InstinctSocial Worker SheilaEpisode: "Tribal"2019New AmsterdamDr. Virginia Stauton4 episodes2024Sweet MagnoliasBonnie Townsend4 episodes2026Best MedicineVanessa Bestseason 1 episode 9 "Doc Martin" Stage Year Title Role Notes 1979 Bedroom Farce Kate (Replacement) Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway 1981 Piaf Madeleine Plymouth Theatre, Broadway 1982 Steaming Josie Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway 1984 Hurlyburly Bonnie Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 1986 Precious Sons Bea Longacre Theatre, Broadway 1987 Blithe Spirit Ruth Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway 1991 Park Your Car in Harvard Yard Kathleen Hogan Music Box Theatre, Broadway 1999 Voices in the Dark Lil Longacre Theatre, Broadway 2001 Follies Sally Durant Plummer Belasco Theatre, Broadway 2009 The Lady With All the Answers Ann Landers Cherry Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway 2010 The Glass Menagerie Amanda Wingfield Laura Pels Theatre, Off-Broadway 2012 The Heiress Lavinia Penniman Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway 2015 The Audience Margaret Thatcher Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway 2016 Out of the Mouths of Babes Evvie Cherry Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway 2017 Fireflies Grace Bodell Long Wharf Theater 2019 Greater Clements Maggie Lincoln Center Theatre, Off-Broadway
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